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Dobbes Family Estate Grand Assemblage Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016

I keep finding great Pinot Noir from Oregon, especially if I am willing to part with a few dollars more than I otherwise spend on wine.  Pinot Noir grapes require more labor and Oregon has the strictest wine making regulations in the United States.  These regulations ensure that you are drinking quality wine that has not been manipulated with additives or mystery ingredients.  The result is that Oregon wines simply cost more than corresponding wines from California and Washington.

Dobbes Family Estate assembles grapes from multi vineyards for this wine.  It is aged for 14 months in French Oak (20% new).  18% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters.

The wine is a dark ruby color.  Although I tasted raspberry in the initial sip, I later tasted more blackberry, oak and minor vanilla.  This is another quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir which has darker fruit flavors than average.

At the winery, this wine sells for $28.  My local Costco currently has this for $20.69 and the store wine manager told me it is selling well.

SC Wine Joe rating = 90 points



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