Thank you...i think we have tried Musar before and yes, that makes sense now, based on our recollection and your description. Our specific recollection is that the comparably priced Penfolds to the Musar we had (probably a Penfolds 389 or 150) still had more to chew on, bolder, more powerful...a really rich stick-a-shovel-in-it-and-it-stands-up NY Cheesecake to a no-bake cheescake or something like that? But yes, the two wines were much more in line in terms of 'composition' or 'design' if that is even a proper word in this vocabulary.
What nice wines did you taste this weekend?
- Thread starter MikeCh
- Start date
Thank you...i think we have tried Musar before and yes, that makes sense now, based on our recollection and your description. Our specific recollection is that the comparably priced Penfolds to the Musar we had (probably a Penfolds 389 or 150) still had more to chew on, bolder, more powerful...a really rich stick-a-shovel-in-it-and-it-stands-up NY Cheesecake to a no-bake cheescake or something like that? But yes, the two wines were much more in line in terms of 'composition' or 'design' if that is even a proper word in this vocabulary.
This past weekend seemed like a good time to check in on 2000 Bordeaux First Growths:
they did not disappoint
they did not disappoint
Our favorite label, by far, is “Rose & Arrow.” Thursday we were invited to the very small 2018 coming out party (but we had tasted most of them before.) Still, any excuse to drink Rose & Arrow is a good excuse and should be capitalized on. Of the five years they’ve been producing, the 2018 vintage was the first for what they considered a “grand cru” level wine. The label already is very limited quantities, less than 10 acres, out of which they produce 7 - 9 wines depending on the year’s quality. This extra rare 2018 Touchstone is, in my opinion, the finest Pinot to come out of Oregon. Of course, everyone’s criteria for great wine varies, and this label”s Pinot are not typical in any way. Extremely terroir driven, Rose & Arrow is the only Oregon winery Pedro Parra (Dr. Dirt, or “the terroir whisperer”) has consulted for.
We had previously purchased the maximum allotment of 3 bottles of Touchstone, without tasting it. Even at the release party they were not pouring (only 2 barrels produced - 600 bottles). But a young finance guy next to use had just come into a windfall and had opened a bottle. I leaned over to ask “is it all it is supposed to be?” Oh yeah he replies, and pours a generous taste for both my wife and I. My wife runs the Portland commercial banking office for a major bank, so of course she starts a long conversation with this young man — a bit bold, brash, and cocky but good on him he just had earned a very nice addition to his wealth. Enough he’s pouring a couple bottles of this rare wine. As the night ended and we closed the place, we were able to convince the manager to sell us another 3 bottles.
You won’t find the Touchstone anywhere, but of the 2018 the “Red Dust” is exceptional, as are “Stonecreek”, “Highland Close”, and “Black Walnut.” Our fave this vintage is Red Dust.
We had previously purchased the maximum allotment of 3 bottles of Touchstone, without tasting it. Even at the release party they were not pouring (only 2 barrels produced - 600 bottles). But a young finance guy next to use had just come into a windfall and had opened a bottle. I leaned over to ask “is it all it is supposed to be?” Oh yeah he replies, and pours a generous taste for both my wife and I. My wife runs the Portland commercial banking office for a major bank, so of course she starts a long conversation with this young man — a bit bold, brash, and cocky but good on him he just had earned a very nice addition to his wealth. Enough he’s pouring a couple bottles of this rare wine. As the night ended and we closed the place, we were able to convince the manager to sell us another 3 bottles.
You won’t find the Touchstone anywhere, but of the 2018 the “Red Dust” is exceptional, as are “Stonecreek”, “Highland Close”, and “Black Walnut.” Our fave this vintage is Red Dust.
I previously sent a bottle of 2017 Rose & Arrow to a sommelier friend, he wrote
“My tasting note are thus: Seductive, angelic, enchanting, heavenly, mesmerizing! Rich red raspberry, ripe blueberry on the nose and palate with a hint of rainier cherry on the front. As the wine opens after a few minutes you’re connected with the mineral foundations of the earth - bedrock - finished on the back of the palate with light cedar and dominatrix leather! Feminine and strength to be sure!”
Then he added “My favorite Pinot to be sure!”
“My tasting note are thus: Seductive, angelic, enchanting, heavenly, mesmerizing! Rich red raspberry, ripe blueberry on the nose and palate with a hint of rainier cherry on the front. As the wine opens after a few minutes you’re connected with the mineral foundations of the earth - bedrock - finished on the back of the palate with light cedar and dominatrix leather! Feminine and strength to be sure!”
Then he added “My favorite Pinot to be sure!”
