Reliable service 2014 Elk Cove "La Boheme" Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir

From vines planted in 1985 that tend to produce small clusters and small berries, the 2014 Pinot Noir la Boheme has a more broody and introspective nose than its peers: blackberry and wild hedgerow, tightly wound at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, the 15% whole cluster lending a subtle forest floor note, good density in the mouth with firm backbone on the finish. This deserves 3-4 years in bottle before you reach for the corkscrew, but it will be worth your patience. Yeah...I like Elk Cove. I like the cut of their jib. These are examples of Oregon fermented grape juice that exude precision, freshness, intensity and for want of a better word, sheer drinkability. These are the kind of wines that I sample professionally but leave thinking how much I would just like to abscond with them and share them with friends. Winemaker Adam Campbell is a dab hand at not just Pinot Noir but also white varieties, in particular producing two very worthy Chardonnay and Rieslings from the 2014 vintage... the 2014 La Boh̬me Pinot Noir and Five Mountain Pinot Noir are both exquisite expressions of the grape variety that help put Oregon on the world stage. This was certainly one of my most impressive tastings during my visit: a combination of old vine stock and careful winemaking by a skillful winemaker. (NM)