2015 Lingua Franca Joshua, Junichi and Siri Ribbon Ridge Oregon Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., $50. Named after three individuals who volunteered to work the first harvest. The crew cut the ends off the clusters for this whole berry cuvée. A portion of fruit fermented via carbonic maceration (grapes ferment inside their own skins in the absence of oxygen rather than being crushed first). This produces a notably fruity and juicy wine. It was then blended with traditionally fermented Pinot Noir that has more serious extraction and tannin. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Upon opening, the nose is rather primary, offering demure aromas of red cherry, spice and sous-bois. Tasted two days later from a previously opened bottle, the nose was more aromatic with fresh scents of red cherry and strawberry fruits and burnt tobacco. Like the nose, the palate was much more expressive two days later. Silky and elegant on the palate with a mid weight array of red fruits including cherry, cranberry, raspberry and dark strawberry accented by spice. Fresh and lithe, with modest tannins, complimentary oak, and an explosion of red cherry on the finish. Score: 93. Reviewed June 25, 2017

Winery: Lingua Franca
From article: Sips of Recently Tasted Willamette Valley Wines