2014 Incline Pinot Noir

The Pacific Northwest adventure of Gevrey's Alexandrine Roy. Rather subtle and opulent – an unusual combination. Very sweet start. A little bit over the top for me – not the most appetising – but certainly an addition to the Willamette Valley wine scene. (JR)

Brilliant red. Assertive aromas of ripe red fruits, potpourri and five-spice powder take on an exotic incense note as the wine opens up. Juicy, penetrating and appealingly sweet, offering juicy black raspberry and cherry flavors that are enlivened by suggestions of blood orange and white pepper. A hint of vanilla appears on the long, focused and vibrant finish, which is shaped and given gentle grip by harmonious tannins.

The 2014 Incline Pinot Noir, matured in 35% new oak, has a perfumed bouquet with red cherries, crushed strawberry and hints of desiccated orange peel, undergrowth notes developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, slightly chalky tannin and displaying more backbone than the preceding vintage. There is a touch of salinity surfacing towards the finish that feels a little foursquare at the moment, but I wager that it will open with another 12 months in bottle. I find the length more satisfying than the 2013 and it should give 8-10 years of pleasure.