I looked long and hard for the perfect Thanksgiving Pinot Noir this year, and I found it in the 2021 Jolete 'Le Verre' Pinot Noir. Vintage 2021 is a return to greatness for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, with producers ecstatic about the quality of the year's Pinot Noirs. This is great news, especially after the difficulty of the smoke-plagued 2020 vintage.
I am seriously enamored with this wine folks. It shows classic, distinct, and vibrant Willamette Valley character, and the price, you just can't beat it! Only 700 cases were produced, and "little old Table Wine" snagged 28 of those, just in time for the lead-up to Thanksgiving. Trust me, you don't need to wait for the Turkey Day Feast to enjoy this one, it's ready for enjoyment now, like tonight, but I do recommend stashing some for the big meal.
2021 Jolete Pinot Noir 'Le Verre Cuvee'
The top Willamette Valley Pinot Noir value in the marketplace.
ORDER NOW in our online store.
If you know me, you know I am an avid Pinot Noir devotee, and this is one of the top 2 or 3, sub-$30 Oregon Pinots I've ever enjoyed. Crafted by Jim Sanders, one of the top winemakers in the state, this is just a beautiful bottle of wine with a ton of appeal. The aromas and flavors are of red and dark berries along with nuances of baking spice, crushed flowers, dried herb, and more. The palate is equally satisfying, with super fine-grained tannins and refreshing acidity.
Right out of the gate, this is a seriously satisfying drink, but as it sits in the glass, additional complexity and character emerges. It goes from a wine that showcases lovely purity of fruit to one that gains complexity and detail in a short period of time. I love wines like this, wines that evolve and expand in the glass to reveal their deep and true personalities. It's a fun and delicious ride, and I encourage you to take it!
Jolete means "happy gathering" in Old French, but it also means "the glass" in modern French, and this is certainly a "happy glass" of wine. I mean that quite literally. From the first sniff to the last sip, this is a wine that makes you very happy. It's charming, it's relatively low in alcohol, and it's just super satisfying. Winemaker Jim Sanders, who trained under Mike Etzel of Beaux Freres, is a master of Pinot Noir, and his skills are truly on display in this majestic Pinot Noir. Not too heavy but certainly not light, this strikes a fine balance between ripeness of fruit, fresh acidity, and savory complexity.
I've had this one with salmon and roast chicken, but I can't wait to try it with my turkey and ham dinner this Thanksgiving. Despite the wine's incredibly fair price, this is a substantial Pinot that will please the pickiest of palates, mine included :) We just got 14 cases in yesterday, and we've got another 14 on hold. Once those are gone, we will not be able to get more.
If you love classically styled Oregon Pinot Noirs, go ahead and get a six-pack. You won't regret it, and you can drink some now and keep a couple of bottles in reserve for Thanksgiving. Cheers to happy drinking and eating this holiday season.
ORDER NOW in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville