Matt Kramer on Cerise™

Matt Kramer, Portland wine critic, has said a lot of nice things about our wines over the years. Last year, he called out our 2005 Reserve Dry Riesling as one of Oregon’s best. This time it’s the Cerise™, our blend of 80% Gamay Noir and 20% Pinot Noir. In Sunday’s Oregonian, Matt writes:

It delivers considerable complexity, with the flavor notes of blackberry, blueberry and even huckleberry more commonly ascribed to pinot noir. More important yet, the 2006 Cerise has layers of flavor. (Some wines just whack your palate with what might be called a monolithic taste.) Here, the complexity emerges layer by layer, which keeps you coming back for more. It’s the signature of truly fine wine, never mind from where or what.

Thanks to Matt for the very nice review. And to fans of the Cerise™: get it while you can. What little bit that is left is going to go fast.

Chehalem’s 2006 Cerise Vanquishes Cru Beaujolais in Somewhat Biased Tasting

Vanquish might be too strong a word, but I had to try and catch your attention.

A little background: a group of us from the industry (and a couple of wine-interested spouses) get together every month or two at the winery to taste wines from around the world. Generally we choose a region, sometimes a variety and everyone brings a bottle for the blind tasting.

This month, the theme was Cru Beaujolais. It wasn’t the most representative tasting–only four Beaujolais villages were represented–nor was the blinding perfect–some of us knew there was a ringer in there, but we are proud of our little wine anyway. In the blind tasting, the 2006 Chehalem Cerise, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir that we produce in small quantities–our version of a passetoutgrains–was the overall favorite, followed by the 2003 Dubœuf Fleurie.

There could certainly have been some house-palates in the room, as there were three Chehalem folks and one Chehalem spouse, but there was also representation from a couple of other wineries, too. Regional palate, perhaps? Or maybe it’s just tasty.

Regardless of why it won our little tasting, there is no doubt that it is showing well right now: pepper and violet with full red fruit on the palate and a touch of oak and more pepper on the finish. It certainly has been fun to watch this wine as it comes into its own. Even a couple of months ago it was tart and closed. Now it’s lovely. We didn’t produce Cerise last year and people have been asking for it. I bet it goes in a hurry.