Cameron Pinot Noir Vertical
March 8, 2008
WWT and WFSO members, Greg Bunnell and Bill Kimmer, along with their wives, attended a vertical tasting of Cameron's Pinot Noir dating back to the first vintage of Abbey Ridge. John Paul, the owner and winemaker, was gracious enough to attend and offer historical information about the wine.
John Paul is one of Oregon's leading winemakers and has been crafting his jewels since 1985. After earning his PhD in Marine Biochemistry from SCRIPPS, John Paul spent some time in New Zealand with his wife and contemplated making wine. After a short stint down south, he returned to the states and began making Pinot Noir at Carneros Creek in Napa. When he discovered that this was his passion, he moved north to Oregon and purchased property in Dundee Hills located in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley. The vineyard name, Cameron, comes from his Scottish clan. Today, he bottles both non-vintage and vintage wines, along with two vineyard specific wines of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We focused on Pinot Noir from Abbey Ridge for the "uncorked" event put on by WFSO members Richard Stinson and Judy Erdman.
Abbey Ridge sits at one of the highest elevations in the Red Hills of Dundee. Using only organic sprays and spontaneous fermentation, the Burgundian-styled wines of Abbey Ridge have great aging potential. We put this theory to the test, tasting the Abbey Ridge from 1985 through 1995. All of the Abbey Ridge sees some new Oak, for about ten months, before spending the better part of two years maturing before bottling.
The line-up of 1985 through 1995, left to right.
We started the tasting with some nice passed appetizers, courtesy of those attending, with a nice Italian Chardonnay. After John Paul arrived, with two surprises (a magnum of the 1986 Abbey Ridge and a 1986 Tawny's Cuvee named after his daughter), we started the tasting with great anticipation. We completed the tasting in two flights - the first flight included the 1991 through 1995 vintages, including two offerings from the 1994 vintage; the second included the 1985 through 1990 vintages.
Of the first flight, most preferred the 1994 Liner & Elsen bottling followed closely behind by the 1991 and 1995 vintages. At our table, we tasted from Reidel stemware that included classic Bordeaux, Burgundy and Oregon Pinot Noir. Surprisingly, the wine seemed to show the best out of the Bordeaux glasses. For the second flight, we paired a mushroom and onion risotto with a barbequed pork loin and stuffed meat loaf to go along with the wine. Sadly, the magnum of 1986 Abbey Ridge was corked. John Paul replaced that bottle with a wonderful cuvee made in honor of his daughter, Tawny. Most thought the Tawny's Cuvee was the wine of the flight with others preferring the 1988 and 1990.
The 1986 Tawny's Cuvee with Cami Bunnell in the background.
After the tasting, Bill Kimmer shared a bottle of the 1985 Cameron Willamette Valley and Greg Bunnell opened a 1975 Ch. Angelus from St. Emilion for the group. Host Richard Stinson also poured a lovely Pinot Noir from Beaux Freres and offered a nice non-vintage port to go with dessert.
Cameron owner and winemaker, John Paul, with an enthusiastic host, Richard Stinson.
The vertical tasting of the Abbey Ridge made it clear that carefully crafted Pinot Noir, even in difficult vintages, can produce some extremely beautiful wine that can withstand years of cellaring. The mantra of those suggesting that Oregon Pinot Noir must be consumed within a drinking window of six to eight years proved off the mark. Some, but not all, of the Abbey Ridge offerings had sufficient tannic structure and fruit such that they could withstand futher patience.