Dec 30, 2022
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De Ponte Cellars
| Owner(s) | Rae Baldwin, Scott Baldwin |
| Web site | www.depontecellars.com |
| Link to this site |
Scott and Rae Baldwin started this small family winery in 2001 at 17545 Archery Summit Road in Dayton, Oregon. 20 acres of estate Pinot Noir (Dijon clones) and 2 acres of Melon de Bourgogne. The winery was named after Shirley Baldwin, the matriarch of the Baldwin family whose father, Manuel de Ponte, grew grapes and made his own wine in California's San Joaquin Valley.
The Baldwins came to Oregon from California where they owned a walnut orchard in the Central Valley and lived in Carmel Valley. Initially, they bought a hazelnut orchard near Forest Grove where they planted a vineyard. When they acquired the future de Ponte site, they sold the Forest Grove property to Appoloni Vineyards
Parisian-born Isabelle Dutartre was raised in the Côte-Chalonnaise and earned a degree in enology from the University of Dijon in Burgundy. She has been making wine professionally for over 30 years. Her impressive career includes stints at wineries like Maison Joseph Drouhin before she moved to Oregon in 1993 to assist the Drouhin family with Domaine Drouhin Oregon. Her mentor was Laurence Jobard, the head winemaker at Maison Joseph Drouhin with whom she worked for ten years. She became the head winemaker for De Ponte (duh pawnt) in 2001, moved permanently to the Yamhill Valley five years later, and shortly after founded her own label, 1789 wines. She also has a joint venture with Boss-Drouhin known as Caballus Cellars.
In 2007, the Baldwins bought 80 acres with an existing 6-acre Pinot Noir vineyard on Meadow Lake Road located just over the western edge of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Named Lonesome Rock Ranch, a herd of steers roam free-range on the property. The bovines are fed pomace left from De Ponte's winemaking process. Another 2 acres of Pinot Noir were planted in 2010.
Production is 2,000 cases annually of Pinot Noir. A second value-priced label is Clay Hill. A tasting room is open Thurs-Sat at the winery on NE Archery Summit Road in Dayton. I have been quite impressed by the Pinot Noirs and this is a producer to seek out. The wines can be obtained by calling 503-864-3698. Interestingly, the winery also crafts a small amount of Melon (Muscadet).
In the summer of 2013, a second tasting room opened in Carlton inside the historic fire station building which dates to 1943. The facility has an outdoor patio and seating. The tasting room will focus on special events for De Ponte and other small wineries that do not have access to an event space. The tasting room will also sell the Baldwin's grass-fed beef sourced from the couple's free-range cattle ranch known as Lonesome Rock Cattle Company (wine club members only).
Articles About De Ponte Cellars
2014 Oregon Pinot Noir First Team All-Americans (10.2 12/22/2014)
2015 Oregon Pinot Noir First Team All-Americans (10.23 12/27/2015)
2015 Oregon Pinot Noir Second Team All-Americans (10.23 12/27/2015)
2017 Oregon Pinot Noir All-Americans (11.15 12/16/2017)
De Ponte Cellars (9.42 5/25/2014)
De Ponte Cellars Captures My Attention....Again (10.49 2/26/2017)
De Ponte Cellars: Burgundy-bred Winemaker Finds Solace in Dundee Hills (10.6 3/15/2015)
Embraceable (and Affordable) New Pinot Noir Releases from Oregon (11.19 2/20/2018)
Pinot Briefing (12.9 10/6/2020)
Plenty of Oregon ’08 and ’09 Pinot Bounty in the Marketplace Oregon (8.45 11/1/2011)
Small Sips of the Rest (6.52 1/30/2008)
Various Pinot Noirs Recently Tasted (12.17 4/10/2021)
Reviewed Wines
2018 De Ponte Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc. $48 (Wine Club $38).
·
I recently bought some 2018 De Ponte Pinot Noir wines to drink as this is one of my favorite Oregon
producers. Suzanne Baldwin Oliver handled my order and added a bottle of this wine as a gift and I
was really surprised how good it was. A superb appellation value bottling with plenty of well-spiced,
black cherry goodness with a hint of complimentary oak in the background. No rough edges in a
middleweight style with exquisite balance. Goes down very easy. Did I mention this is an
extraordinary value in Pinot Noir! This was a pre-release as part of a special 2018 vintage promotion
and is part of a Wine Club shipment currently. Most of the 2018 Pinot Noirs will be released by this
summer.
