The other night, my debate wine was the 2007 Chehalem Reserve Pinot Noir. I’ve blogged about Chehalem before because it is absolutely one of my favorite wineries.
This Pinot is ready to drink now. 2007 was a year of softer, more elegant Pinots, and I think this one is a great example of the vintage. The nose is strawberry and smoke, with a very light mouthfeel. It tastes of strawberry, cherry and the same smoke that is evident on the nose. At this age, there is very little of the tart acidity that so many younger Pinots possess.
Chehalem 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir
So how to compare it to the debaters? Well, this wine is refined. It doesn’t talk over the moderator, doesn’t try to get the last word in, and doesn’t step on anybody else to try to get its point in. It just stands on its own merits.
I find I am certainly liking the ’07 Oregon wines more than the ’08s. Maybe the ’08s need some time to calm down a bit, but you’re right, the ’07s seem to be fantastic right now!
I loved the 07’s from first taste, but Jon favors the bolder flavors of the 06s and 08s. This means I can usually get a little more than my two glasses from the 07 bottles!