2006 Iris Vineyards Pinot Noir

This nicely priced, very young Oregon pinot was not of the norm! Most of the '06 Oregon's we have we are sitting on as the fruit is not showing well at the moment, but will come out in time. This was the exact opposite, and reminded me more of the fruit forward California styled pinot than that of Oregon. Very nice cherry tones on the nose that hit you from a foot away. WOW, what a great nose. Hints of earth as well, but an abundance of fruit. The palate hits you like a hammer, with gushing fruit. Tons of dark cherry and other dark fruits make it hard for me to believe that this is Oregon. This is definitely not your typical $20 Oregon pinot! A hint of spice and pepper on the finish, that seems to linger for just a few seconds, but it is a delightful finish. This paired surprisingly well with noodles at Tsukasa. Nice Oregon pinot for the money, and in my opinion, better than the normal bottlings from Argyle and Benton Lane, and has a ton more fruit. This is a wine worth purchasing by the case. Kudos to CoolVines!