Score: 92.
Reviewed April 10, 2021
ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $44.
This 30-acre site in the foothills of the Coastal Range has 6 acres planted to Pinot Noir. in very rocky soil. The
label says, “Proud to be lonesome.”
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. garnet color in the glass. The most
aromatic in the 2015 lineup, with scents of cooked cherry, exotic spices, Herbs de Provence, and vanilla cream.
Both fruity (purple berries) and savory (herbs, fertile earth) in flavor with balanced tannins and a seductive silky
texture. The most earthy of the De Ponte lineup in this vintage, but finishes with a good charge of boysenberry
fruit. The wine closes with the slightest hint of alcoholic heat.
Score: 91.
Reviewed February 21, 2018
ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $47.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass.
Aromas of black cherry cola, black grape and tobacco oak lead to a mid weight styled wine featuring the
essence of cherry cola touched by a bit of toasty oak. Elegantly composed and harmonious with reserved
tannins and some finish.
Score: 90.
Reviewed February 21, 2018
ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $65.
·
A barrel selection from the most
prized blocks in the estate vineyard. Moderate garnet color in the glass. Largely cherry-driven on the nose and
palate with a compliment of oak vanillin and toast in the background. Refined and polished, with gossamer
tannins and a silken texture, finishing with enviable power. This wine displays typical Dundee Hills fruit and
tannin profile.
Score: 92.
Reviewed February 21, 2018
ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $80. Very limited
production.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. Shy but amiable aromas of blackberry jam, blackest cherry,
fertile earth and charcoal. Very classy and refined, offering power with elegance in a middleweight style. The
flavors of black cherry, blackberry and spice are very pleasing and persist through a very long and gratifying
finish. The balance is spot-on so although this wine is engaging now, it will hold its place over time in the cellar.
Score: 93.
Reviewed February 21, 2018
ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 1,156 cases, $44. This wine is composed of vineyard
blocks throughout the estate property. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% new.
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very savory nose, with
aromas of forested path, spice and cherry. Noticeable attack, mid palate purpose and follow through of intense
cherry goodness. A bit earthy, with the taste of iron-rich soil coming through. Nicely composed, with gentle
tannins, and an assertive finish. A welcoming ode to the Dundee Hills AVA.
Score: 92.
Reviewed February 25, 2017
ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 742 cases, $44. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% new.
·
Moderately light
reddish purple color in the glass. Complex nose with aromas of black cherry, cranberry, brier, pine tree, terra
cotta and gravelly soil. Light to mid weight in style and quite elegant, yet offering intriguing flavors of black
cherry and purple berry with a subtle chalky flavor and texture. Quite distinctive from the De Ponte Estate Pinot
Noirs, with a lighter frame, a little more tannin and a grounded, earthy quality. In this case, being different is a
good thing.
Score: 93.
Reviewed February 25, 2017
ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 432 cases, $60. A limited bottling
from the most prized vineyard blocks and select barrels. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% new.
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the glass.
The dreamy nose reminds of walking through an angel garden with aromas of loam, pine needle,
alpine flora and black cherry. Delicious mid weight flavors of black cherry, raspberry and spice with a
thread of iron “minerality.” Elegant, silky and gorgeous, with refined tannins, juicy acidity and a very
long and memorable finish. As good as the Dundee Hills bottling is, this wine is a step up in class.
Score: 94.
Reviewed February 25, 2017
ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 219 cases, $75. Typically a richer, more full-bodied
offering that is the winery’s most limited production. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 80% new.
