Willamette Damn It!

Willamette! Damn it!

When I was in wine school, that’s how they taught everyone to say Willamette, Oregon correctly. Willamette, rhymes with damn it!
I will never forget that. What I have forgotten since then, is that I should spend more time drinking Oregon wines. So, let’s get to it.

Willamette is a valley in Oregon. It’s the biggest wine region in the state, home to most of Oregon’s wineries, and known for its Pinot Noir.
A lot of wine experts compare Pinot Noir from Oregon to Pinot from Burgundy. And some big Burgundy wine houses (like Joseph Drouhin) have even set up shop in Oregon, to try their hand at red wine there.

While the two Pinots may be comparable, their prices certainly are not. Red Burgundy can be wildly expensive thanks to short supply and high demand. Meanwhile, Oregon Pinot Noirs can be incredibly affordable.

The two Pinot Noirs pictured here were both $19.99 on wine.com and both got 92 pts from James Suckling. Did you notice they also have screw caps? Reminder: quality wines don’t always have corks!

The 2021 King Estate Inscription Pinot Noir was rustic and earthy with tart red cherry flavors. It picked up some leather and animal notes with food (chicken thighs in a spinach and mushroom sauce over rice). The wine was soft, with some sharp edges, and could probably use a few more years in the cellar.

The 2019 Montinore Estate Red Cap Pinot Noir had black cherry and rose aromas, with flavors of cooked fruit. It had nice acidity, a touch of tartness, and a silkier, smoother elegance thanks to those extra two years of age.

Both were delicious with mushroom sauce, as Pinot Noir tends to be.

Would I pick either of these over a well-priced Burgundy? Maybe not.
(This site is called Francey Not Fancy not Willamette Damn It! 😉)
But, I would definitely welcome these into the cellar to hang out with my French favorites.