The Wine World is Finally Catching On: Evesham Willy Last Call!
The wine world is finally catching on.
After years of us declaring Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot noir as consistently the single best value in United States Pinot, the 2016 has sold more quickly than any vintage since 2008.
So here we are in early January, with a last call for the exquisitely dynamite Evesham "Willy" '16. 2016 is the third in a trifecta of outstanding vintages and I can attest, from very recent experience, that the '16 is drinking so well right now that you won't be able to resist. Order soon...or you'll have to wait until September for the next release!
$19.75 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order
($21.95 regular)
You can set your watch and mark your calendar for the elegance and refinement of this $20 gem -- it'll always deliver the goods. Bursting with beautiful fruit and silky allure, the '16 WV opens with a spectrum of bright and dark that envelops your senses and brims with energy. Excellently balanced, super food-friendly and totally sip-worthy, there's a reason I drink more of this at home than any other Oregon Pinot (and it's not just 'cause I'm cheap): it's fantastic.
We recommend buying at least a case and enjoying a few bottles now and the rest in 6 months. We've learned over many years that this gets even better with just a few months of bottle age. - Marcus
Since we're talking Evesham and bests, don't miss our favorite Cuvee J since 2010.
$44.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order
($49.95 regular)
As we've said for several years running, when we're asked to suggest a literal handful of Oregon Pinots to buy every vintage, Evesham Wood's Cuvee J is one of them. It's a top wine of every vintage. To be more explicit, and since there are five fingers on the average hand, let's try this: the 2015 Cuvee J is in our top 5 of Oregon's 2015 vintage so far, and we've tasted A LOT.
If you like multidimensional, sensual, ethereal, age-worthy Willamette Valley Pinot noir, this wine is for you. It's one for the ages. The aromas are as enticing as it gets -- a near mythical match of buoyant and dense, everything I look for and crave in Pinot noir. Wonderfully fresh, buzzing with coiled energy, it's a restrained '15 that you can leave in your glass for a half hour, experiencing it blossom with each swirl and sniff. Like the best Js, it's the perfect partnership of bright and dark, cool and sweet. If you open it now, plan to enjoy it over a few days, stealing a glass each evening before letting it evolve for the next night. I imagine it aging for up to two decades.
Only 150 cases made, Cuvee J is the most elegant, age-worthy six barrels of the vintage from Evesham's organically farmed Le Puits Sec vineyard. Don't wait for the '15 to get another monster review from Burghound, whose praise for the 2014 (94 points, "in a word: brilliant") is the kind saved only for $500+ Grand Cru Burgundies.
Only 150 cases made, Cuvee J is the most elegant, age-worthy six barrels of the vintage from Evesham's organically farmed Le Puits Sec vineyard. Don't wait for the '15 to get another monster review from Burghound, whose praise for the 2014 (94 points, "in a word: brilliant") is the kind saved only for $500+ Grand Cru Burgundies.
An important note: while I'd never refer to a $45 wine as inexpensive, Cuvee J is underpriced compared to its peers. Try finding another Oregon winery with 30 vintages and 30 year-old vines (organic too), where their super-limited, top Pinot noir is under $50. Hint...you won't. - Marcus