Wine truly brings people together who are bound by nothing but a mutual passion and appreciation for good ‘ol juice.
It was an epic night last night when both Mike Merriman, proprietor of Oregon’s Merriman Wines and Jean Trimbach, part of the current generation in-charge of the iconic Trimbach winemaking family of Alsace, both stopped in to taste us and our members on their wines.
Mike was in first with his incredibly fresh, bright fruited Pinot Noirs and his lively, succulent Chenin Blanc. Mike got into wine via the beer brewing route. He was in Oregon in 1997 to attend a Fermentation Science course when he was introduced to in-house winemaking and backyard viticulture. He caught the wine bug that he wasted no time endearing himself to the Oregon wine scene working the following year’s harvest. In eight years after that fateful trip to Oregon, he became proprietor of a vineyard in Willamette Valley. Mike produced his first vintage, four barrels of Pinot Noir, in 2006.
We have always liked Mike’s vibrant, fresh, delicate and silky Pinot Noirs but it was hard to not to be enthralled by his very good 2011 Chenin Blanc. This had pretty notes of ripe peach, pear, melon and honey comb; beautifully textured with a rich mouth-feel that was lifted by a mouth-watering acidity. The Chenin fruit are from 39-year old vines and comes from a one acre vineyard in Yakima Valley that Eric Basher, winemaker of Merriman Wines, discovered. You know that man is true to his passions when he pursues something as commercially ‘unfashionable’ as Chenin Blanc.
His second label, Cummins Road, made in that easy-drinking, juicy style packed with red fruits and a touch of sweet spice is such a great value. There are infinite ways that one can go wrong with Pinot Noir in the $25/bottle range, but this is not one of them. We tasted his 2011 Cummins Road Pinot Noir.
His 2011 Merriman Estate Pinot Noir has a darker Pinot fruit profile and more structure; supple and rounded; deep plums, cherry cola and black cherries dominate; a touch of cinnamon and clove add aromatic complexity; some grip from oak tannins on the finish.
Jean Trimbach, 12th generation member of the iconic Maison Trimbach winemaking family of Alsace, was in next. Even Mike Merriman was excited to taste through Jean’s awesome line-up of whites.
Some of the standouts included the 2003 Clos-St-Hune Riesling… a treat really with its deep impressions of flinty minerality, smoky gravel, steely, pear, honeyed, floral, apricot; very subtle petrol. Racy, focused and penetrating but more open and approachable than the 2001 and 2002 Clos-St-Hune I had the pleasure of tasting recently. I sipped every last drop of this tasty treat.
The 2005 Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling was showing some secondary aromas with its deeply pitched petrol, musky and honeyed components with peach, apricot, nectarine and orange blossoms. Classic in its weightier, luscious texture on the palate but zippy acidity that really enlivens the wine. It will take a lot of discipline not to drink this delicious wine right now, but this has the stuffing and balance to age and develop for another 20-25 years.
The 2004 Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre Gewurztraminer’s flamboyant guava, lychee, pineapple, melon, honeyed peach, apricot flavor profile was very attractive. This was echoed on the bold, rich palate that was balanced by a lively acidity.
The 2009 Pinot Blanc was also very good with its green apple, pear, citrus and ginger spice. Medium-bodied, lush mid-palate with a vibrant acidity. Citrus tinge on the finish.