Cuvée Martha Pirrie vertical
I just had the pleasure of opening up the older vintages of CMP that we’ll be pouring this weekend in the tasting room. I hadn’t tasted the ‘00 or ‘02 in a couple of years - it’s always interesting to see where they are in their development.
The 2000 was the very first Oregon wine we bottled (we started in 1999 with California Pinot & Chardonnay.) I was amazed at how lush, rich, plush, and young this wine is! Only three barrels were made, all from top-pedigreed older-vine fruit in the Dundee Hills. It has a thick, velvety texture, an inviting ripe and earthy nose, and seems still quite young and primary. (Honestly it reminds me of a young Russian River Valley Pinot.) It would seem to have a number of years still ahead of it - this is indeed the surprise of the flight.
The 2002 hasn’t changed a great deal since the beginning either - though it is notably more evolved in terms of aromas, with a touch of forest-floor and a wild, sauvage character sticking its head up through the cherries & berries. This wine was always more stuctured and tannic than other vintages of this wine, and it remains so.
The 2005 is a blend from different blocks of Shea, Stoller & Ribbon Ridge, and is really nicely balanced, the most refined and elegant of these three older vintages. Lots of red berries and cherries on a frame of delicacy and finesse. I’ve always been a huge fan of our 05s, and I think they will age very well indeed.
And the current release, the 2007 is in the flight as well - with really pretty red fruits and silkiness throughout - truly slurpable and delicious, exactly what we’re looking for from this bottling.
A couple of cases of each of the older vintages are available for sale this weekend at $30/bottle - so it’s a good chance to get some nicely aged wines into your cellar. We look forward to seeing you here over the weekend - we’re open 1-5 Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Cheers and have a happy 4th!