This Oregon pinot noir was a light, clear red in the glass, offering modest, yet slightly sour, notes of fruit on the nose. When first opening the screw cap, there was an overbearing presence of sulfites that eventually diminished in the glass. After tasting a number of these young Oregon pinot noirs, it's clear that decanting the '07 vintage will only serve to improve these wines. The Erath 2007 Pinot Noir Oregon (13%) was no exception, as it tasted much better on the 2nd day after opening. Overall, I enjoyed the modesty and elegance this wine offered, especially considering...

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Posted by Thad W. at 10:06 PM | Permalink

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The Erath 2006 Pinot Blanc ($13) offers yet another addition to my growing list of delightful, inexpensive wines to enjoy this summer. We paired this pinot blanc with a simple meal of grilled chicken thighs, broccolini, and rice pilaf, while enjoying it as an aperitif beforehand. Overall, the Erath's balanced acidity and moderate alcohol (13.8%) offered a nice complement to the Caribbean-style chicken marinade. In fact, it clearly lived up to the promise of the back label, for it is pure fruit enjoyment as a result of being steel fermented: ...a crisp, dry...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:13 PM | Permalink

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last Sunday evening, Kari warmed up a Greek stew she had made a couple of days before that had been "resting" in our fridge for the weekend. It was yet another incredible slow cooked dish made in our red Le Creuset, a French oven that seems to create magical meals regardless of what ingredients Kari combines in it. Kari's parents were joining us for this meal which was kicking off the Christmas holiday weekend. I decided to pair the stew with a 2005 Erath Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Estate Selection, a wine that...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:48 AM | Permalink