WTN: '98 & '99 Panther Creek Nysa Pinot Noirs

[geo t.]

Recently, we tasted through five Panther Creek Pinot Noirs over a period of four days, and generally quite enjoyed what we tasted; it would be an understatement to say that these are not delicate wallflowers. The '99 Nysa was rather different than the four '98s, as impressions of both vintages' models here are intended to demonstrate.

1998 Panther Creek Willamette Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard, $43.99, 13% alc.: A smoky tinged ruby dark garnet colored pinot, this throws effusive, earthy, smoky plum and black cherry aromatics that show just a hint of the barnyard and perhaps a little heat. There's plenty more of the same on the palate, along with some subtle sweet spice, cola, oak, tar and underbrush; like the other '98s, it really opens with some air, but has the structure for a minimum of two to three years of development and improvement. Nice stuff here.

1999 Panther Creek Willamette Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard, $43.99, 13% alc.: Despite the same basic ruby dark garnet hue, this '99 Nysa is a horse of a different color, with a slightly less expressive nose than the '98, showing much more earth and underbrush than fruit; Kim described it as "mushrooms and potting soil," and I agreed, adding an impression of mushroom soy sauce. Some smoky black cherry peeks out from behind the loam in both flavor and aroma, becoming deeper, darker and more accentuated as it opens. This has excellent structure that bodes well for at least five years of development, but like the other four, it's drinking well already, and indeed, proved to be Kim's favorite of the lot.

(Michael Stevenson posted some interesting and informative notes and observations on '98 - '02 Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noirs from Panther Creek, Bethel Heights and Ken Wright Cellars on the Panther Creek message boards. They provide some added background on this fine vineyard, named for the home of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus.)

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.