·
Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The nose
offers a luxurious deep black cherry perfume that raises the
senses like a pheromone. The flavor profile is similar to the
Estate bottling, but this wine has more structure and fruit sap.
Striking mid palate presence of deliciously ripe dark cherry, blueberry
and black raspberry fruits that are delicately spiced. A dreamy wine that
has a slightly creamy texture, noticeable but supportive tannins, and a
long finish that is almost too good to be true. Still seductive when tasted
two days later from a previously opened and re-corked bottle.
Score: 95.
Reviewed February 25, 2017
ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars D.F.B. Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Melon de Bourgogne
13.0% alc., $25. Old
vines planted almost 40 years ago. D.F.B. = D. Fred Baldwin.
·
Very light pale yellow and clear. The nose is
pleasing with aromas of citrus including pineapple, and hints of marzipan and banana cream. Crisp, bright and
juicy, with flavors of citrus, apple and peach backed by lively acidity, carrying over to the tight finish.
Score: 88.
Reviewed June 18, 2014
ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 1,401 cases, (142 cases
375ml and 250 magnums), $44. Sourced from De Ponte Cellars Estate Vineyard. Aged 12 months in 20% new
French oak barrels with the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels.
·
Moderately dark reddish purple
color in the glass. The nose is highly appealing with many nuances including aromas of plum, black raspberry,
clove, cardamom, Asian 5-spice and complimentary toasty oak. The mid weight purple stone and berry fruits
have a noticeable attack and finish. The cardamom spice carries over on the palate along with an earthy note.
The tannins are well-integrated and the oak overlay is modest.
Score: 90.
Reviewed March 16, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 502 cases, 102 magnums, $44.
This vineyard is among the small number of vineyards located
closer to the Pacific Ocean in the Willamette Valley. Aged 10
months in 20% new French oak barrels and 80% in 2-5-year-old
French oak barrels.
·
Moderately dark reddish purple color in the
glass. The aromas are enticingly fresh featuring black cherry, spice,
peppercorn, rose petal and a hint of anise-laced oak. Stunning elegance
with very suave, structured tannins supporting the mid weight flavors of
fresh black cherry and black raspberry. Highly seductive, with a subtle
earthy vein in the background. Easy to like now.
Score: 94.
Reviewed March 16, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 298 cases, 150
magnums, $60. A limited barrel selection of the estate’s most prized blocks. Aged 12 months in 50% new
French oak barrels and the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels.
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the
glass. The aromas are demure upon opening, but pick up intensity over time in the glass, offering intoxicating
scents of boysenberry, spice and dark rose petal. The wine is soft and silky on the palate with generous flavors
of purple stone and berry fruits accentuated with spice, and framed by perfectly melded tannins. The slightest
oak adds interest. Very elegantly styled, with plenty of fruit goodness on the finish.
Score: 93.
Reviewed March 16, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 223 cases, 150
magnums, $75. Sourced from the De Ponte Cellars Estate
Vineyard. Aged 12 months in 80% new French oak barrels and
the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels.
·
Moderately
dark reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of blackberry,
cassis, spice and oak leap from the glass. The mid weight plus
flavors of well-ripened purple and black fruits attack with mouth filling
richness, yet the wine is supple and light on its feet. This is a
connoisseur's wine with admirable balance and sophistication with a
finish that lingers for what seems like a minute. Cellar worthy.
Score: 95.
Reviewed March 16, 2015
ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.4% alc., $44. “Proud to be Lonesome” is a tagline on the label.
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Still a little shy at this stage, but that
is my only nit. Soaring scents of dark raspberry, blackberry, plum, cardamom
spice and oak. Very intriguing. Delicious array of darker, spiced berry and
stone fruits with an earthy undertone. The tannins are evident but supple, and
the finish invites another sip. Can be enjoyed now, but there is no hurry.
Score: 93.
Reviewed June 18, 2014
ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $55.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with bright aromas of strawberry, cherry
and raspberry coulis. Lighter in color than the 2010 vintage Estate bottling, but brighter and more
tantalizing with a crisp expression of red fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated, the oak is
complimentary, and the finish is refreshingly crisp. A wine of great finesse, charm and harmony.
