Rex Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019
Spice-driven with restrained fruit, the Rex Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is an overtly complex and layered wine. Pretty, floral notes of lavender and violet join spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar, tobacco and Bergamot tea. There is a taut, lean Old World-style quality to the earthiness on the nose, and the accompanying fruit is on the darker spectrum: black cherry, currant, cassis and wild blueberry. On the palate, the chewy tannins point to the whole-cluster inclusion during fermentation, with a peppery spice element showing through. The palate is again spice-driven and complex with fresh acidity and austerity that promises bottle aging potential. The long finish lingers with hints of juicy plum.
| Wine Spectator: 93 |
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| Supple and vibrant, with fresh raspberry and pomegranate flavors laced with appealing notes of black tea and underbrush. Finishes with refined tannins. Drink now. |
| James Suckling: 90 |
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| Lots of ripe strawberry with bark and grilled-meat aromas that follow through to a medium body with dried fruit and a spicy finish. A little loose-knit at the end, but satisfying. |