Willamette Valley "Eola-Amity Hills" 2013, Cherry Hill Winery

Appealing dark purple, plum colour. Black cherries, a touch of red apple. A little vanilla but not much. A fruit-driven, fairly elegant nose. Petite. Good ripe cherry and plum fruit on the palate. Medium tannins with a a bit of chewiness to them. But rounded and pleasant to drink. Texture is more impressive on the front palate than on the finish. Interesting clove and cinnamon flavours in the fin de bouche. Overall this is a better constructed Willamette pinot than many others I have tasted. There is ripe fruit without it being jammy, there is good balance and a consistent personality centred on surprise, surprise, cherries. Could be a nasty insertion in a flight of Savingy wines. Compared to a Cote d'Or red the mid-palate is too thin, like a woman with a couple of ribs missing who is wearing a corset. Nevertheless, I approve. Scores 22/30 for a Willamette Valley.