Score: 94.
Reviewed June 18, 2014
ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.4% alc., $70. A winemaker selection
of full-bodied and complex barrels in the cellar. Limited production.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose envelopes your
senses with aromas of red cherry, raspberry and exotic spices that
reveal themselves gradually in the glass over time. Superlatives can
hardly due justice to this wine which is extraordinary in every way. It is
polished, balanced, elegant and hi-collared, with a delicious core of vivid cherry,
raspberry and spice flavors, a caressing texture, and remarkable persistence on
the finish. This wine seduces with charm, not power. A connoisseur's wine that
will age beautifully.
Score: 96.
Reviewed June 18, 2014
ARTICLE »
2010 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $55. Sourced from
the best blocks in the vineyard.
·
Medium reddish purple color in the glass. An elegant wine with soft tannins,
offering aromas and flavors of red cherry, cranberry, baking spice, sarsasparilla and oak. There is a generous
oak sheen expressed as notes of toast and espresso. Juicy with a good grip of backing acidity.
Score: 90.
Reviewed June 18, 2014
ARTICLE »
2009 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 1,881 cases, $38. From the De Ponte estate vineyard.
French oak aged for 12 months in 20% new and 80% 2 to 5 year-old
barrels.
·
Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Full-on
perfume of fresh boysenberries, potpourri, incense, and Moroccan
spices. Lip smacking black cherry and boysenberry essence with subtle
oak, musk and spice undertones. Everything you want in a Pinot Noir:
mouthwatering attack, bright acidity, ripe tannins, a lingering finish and
impeccable balance. A stylish and sensual pleasure.
Reviewed November 2, 2011
ARTICLE »
2005 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $38.
·
The aromatics
blossom with coaxing to reveal deep cherries, violets and vanillin oak. Very elegant
in style with charming spiced red fruits, soft texture and diaphanous finish. I like
this a lot for its Vosne-Romanee character.
Reviewed January 30, 2008
ARTICLE »
2018 De Ponte Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc. $48 (Wine Club $38). · I recently bought some 2018 De Ponte Pinot Noir wines to drink as this is one of my favorite Oregon producers. Suzanne Baldwin Oliver handled my order and added a bottle of this wine as a gift and I was really surprised how good it was. A superb appellation value bottling with plenty of well-spiced, black cherry goodness with a hint of complimentary oak in the background. No rough edges in a middleweight style with exquisite balance. Goes down very easy. Did I mention this is an extraordinary value in Pinot Noir! This was a pre-release as part of a special 2018 vintage promotion and is part of a Wine Club shipment currently. Most of the 2018 Pinot Noirs will be released by this summer. Score: 92. Reviewed April 10, 2021 ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $44. This 30-acre site in the foothills of the Coastal Range has 6 acres planted to Pinot Noir. in very rocky soil. The label says, “Proud to be lonesome.” · Moderate garnet color in the glass. garnet color in the glass. The most aromatic in the 2015 lineup, with scents of cooked cherry, exotic spices, Herbs de Provence, and vanilla cream. Both fruity (purple berries) and savory (herbs, fertile earth) in flavor with balanced tannins and a seductive silky texture. The most earthy of the De Ponte lineup in this vintage, but finishes with a good charge of boysenberry fruit. The wine closes with the slightest hint of alcoholic heat. Score: 91. Reviewed February 21, 2018 ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $47. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of black cherry cola, black grape and tobacco oak lead to a mid weight styled wine featuring the essence of cherry cola touched by a bit of toasty oak. Elegantly composed and harmonious with reserved tannins and some finish. Score: 90. Reviewed February 21, 2018 ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $65. · A barrel selection from the most prized blocks in the estate vineyard. Moderate garnet color in the glass. Largely cherry-driven on the nose and palate with a compliment of oak vanillin and toast in the background. Refined and polished, with gossamer tannins and a silken texture, finishing with enviable power. This wine displays typical Dundee Hills fruit and tannin profile. Score: 92. Reviewed February 21, 2018 ARTICLE »
