The WineOne of my frustrations in describing wines (and it's a frustration shared by all who are cursed to describe aromas and flavors using words!) is that humans have no words that describe smells. We're always using references such as "it smells like fresh-turned earth on a hot day" and other scent experiences I can only HOPE my readers have shared. Frankly, the whole exercise is simply inadequate!
Maybe it will be helpful to say, before I dive into the morass of descriptors, that I find Penner-Ash richer than most Oregon Pinots, more similar to New World than Old World, but still possesing layers of flavor that unfold over the course of the bottle. Now to the Morass - look for aromas of dark cherries, fertile earth, and English Breakfast tea (sans milk, thank you). The palate brings layers of bramble fruits that are deeper than the aromatics hint at, and has a lick of cocoa in the tail of a finish that features baked cherries with vanilla cream sauce.
The wine is at its peak now, and should be drunk within the next year.
The Winery
Formed in 1998 by the winemaker at Rex Hill (Lynn) and her husband Ron (together, Penner-Ash). Starting with <100 cases, they were met with immediate raves and the brand grew each year until it really took off in 2005 when it became Lynn's full-time job. In 2016, it joined the Jackson Family portfolio, who support its environmental leadership, continuing to meet certifications for Salmon Safe, Live Certified Sustainable, and Salud! But make no mistake, Lynn still runs the show, only now with the help of a crew of 9, including the farm crew and hospitality team.
