ISSUE #18: Battle Creek Cellars 2014 Yamhela Vineyard Pinot Noir

YAMHILL-CARLTON, OREGON A few years ago we turned our enormously talented, dirt-loving Oregon winemaker Sarah Cabot loose to create her dream wines as part of a special, very limited production project. Sure, she can crank out delicious Pinot Noir en masse, but for this endeavor, she zeroed in on three specific vineyards (and within those, very specific blocks) for three single-vineyard, 100% Pinot Noir wines.
My favorite is this selection. In a word: Pure! This wine showcases aromatics typical of the vineyard and specific blocks selected for this blend, including cherry cola, grenadine and cherry cobbler with accents of cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. A round and juicy entry delivers flavors of red currants, pomegranate and pie cherries which give way to a finish of baking spices and silky tannins. So good!