For those who can act quickly enough, de Negoce just posted a second tanche offering of their n. 70 clonal pinot noirs. The price is $240 before shipping. Of the twenty-plus different wines I've purchased from de Negoce, these are the ones that call to me the most.
Stitching together the clues offered about the source winery, these wines are most likely from Vidon Vineyard, a small place in Oregon's Willamette Valley. I know precious little about the winery itself, but first impressions of these wines were sufficient to trigger a second case order for the cellar. A few notes for those considering a purchase:
- This offering is for three bottles each of four different clonal bottlings, so there's some variety in the pack.
- If you are a fan of Carneros, Russian River Valley, or California pinot noir in general, hit the pause button. These examples share little in common with their rich cousins from down south.
- Despite what spin Cameron Hughes has applied to marketing these, I haven't seen (yet) any evidence that more time in bottle will help blends A and B evolve. That said, these wines were bottled a mere six months ago and patience isn't exactly my strongest virtue.
All things considered, I give this offer a strong recommendation because even if you hold blends A and B aside as hostess gifts, blends C and D are extraordinary enough to make the case worth the purchase. In these two bottlings, pinot noir's delicate complexities are on full display with acidity so precise and focus, you may find yourself stealing the bottle away to a quiet place to enjoy solo. Uncomplicated by overt oak treatment, these wines shine from the inside, and their a lighter-bodied density allows luminescence to beam through in technicolor.
