INSIDER'S PICK: 2015 PATRICIA GREEN CELLARS PINOT NOIR RESERVE WILLAMETTE VALLEY $29.99

Sadly, this edition of the Insider's Pick must be intended as a memorial,  as we pass along the news of the sudden and untimely death of winemaker Patricia Green earlier this week. For over 30 years she has been one of the important presences in the Oregon winemaking industry, from her time at the head of Adelsheim in the early 1990s, to Torri Mor, and to the start of her own private label with longtime friend and business partner Jim Anderson. We at Wine Warehouse have had several instances to have her at our store as well as taste with them at the winery. There are very few in this industry with the passion and genuine energy for their craft that Patricia did for her wines and label. Every wine was a reflection of her, her team, and her vision. No pretense, no fluff, no grand corporate song and dance. These have always been wines that represent the land they come from first and foremost, featuring great vineyards in the many smaller AVAs across the Willamette Valley. Her presence in the wine world will be sorely missed.

This is one of the few wine from Patricia Green that is not all from a single vineyard site, yet as their flagship it still shows off their underlying style and has 'its own larger sense of place'. Always understated even in the warmer vintages, the aromas are all cool cherry skin and underlying savory herbs or lightly peppery spice. As the wine opens up the fragrance gets deeper and more exotically spiced, but never ventures over into anything heady, always remaining controlled. The palate everything you could ever want from an Oregon Pinot Noir at this price point; tart vibrant red cherry tones, super silky palate with just the finest edges of tannins poking through, finishing with bright acidity that causes the cherry skin and lively pepper tones to spread almost endlessly across the palate.

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