Belle Pente's Biggest Bangs-for-the-Buck
A record-breaking number of 95s and 94s were published in last week's Vinous report on Willamette Valley Pinot noir. After reviewing pages and pages of huge reviews, a handful of wineries have emerged as the biggest bangs-for-the-buck. One winery in particular stands out for their scores to price: Belle Pente.
Belle Pente epitomizes Oregon wine: speak softly and let your wines do the talking. Wines grown and made with integrity, priced with modesty. Brian and Jill O'Donnell are the kind of people you want to buy wine from; fortunately, they also make some of our favorite Pinots. From the top down, you'll find exquisite character and fantastic value.
The lowest-priced 95 point Pinot in Vinous' report
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot noir 2015
Belle Pente Murto Vineyard Pinot noir 2015
Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot noir 2015
Belle Pente Yamhill-Carlton Pinot noir 2015
Belle Pente epitomizes Oregon wine: speak softly and let your wines do the talking. Wines grown and made with integrity, priced with modesty. Brian and Jill O'Donnell are the kind of people you want to buy wine from; fortunately, they also make some of our favorite Pinots. From the top down, you'll find exquisite character and fantastic value.
The lowest-priced 95 point Pinot in Vinous' report
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot noir 2015
$49.45 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($54.95 regular)
95 points Vinous: "A highly complex bouquet evokes red berry preserve and cherry aromas, along with sexy Asian spice, rose oil and smoky mineral accents. Shows impressive delineation on the palate, offering concentrated, spice-tinged red fruit liqueur, cola and spicecake flavors that pick up a strong floral pastille nuance with air. Finishes extremely long and pure, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip to lingering raspberry and bitter chocolate notes."
Us: A powerhouse vintage for Belle Pente's Estate Reserve, with early-drinking precociousness marrying potential for a decade of age.
Belle Pente Murto Vineyard Pinot noir 2015
$34.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($38.85 regular)
94 points Vinous: "Highly expressive aromas of fresh red/blue fruits, potpourri, baking spices and candied rose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering penetrating raspberry, cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors that are highlighted by a zesty mineral note. Intensely flavored and sharply delineated, with an impressively long, perfumed finish that delivers firm mineral cut and resonating floral character."
Us: Belle Pente's Murto bottling has become one of our go-to Oregon Pinots. Murto's signature is its red fruit and savory spiciness which, while I can't put into words, I find irresistibly good. I think you will too!
Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot noir 2015
$34.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($38.85 regular)
94 points Vinous: "Expansive raspberry preserve, cherry pie, floral pastille and incense aromas, along with a vibrant mineral quality. Juicy, vibrant and smooth on the palate, offering sappy, alluringly sweet red and dark berry and Asian spice flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Shows superb depth and clarity; there are no rough edges to be found. Refuses to let go on the finish, which features harmonious tannins and an array of exotic spice and floral notes."
Belle Pente Yamhill-Carlton Pinot noir 2015
$26.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($29.95 regular)
92 points Vinous: "Spice-accented red berries, candied flowers and baking spices on the highly fragrant nose. A spine of juicy acidity supports sappy, mineral-driven raspberry and bitter cherry flavors. A smoky nuance emerges with air. Turns sweeter on the impressively persistent finish, which is framed by even, slow-mounting tannins.
Us: A killer value, absolutely packed with flavor. Loaded with a spectrum of red, blue, and black fruits, it is pure and fresh with subtle field herb accents through the finish. The Yamhill-Carlton bottling is 100% estate grown Belle Pente Vineyard, making it one of the better values coming from the area. Within the riper Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Belle Pente creates silky, finesse-driven wines of freshness and balance.
We're looking forward to helping you with an order. Thanks for your support!
Marcus and Andy