Wine Reviews > Pinot Noir

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Willamette Valley

2007: "... Medium ruby-colored, it offers up a pleasing perfume of smoke, spice box, cherry and cranberry. Easy going and elegant on the palate, this tasty, well balanced effort can be enjoyed over the next 6 years." – Robert Parker (October 31, 2009)

2004: 88 "Sweet black fruits lightly dusted with oak are found in the aromatics of the 2004 Pinot Noir. A delightful, easygoing effort, it offers loads of red as well as black cherry fruit in its medium-bodied character. Delicate notes of oak spices make their way to the fore in this pretty wine’s soft finish. Drink it over the next 4 years." (June 30, 2006)

Mt. Richmond

2008: 90 "It displays earth notes, underbrush, cinnamon, clove, rose petal, black cherry, and black raspberry aromas leading to a medium-bodied, sweetly-fruited, succulent wine with excellent balance, good volume, and a lengthy finish. It will be at its best from 2012 to 2020. Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2008 collection is first rate." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2010)

2004: 91 "... bursts from the glass with spiced black cherry aromas. Medium to full-bodied, it has outstanding depth of fruit, harmony and balance. This black cherry, Asian spice, and blackberry-flavored wine also displays a long, ripe tannin-filled finish. Projected maturity: now-2012." (June 30, 2006)

La Bohème

2009: 90 "The current offering is dense for the vintage, intense, complex, and pleasure bent. This lengthy effort is likely to evolve for 1-2 years and should drink well through 2019." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2011)

2008: 91 "The 2008 Pinot Noir La Boheme sports a nose of wood smoke, damp earth, Asian spices, incense, and an amalgam of assorted black fruits. It is a mouth-filling, expansive effort with layers of savory fruit, impeccable balance, and a fruit-filled finish. It merits several years of cellaring and will have a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2023. Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2008 collection is first rate." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2010)

2007: 90 "... Slightly darker in color and more aromatic than its two siblings, this is a richer, more concentrated pinot that will evolve for 1-2 years and offer a drinking window extending from 2011-2019." – Robert Parker (October 31, 2009)

2006: 91 "The alluring perfume is very expressive while the nose offers up aromas of rose petals, cherry, raspberry, spice box, and earth notes. On the palate, it is firm, layered, and intense leading to a lengthy, fruit filled finish." – Robert Parker (November 1, 2008)

1999: 91+ "... a sultry wine... with loads of blueberries, blackberries and cherries... concentrated, pure, and admirably long in the finish, this is an outstanding, fruit-packed Pinot..." – Pierre Rovani (July 31, 2001)

Windhill

2006: 89 "The nose offers more earth and mineral notes, while on the palate the wine is firm and just a bit narrow. However, the texture is silky and the flavors racy, giving an overall impression of elegance." – Robert Parker (November 1, 2008)

1999: 88 "... gorgeous red cherry aromas... a(n) opulent, juicy wine with attractive black cherry fruit ensconced in a well-structured character..." – Pierre Rovani (July 31, 2001)

Roosevelt

2009: 90 "Dark ruby red in color, it sports a nose of exotic spices, incense, red fruits, as well as a hint of heat. Savory and long on the palate, this velvety-textured effort will provide optimum drinking from 2012 to 2019." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2011)

2008: 91 "The 2008 Pinot Noir Roosevelt Vineyard is from a 3-acre parcel planted in 1993 with high density spacing. It presents an already complex aromatic array of sandalwood, cinnamon, rose petal, black cherry, and black raspberry. On the palate it exhibits extra layers of savory fruit, impeccable balance, and enough underlying structure to evolve for 3-4 years. Drink it from 2013 to 2023. Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2008 collection is first rate." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2010)

1999: 90+ "... loads of dark fruits, licorice and black currants... in its dense, highly structured character... It is intense, highly expressive and powerful..." – Pierre Rovani (July 31, 2001)

Reserve

2008: 94 "Easily the class of the portfolio is the 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve, an 8 barrel selection (1% of Elk Cove’s total production), chosen in 2008 from the Roosevelt, Mt. Richmond, and La Boheme vineyards. It was aged for 11 months in 87% new oak. Dark ruby in color, it proffers a super-expressive bouquet of pain grille, underbrush, wild berries, and exotic spice notes. Satin textured with dense, layered fruit bordering on opulent, this plush offering is incipiently complex. Give it another 3-4 years of cellaring and it will be singing like an operatic diva. Drink 2013. Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2008 collection is first rate." – Jay Miller (October 31, 2010)

2006: 92 "The 2006 Reserve is Elk Cove's show stopper...Medium/dark ruby colored, the aromas are an amalgam of red and black fruits, earth notes, and mineral. On the palate the wine is seamless but structured, an elegant effort with no hard edges. The favors are concentrated and the wine has ecellent persistence." – Robert Parker (November 1, 2008)

1999: 90 "... dark ruby-colored ... chocolate, licorice and black fruit-scented... a dense and intense wine." – Pierre Rovani (July 31, 2001)