Wine Review: 2006 EIEIO “Cuvee I”

April 23, 2008

Bottle: 2006 EIEIO “Cuvee I”
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Winery: EIEIO
Location: Willamette Valley, OR

EIEO Vineyard EIEIO was started by Jay McDonald in 1995. (Old McDonald had a farm… very clever!) He started this label as a negociant making 200 cases of wine, and grew the name into a full winery, tasting room and all. The reason for this growth… Mr. McDonald can make Pinot!!

EIEIO makes several single vineyard designates as well as a couple of cuvees’. This is the most recent vintage of the Cuvee I. A cuvee is a distinctive selected blend. In my opinion this must be Jay’s version of creating a sort of Burgundian village wine, which means Pinot Noir is sourced from several vineyard sites selected from a few different areas of the same region and blended together. I researched the wine a little and couldn’t find much on which vineyards are blended in making this wine.

When I pulled the cork the wine showed colors of dark violets, with notes of brick red and light brown. The nose was very tight and revealed very dark, dark aromas and flavors of chocolate-covered raspberries, and baked red dirt. The flavors on the palate are much bigger than the sniff on the nose, but the wine seemed to grow on my palate and finished for a real, real, long time. On the long finish I even got a little taste of strawberries and watermelon Jolly Rancher.

The Cuvee I is very tannic for a Pinot, which in my opinion, would allow it to drink well for another 10 years or so. This makes it a little more approachable after a little air exposure. A once fairly muted nose turns into a potpourri of violets, roses, cinnamon and nutmeg, with an aroma in the background similar to ready mix concrete. The palate remains very dry with very dark, spicy flavors. The acids become more present with a little O2, as does the alcohol. At 14.5% it isn’t an extremely hot wine, but a little burn is present. To me, Pinot Noir needs a little heat due to the amount of fermentation needed to get it dry. Being such a delicate grape, the alcohol is a little more noticeable in Pinot Noir.

Being soft and subtle, but having such a long and bold finish makes this a fabulous food wine. Lamb and duck are my favorite pairings for Pinot Noir, as well as a softer cut of beef like tenderloin filet. Anyone who has drunk a Pinot Noir along with a mouthful of seared duck fat knows the true meaning of happiness. Add these proteins to some earthy flavors like mushrooms and some cheeses, and you will find something special.
I wouldn’t call this the most complex Pinot Noir I’ve ever had, but it remains very true to the varietal, being that it isn’t over extracted and proves that Oregon still has some soft, silky, sexy Pinot out there. In my opinion EIEIO is making some serious Pinot Noir. All of their cuvees and all of their single vineyards take on their own characteristics. They are really working hard to express the terroir of each site harvested and every cuvee made. I promise to review more of these gems in the future, to discover their significance a little more in depth.

Enjoy the vino!
Kevin