2015 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $80. Very limited production. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Shy but amiable aromas of blackberry jam, blackest cherry, fertile earth and charcoal. Very classy and refined, offering power with elegance in a middleweight style. The flavors of black cherry, blackberry and spice are very pleasing and persist through a very long and gratifying finish. The balance is spot-on so although this wine is engaging now, it will hold its place over time in the cellar. Score: 93. Reviewed February 21, 2018 ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 1,156 cases, $44. This wine is composed of vineyard blocks throughout the estate property. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% new. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very savory nose, with aromas of forested path, spice and cherry. Noticeable attack, mid palate purpose and follow through of intense cherry goodness. A bit earthy, with the taste of iron-rich soil coming through. Nicely composed, with gentle tannins, and an assertive finish. A welcoming ode to the Dundee Hills AVA. Score: 92. Reviewed February 25, 2017 ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 742 cases, $44. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% new. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Complex nose with aromas of black cherry, cranberry, brier, pine tree, terra cotta and gravelly soil. Light to mid weight in style and quite elegant, yet offering intriguing flavors of black cherry and purple berry with a subtle chalky flavor and texture. Quite distinctive from the De Ponte Estate Pinot Noirs, with a lighter frame, a little more tannin and a grounded, earthy quality. In this case, being different is a good thing. Score: 93. Reviewed February 25, 2017 ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 432 cases, $60. A limited bottling from the most prized vineyard blocks and select barrels. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. The dreamy nose reminds of walking through an angel garden with aromas of loam, pine needle, alpine flora and black cherry. Delicious mid weight flavors of black cherry, raspberry and spice with a thread of iron “minerality.” Elegant, silky and gorgeous, with refined tannins, juicy acidity and a very long and memorable finish. As good as the Dundee Hills bottling is, this wine is a step up in class. Score: 94. Reviewed February 25, 2017 ARTICLE »
2014 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 219 cases, $75. Typically a richer, more full-bodied offering that is the winery’s most limited production. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 80% new. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The nose offers a luxurious deep black cherry perfume that raises the senses like a pheromone. The flavor profile is similar to the Estate bottling, but this wine has more structure and fruit sap. Striking mid palate presence of deliciously ripe dark cherry, blueberry and black raspberry fruits that are delicately spiced. A dreamy wine that has a slightly creamy texture, noticeable but supportive tannins, and a long finish that is almost too good to be true. Still seductive when tasted two days later from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Score: 95. Reviewed February 25, 2017 ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars D.F.B. Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Melon de Bourgogne
13.0% alc., $25. Old vines planted almost 40 years ago. D.F.B. = D. Fred Baldwin. · Very light pale yellow and clear. The nose is pleasing with aromas of citrus including pineapple, and hints of marzipan and banana cream. Crisp, bright and juicy, with flavors of citrus, apple and peach backed by lively acidity, carrying over to the tight finish. Score: 88. Reviewed June 18, 2014 ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 1,401 cases, (142 cases 375ml and 250 magnums), $44. Sourced from De Ponte Cellars Estate Vineyard. Aged 12 months in 20% new French oak barrels with the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The nose is highly appealing with many nuances including aromas of plum, black raspberry, clove, cardamom, Asian 5-spice and complimentary toasty oak. The mid weight purple stone and berry fruits have a noticeable attack and finish. The cardamom spice carries over on the palate along with an earthy note. The tannins are well-integrated and the oak overlay is modest. Score: 90. Reviewed March 16, 2015 ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Ranch Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 502 cases, 102 magnums, $44. This vineyard is among the small number of vineyards located closer to the Pacific Ocean in the Willamette Valley. Aged 10 months in 20% new French oak barrels and 80% in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The aromas are enticingly fresh featuring black cherry, spice, peppercorn, rose petal and a hint of anise-laced oak. Stunning elegance with very suave, structured tannins supporting