J. Christopher ‘Abbey Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($69.95) Buy Now: $59 special
The 2014 Oregon Pinots keep arriving, and the J. Christopher line-up tastes consistent and delicious. The Abbey Ridge bottling stands out yet again as the winery’s most complex, refined red. It’s considered one of Oregon’s best vineyards. Planted in 1976, and still ungrafted, Abbey is dry farmed so those vitis vinifera roots will dig down in the Jory soil and extract a deeper sense of place. Elevation is high at Abbey Ridge, at 650-800 feet, which adds a bit more acidity and a softer touch than lower-elevation Dundee Hills Pinots. Earth and ripe red berries waft out of the glass, while velvet wraps the palate, and the finish lingers into the future: this wine will age well, if you can wait. – Daniel