To accompany my wife's wonderful Christmas dinner, I chose a bottle of Anne Amie 2001 Doe Ridge Vineyards Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley is a personal favorite, and Anne Amie (formerly Chateau Benoit) was a delightful find during a tasting trip to Oregon in 2002. The winery is located in the Yamhill-Carlton District and specializes in Pinot Noir from sustainably farmed vineyards (www.anneamie.com).
I was a little concerned when I opened the bottle because the cork was stained to about the half-way point, indicating possible air infiltration and oxidation. In deed, I believe that was partially the case, because this was not the bright, fruit forward Pinot that I've come to expect from Anne Amie. Instead, this wine was one big complex sucka. Outright oxidation was minimal since the color was still an intense dark burgundy. Initially the nose and palate were filled with lots of leather and tobacco notes. After a little aeration, those notes submerged beneath complex fruit and oak flavors--cherry, mulberry, vanilla, blackberry to name just a few. In fact, the wine is at its prime the next day (vacuum sealed overnight) while I'm writing this post! The wine's complexity helped it stand up to the varied tastes of the meal. It didn't shine through on its own, but was a very good background partner to the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes.
Unfortunately, this wine is presumably not widely available any more. I purchased it several years ago as part of my Anne Amie Wine Club membership (retail price at the time was in the $40-50 range). If you have it in your collection, enjoy it with a good meal.
Salute!
A Wine Student
