2021 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Daphne Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir Daphne offers a plethora of fruit: strawberry pie, red plums and Cara Cara orange define the nose until, with air, it reveals accents of forest floor and dried flowers. The medium-bodied palate is impressively concentrated, sweeping through the mouth with perfumed flavor layers. It has a firm frame of chalky tannins, fireworks of fresh acidity and a tremendously long finish. It's the most powerful and expressive of the 2021 single vineyards at this stage, and it will reward cellaring.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Darkly alluring, the 2021 Pinot Noir Daphne wafts up with a burst of crushed stones, giving way to licorice, cherry cola and violet pastille. This is silky-smooth and supple with ripe red and blue fruit depths underscored by tactile mineral tones as candied citrus hints emerge toward the close. This finishes staining, long and full of tension. A tart wild berry resonance lingers through the gently tannic and classically dry finale. Simply stunning.
A personal favorite at this tasting, the 2021 Pinot Noir Daphne is pure and vibrant and pours a jeweled ruby hue. Fresh with notes of cranberry cocktail, spiced orange, and saline, it’s medium-bodied and persistent on the palate. It brings great, balanced tension and ripe fruit, with a citrus-driven feel while remaining ripe, and has fine tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink 2025-2035. The 2021 releases from The Eyrie were tasted at the winery and tasting room in McMinnville with owner and winemaker Jason Lett. In addition to producing some of the benchmark Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley, they produce a wide range from Trousseau to Pinot Meunier to explore. Having only tasted out of barrel the previous year, I was especially impressed with the range of 2021 Pinot Noir from the estate. Annual production is at approximately 10,000 cases, using 95% estate-grown fruit.