Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Deal of the Year - Averaen Pinot Noir

SOLD OUT! Back up the trucks folks! The 2018 Averaen Pinot Noir is one of the best, sub-$25, Oregon Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted. Boasting textbook style and coming from the same team who makes Banshee Wines in Sonoma, this will go down as the top Willamette Valley Pinot Noir find of 2020.

I’m going to go ahead and beat the critics to the punch here — this is easily a 92-93 point rated wine. With sublime and silky texture along with ripe red fruits and complex spice notes, this is going to please the pickiest of Pinot Noir palates.

2018 Averaen Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Great WV Pinot Noir value!

SOLD OUT

Let me say it one more time — I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a better Oregon Pinot Noir for less than $25. This stuff has just got it going on. Medium-bodied, a touch richer than most Pinots in this price range, moderately complex and super silky, this delivers the goods.

And it should come as no surprise as it comes from the same team that brings us Banshee Pinot Noir. These folks have always been focused on quality vineyard sources, establishing long term contracts and relationships with a stable of top-notch growers. And this focus on quality fruit sourcing continues at Averaen, with grapes coming from all of the sub-AVA’s of the Willamette Valley.

But it’s not just the great fruit sourcing that makes this stuff so good. They’ve also got a fantastic winemaking team. Adam Smith, who has also made wines at Domaine Serene and Shea Cellars, heads up the team. And Rob Fischer, who made wines at Etude and Beaulieu Vineyards, is the Assistant Winemaker. Talk about a couple of talented dudes crafting this wine!

And you can certainly taste all components of that quality equation in the glass. Fermented in stainless steel, the wine is moved to French and Austrian oak for 10 months of aging before bottling. The finished product is textbook Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Ripe and plush, this one offers up gorgeous notes of dark cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate followed by more complex nuances of clove, cinnamon, blood orange, and vanilla.

Even if this one would have retailed for $30+, I still would have bought it. But at this great price, I bought a bunch. Like that JAX Y3 Cab we featured last week, this is one of those awesome deals we see just a few times each year.