I’m sure Domaine Drouhin, but here’s the thing… I‘m generally not a big Pinot drinker. So often, particularly Willamette pinots, they are too sweet for me, too much raspberry and strawberry. I’m learning more about Pinot all the time, how incredibly expressive it can be. But if the wine isn’t terroir driven first, it can come across, to me, as boring and lacking personality. I like Joseph Phelps Sonoma Pinots, like many Napa/Sonoma pinots they can be a bit more full bodied vs Willamette pinots which can be a bit thin.
The Rose & Arrow wines are definitely more expensive than most other Oregon Pinot, try Yamhill Close or Hopewell Hills to get an idea what the wines are all about. The tasting room is the “Alit Wines” room in Dundee, you have to request the Rose & Arrow, they typically won’t mention it first.
The Rose & Arrow wines are definitely more expensive than most other Oregon Pinot, try Yamhill Close or Hopewell Hills to get an idea what the wines are all about. The tasting room is the “Alit Wines” room in Dundee, you have to request the Rose & Arrow, they typically won’t mention it first.
Pinot is a lovely but pricy journey!
Tasting burgundy over time I have come favour the "pretty" vosne romanee and chambolle musigny.. plenty of power in the upper levels! ... but its fun to find new world pinots that compete on their own terms with the french
I thought both Sonoma ( littorai , copain )and Willamette offered this more than the bigger napa's ... generally less fruit bombs than kiwi or aus ... although they are stepping up.
When you talk to new world makers they all set burg as the benchmark but many have to make the bigger wines to suit the market
My wife who used to love aus shiraz now looks askance at any non burg so I have quite a bit of aging shiraz !
Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, in Vosne Romanee is also consultant for Rose & Arrow, along with Pedro Parra.
Mark Tarlov, who founded Rose & Arrrow, recently passed. The winery is now part of a larger group looking to up the quality of Willamette pinots — to the point they have hired Pedro Parra full time to find other unique plots from which to develop more terroir driven Oregon pinots, really with a goal of getting those unique plots’ flavors into the wine. I know at Rose & Arrow one row in the vineyard might be in the making, one row over won’t make the grade. Its all about the terroir. (Though, in the true french meaning, terroir is more than dirt but a more wholistic term including weather, elevation, etc.)
At the tasting, we met the CEO of the holding company mentioned above. Pedro Parra is a huge jazz fan, his book has each chapter dedicated to a jazz artist. It looks like we may be hosting Pedro, the winemaker Fillipe Ramerez, and a few others for a wine and music night in a couple weeks! That should be fun and very informative.
Mark Tarlov, who founded Rose & Arrrow, recently passed. The winery is now part of a larger group looking to up the quality of Willamette pinots — to the point they have hired Pedro Parra full time to find other unique plots from which to develop more terroir driven Oregon pinots, really with a goal of getting those unique plots’ flavors into the wine. I know at Rose & Arrow one row in the vineyard might be in the making, one row over won’t make the grade. Its all about the terroir. (Though, in the true french meaning, terroir is more than dirt but a more wholistic term including weather, elevation, etc.)
At the tasting, we met the CEO of the holding company mentioned above. Pedro Parra is a huge jazz fan, his book has each chapter dedicated to a jazz artist. It looks like we may be hosting Pedro, the winemaker Fillipe Ramerez, and a few others for a wine and music night in a couple weeks! That should be fun and very informative.
Last edited:
Very cool indeed !
I had read about PP , he is certainly held in high regard by a lot of heavy hitters. Amazing that terroir is being quantified.
Look forward to the report
Phil
Tonight is the night! I'm so thrilled to be hosting "Dr. Dirt" (Pedro Parra, PhD) and Felipe Ramirez (wine maker @ Rose&Arrow) for an evening of music and fine wine. I went through Pedro's book "Terroir Footprints" and checked the opening page of each chapter where he dedicates the chapter to a favorite jazz artist. I made a playlist of each of the artists/titles he mentions, and can mix that up with a few that I have on vinyl.
Kind of nice to already know the kind of music someone likes before they visit, and have it queued up and ready to go. Plus I hope to learn of some very rare and delicious wines. Pedro's traveled the globe as the "terroir whisperer", it will be great to learn of other labels making wine as unique as Rose&Arrow.
Easier than picking a wine to suit a track !
Sounds like the perfect evening .. have fun
Phil
That would be a test, for someone who is also an audiophile and also a sommelier!
Rose & Arrow FYI
I placed an order for some Rose & Arrow wine on 11/8. Received and order conformation and order number.
Paid for 3 day shipping.
Then nothing. No return of my several emails requesting an update. Their phone just rings, no answer.
Not sure what's going on there but something amiss going on.....
I'm going to dispute my CC charge...
I placed an order for some Rose & Arrow wine on 11/8. Received and order conformation and order number.
Paid for 3 day shipping.
Then nothing. No return of my several emails requesting an update. Their phone just rings, no answer.
Not sure what's going on there but something amiss going on.....
I'm going to dispute my CC charge...