2017 Roserock By Domaine Drouhin Zephirine Pinot Noir
2017 Roserock By Domaine Drouhin Zephirine Pinot Noir Eola Amity Hills The Zéphirine displays exuberance and serious aromatic depth. Violets, lilac, and primary red fruits come to mind immediately, balanced by a delightful mouthfeel. The layered palate presents complex flavors of cassis and red berry bramble, which fold nicely into each other. There are great freshness, soft, silky tannins, and a persistent, long finish. Over the course of a few hours, the mouth weight deepens and the finish becomes even longer.
The 2017 Roserock Pinot Noir shows what is possible from this beautiful vineyard. The color is characteristically darker than what I see in the Dundee Hills, but not inky. The nose is charming and expresses the coolness compared to prior years. On the palate, I taste pomegranate, black cherry, and a touch of berry confiture. The site is always capable of elegance, which shows itself in layers, structure, and balance. We can drink this young, but it should age very nicely for 6-10 years. Winemaker
The name of Drouhin is synonymous with the finest Pinot Noir in the world. This famous house from Burgundy has made some of the greatest Pinot Noir ever come out of the Burgundy. Like many great Burgundy houses, they have looked beyond France to see where they can make great Pinot Noir and this wine is a result of that search. They decided on one of the greatest appellations in Oregon, Eola Amity Hills to make this wine. Other great Burgundy houses have followed Drouhin to Oregon: Comte Liger Belair, Domonique Lafon, Louis Jadot, Meo Camuzet, and just recently, Domaine Romanee Conti. Leading this charge in Oregon is Veronique Drouhin. The Drouhin’s purchased the Roserock Vineyard in 1913. Grapes from the vineyard had been previously sold to top producers like Soter and Ponzi.
Today’s wine, the 2017 Domaine Drouhin Roserock Vineyard Pinot Noir is a stunning example of Oregon Pinot Noir in all its glory. The wine received incredible press and is coming from one of the most critically acclaimed vintages in Oregon’s history. This is one of the finest Oregon Pinots I have tasted this year. With a savings of 27%, a triple 93 point score, from some of the finest Pinot Noir terroir on the planet and made by one of the most influential families in Burgundy.