Wine
Top Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs to Drink Now
December 3, 2025
The Willamette Valley: Unmatchable Terroir
Sommsation Experts Recommend:
Cortell Collection Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2022($35.00) - Garnet colored with both fruit and savory on the nose. Flavors include bright cherry, blueberry and black fruit along with cola, baking spice and a bit of savory. Balanced mouthfeel with round velvety smooth tannins. Good acidity and tannin to integrate the wine.
Flâneur Wines Cuvée Constantin Pinot Noir 2021($50.00) - The palate is loud and energetic offering scents of strawberry, rose, blueberry and black tea. It unfolds with layers of cherry kirsch and orange peel, accented by the distinct character of whole cluster fermentation, which then eases into delicate hints of vanilla and licorice.
Signature Flavors and Food Pairings
Sommsation Experts Recommend:
Alexana 'Mosaic' Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2023 ($45.00) - The 2023 Alexana Mosaic is a shining example of what makes Dundee Hills so highly regarded; bright red fruit, fresh red rose petals, mossy forest floor, and torn basil leaf framed in well-integrated barrel spices.
Nysa Vineyards Pinot Noir 2019 ($60.00) - The bright, vibrant aromas stand out in this wine. Aromas of red cherry and currant, with a hint of rosemary. Similar on the palate, with a touch of cocoa, these flavors continue through the finish with subtle acidity and firm, but silky tannins.
Comparisons to Burgundy
Anderson Family Vineyard Anderson Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017($56.00) - This small family parcel on an unbelievably steep slope produces wines of elegance yet concentration, and this 2017 vintage exemplifies that. The aromatics of violets turned earth and crushed blackberries. The palate is intense, with juicy blackberry, black plum and clove wrapped around a core of earth minerality. Sous bois, soy-driven umami and smoked sea salt, drive this complex Pinot Noir towards a very long finish.
Alexana Winery East Blocks Volcanic Soils Estate Pinot Noir 2022($80.00) - This vintage contains aromas of raspberry and pine duff, and displays mouth-watering acidity with a taut spine, tart raspberry and pie cherry on finish on the palate.
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in the Cellar
Sommsation Experts Recommend:
SOM Eola Springs Pinot Noir 2023($75.00) - Aromatically lifted with notes of red cherry, rose petal, and black tea, the wine opens into a tightly woven palate defined by savory spice, mineral depth, and fine-grained tannin.
Authentique Keeler Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 ($85.00) - Blueberry and violet aromas are folded through red cherries and some dried forest-wood tones. The palate holds a very fresh and sturdy structure with a core of vibrant red-cherry flavors plus some hints of coffee, set amid fine, layered tannins.