2012 Penner-Ash, Pinot Noir, Estate Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Lynne Penner-Ash’s 2012 vintage wines look to be gorgeous and generous example of year and place with opulent fruit, depth and length, especially the Yanhill-Carlton Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir. Penner-Ash crafts a multitude of fine wine in small lots, and a visit of her winery is a must if you get to the Willamette Valley in Oregon’s premier wine country, set against an amazing backdrop with beautiful vines and vistas this is a special place. The 2012 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton Estate Vineyard is lavish and lush with a very full palate and is framed by smoky rich toasty oak, this wine is still not complete and will need some short term cellaring to fulfill it’s massive potential, but is still has youthful and hedonistic charms now with black raspberry, framboise, tangy currant and candied cherry fruit, vanilla bean, cola and mocha along with subtle violets, rose and tea spice. Those that like Beaux Freres or Domaine Serene with love this flamboyant Pinot Noir, and will like it now, but those that dig lean and grippy styles might want to either stay away or allow some time to polish this seductive and forward wine, I suggest a few years in the cellar, allowing it’s more elegant elements to evolve and let the oak to fade more into the background. This wine is ripe, silky and deeply flavored, it gives loads of pleasure and is in keeping with the winery’s passion, drink 2016 to 2022.
($49 Est.) 93+ Points, grapelive