the mid weight flavors of fresh black cherry and black raspberry. Highly seductive, with a subtle earthy vein in the background. Easy to like now. Score: 94. Reviewed March 16, 2015 ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 298 cases, 150 magnums, $60. A limited barrel selection of the estate’s most prized blocks. Aged 12 months in 50% new French oak barrels and the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. The aromas are demure upon opening, but pick up intensity over time in the glass, offering intoxicating scents of boysenberry, spice and dark rose petal. The wine is soft and silky on the palate with generous flavors of purple stone and berry fruits accentuated with spice, and framed by perfectly melded tannins. The slightest oak adds interest. Very elegantly styled, with plenty of fruit goodness on the finish. Score: 93. Reviewed March 16, 2015 ARTICLE »
2012 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 223 cases, 150 magnums, $75. Sourced from the De Ponte Cellars Estate Vineyard. Aged 12 months in 80% new French oak barrels and the remainder in 2-5-year-old French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of blackberry, cassis, spice and oak leap from the glass. The mid weight plus flavors of well-ripened purple and black fruits attack with mouth filling richness, yet the wine is supple and light on its feet. This is a connoisseur's wine with admirable balance and sophistication with a finish that lingers for what seems like a minute. Cellar worthy. Score: 95. Reviewed March 16, 2015 ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Lonesome Rock Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.4% alc., $44. “Proud to be Lonesome” is a tagline on the label. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Still a little shy at this stage, but that is my only nit. Soaring scents of dark raspberry, blackberry, plum, cardamom spice and oak. Very intriguing. Delicious array of darker, spiced berry and stone fruits with an earthy undertone. The tannins are evident but supple, and the finish invites another sip. Can be enjoyed now, but there is no hurry. Score: 93. Reviewed June 18, 2014 ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $55. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with bright aromas of strawberry, cherry and raspberry coulis. Lighter in color than the 2010 vintage Estate bottling, but brighter and more tantalizing with a crisp expression of red fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated, the oak is complimentary, and the finish is refreshingly crisp. A wine of great finesse, charm and harmony. Score: 94. Reviewed June 18, 2014 ARTICLE »
2011 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.4% alc., $70. A winemaker selection of full-bodied and complex barrels in the cellar. Limited production. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose envelopes your senses with aromas of red cherry, raspberry and exotic spices that reveal themselves gradually in the glass over time. Superlatives can hardly due justice to this wine which is extraordinary in every way. It is polished, balanced, elegant and hi-collared, with a delicious core of vivid cherry, raspberry and spice flavors, a caressing texture, and remarkable persistence on the finish. This wine seduces with charm, not power. A connoisseur's wine that will age beautifully. Score: 96. Reviewed June 18, 2014 ARTICLE »
2010 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $55. Sourced from the best blocks in the vineyard. · Medium reddish purple color in the glass. An elegant wine with soft tannins, offering aromas and flavors of red cherry, cranberry, baking spice, sarsasparilla and oak. There is a generous oak sheen expressed as notes of toast and espresso. Juicy with a good grip of backing acidity. Score: 90. Reviewed June 18, 2014 ARTICLE »
2009 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 1,881 cases, $38. From the De Ponte estate vineyard. French oak aged for 12 months in 20% new and 80% 2 to 5 year-old barrels. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Full-on perfume of fresh boysenberries, potpourri, incense, and Moroccan spices. Lip smacking black cherry and boysenberry essence with subtle oak, musk and spice undertones. Everything you want in a Pinot Noir: mouthwatering attack, bright acidity, ripe tannins, a lingering finish and impeccable balance. A stylish and sensual pleasure. Reviewed November 2, 2011 ARTICLE »
2005 De Ponte Cellars Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $38. · The aromatics blossom with coaxing to reveal deep cherries, violets and vanillin oak. Very elegant in style with charming spiced red fruits, soft texture and diaphanous finish. I like this a lot for its Vosne-Romanee character. Reviewed January 30, 2008 ARTICLE »