Love & Squalor Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021

Love & Squalor Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021

$ 27.95
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An Oregon Everyday Pinot Club darling for years due its immediate charm. Winemaker Matt Berson allows it to age for 18 months in older barrels so that it's more mature by the time it ends up in your glass without sacrificing an ounce of freshness. Speaking of, yummy and fresh strawberries and cherries greet you and mingle with sweet earth undercurrents. 

Matt used to wait tables and drink wine after work. Now he makes wine and drinks during work. In 2003, he was rescued from the restaurant grind by a band of marauding Oregon winemakers. He worked in their cellars and vineyards until it got under my skin. Travel to and winery/vineyard work in New Zealand, Napa, Germany, and Argentina helped to unlock some of the secrets of making great wines. Says Matt, "sure, it’s a glamorous lifestyle (cue needle scratching across vinyl) – but it’s actually incredibly hard work with equal parts barrel heaving, lab tinkering, hand wringing, and business minutiae." 

2016 vintage notes

91 points Vinous: "Fresh red fruits, candied flowers and baking spices on the highly perfumed nose. In an elegant style for a warm vintage, offering finely etched raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that slowly put on weight as the wine opens up. Sneaky tannins build steadily and add support to a very long, red-fruit-dominated finish that leaves a sexy rose pastille note behind."

2014 vintage notes

Winemaker Matt Berson stopped by the store yesterday to remind us of how good his Pinot noir is. Supremely honest Pinot, with a measured approach to the the ripe and lusty 2014 vintage. Still beautifully layered with fruit -- black and red cherry, in particular -- with a gorgeous texture and savory lavender sexiness to the bright finish. Sign me up. A customer favorite for the last several vintages, this vintage exemplifies why. - Marcus 

Do you have space in your wine fridge, cellar, or cabinet for a case of can't-miss Pinot? You should make room anywhere you can: clear out the snack cupboard (potato chips are bad for you anyway), take those old clothes to Goodwill and dive right in to Love & Squalor 2014! Combining vineyards from up and down the valley, Matt has assembled a Monday through Thursday Pinot that you will still crave on Friday and Saturday. High-toned cherry and raspberry fruit glides, combining with the vibe of leather-bound books being read while smoking a pipe. I love this wine. - Andy

2012 vintage notes

From winemaker Matt Berson: “The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a multi-vineyard and multi-appellation blend comprised of these vineyards: Winter’s Hill 26% (Dundee Hills), Temperance Hill 16% (Eola-Amity), Cherry Grove 16% (Gaston), Cuddihy 15% (Yamhill-Carlton), Barnes 15% (Cascade Foothills), and Saikkonen 12% (Ribbon Ridge). The intent of this wine is to capture the essence of the vintage. Like making jam in my kitchen, I see winemaking as a preserving of the harvest. I look for a sweet fruit aroma to pull you into the glass followed by all of the nuances that make us love Pinot Noir. A bright acid profile is key to keeping the palate vibrant, pairing the wine with food and letting the flavors linger long after the swallow. Balance creates a dynamic wine that is exciting to drink and that pairs well with a variety of foods."

Make sure you always get a discount by using our Build a Case® program. 

How it works:

If you haven't found a full case (12 bottles) to buy today, start your Build a Case® order now by purchasing a few bottles online, by phone or email. If you order online, select the Build a Case® option. If by phone or email, just ask us to add the bottles to a Build a Case® order for you. You'll receive order confirmation and we'll cellar the wines for you at no charge.

Add to your case whenever you see wines you can't resist. Each time you add to your Build a Case® order you'll be charged the discounted price.

When you complete your case, we'll apply a shipping rate and contact you to schedule your case for shipment.

Because of finite space in our warehouse, we kindly ask that you complete your Build a Case® order within six months. Please email or call us with any questions. 

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Build a Case® 

Make sure you always get a discount by using Build a Case® How it works:

If you haven't found a full case (12 bottles) to buy today, start your Build a Case®  now by purchasing a few bottles online, by phone or email. If you order online, select the Build a Case®  option. If by phone or email, just ask us to add the bottles to a Build a Case®  for you. You'll receive order confirmation and we'll cellar the wines for you until you reach a full case.

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Our Wine Advice

Life's too short to drink bad wine.

We taste as much or more Oregon wine in a given year than anyone on the planet. We look for the needles in the haystacks, the wines you won't find in your local wine store. Wineries have long sought our help to sell their most limited, unique bottlings.

We are picky. We like to sell wines that we like to drink. We refer to taste the wines sell over several days; we want to know how a wine will evolve, how it pairs with food. We want to know if it truly belongs in your cellar, in your glass, and we want to provide you with guidance on how and when it'll be its best.

Our goal is to describe wines in ways that you can actually relate to. We battle against overly flowery tasting notes. You know the kind. The ones that mention things that no one has ever smelled or tasted. They're mostly B.S. and they perpetuate snobbery that we don't like.

We give you the unfiltered truth about a wine.We believe wine isn't one-size-fits-all. We get to know your tastes and preferences so that we can recommend the right wines for you.

Testimonials

★★★★★

Avalon is a gem. The wine selection is both excellent and expertly curated. Better yet, Marcus and Andy invest the time to get to know their customers personally. So their recommendations fit you like a well-tailored suit (just more reasonably priced!).

Sam P.
★★★★★

Marcus and Andy's knowledge of the wines, wineries and winemakers of the area is encyclopedic and, in my experience, second to none. They have a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of the industry and a knack for recommending wines that are 'in my wheelhouse,' but also the insight to direct me toward new discoveries. I wholeheartedly recommend them to both those in the know and those who would
like to be.

Bob S.
★★★★★

Andy and Marcus only sell wines they would drink themselves, they sell them at reasonable prices, and they take exceptionally good care of their customers. Ethics, value, service…the reasons we buy all our wine from Avalon.

Lynne M.
★★★★★

These guys do an outstanding job of sourcing great wines at terrific prices. Their reviews are fun to read and quite on point without all of the nonsense. Whose ever tasted squirrel dung or asphalt anyway? Get on their email list and savor the experience; then tell a friend. That's how I became a dedicated customer of Avalon Wine.

Karl K.
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