On September 16th, I had the pleasure of going to Greenlake Wines & Wine Bar (@grlakewine) for their Thursday wine tasting which featured Anam Cara Cellars. I wasn’t too familiar with Anam Cara Cellars, but I was looking forward to trying their wines. When I arrived at the tasting, I was really impressed by the grape presentation around the table. They brought various wine grapes that are planted in their vineyard which either had actual names or were designated by numbers. Each had their distinct flavors and characteristics so it was very nice to learn about them.
The tasting featured a selection of four wines from Anam Cara Cellars. For convenience, I have included links to the full tasting notes for all of the wines I tried that night.
Anam Cara Cellars 2008 Estate Riesling
“From our one-acre block of Riesling, this lovely, off-dry wine is immediately reminiscent of bright, golden delicious apples, ripe pears and cantaloupe melon on the palate. Aromas of Meyer lemon, honeysuckle and fresh peaches with quince.
There’s an elegant creaminess in the texture and the fresh acidity inherent in each of our Rieslings creates a fresh, lovely, balanced and softly crisp wine. Wonderful chilled and paired with Fusion cuisine, sushi, fresh crab or fried calamari.”
This is a very pleasant wine to drink. It has a touch of sweetness, but not much. It also has a very nice apple flavor to it, among other fruits mentioned in the tasting notes. I really like this wine and found it very enjoyable. Just like the tasting notes suggest, this will go well with seafood.
Anam Cara Cellars 2007 Nicholas Estates Pinot Noir
“Plum, raspberries and dusty rose petals on the nose blend with pomegranate, tea and toasty spices on the palate. All framed by the vineyard’s signature minerality, silky texture and rich yet soft tannins. The nicely rounded mid-palate rolls lingeringly into the sustained finish.
Continuous attention to the vineyard throughout the growing season and great winemaking has resulted in one of the most elegant Pinot Noirs produced to date from our vineyard.”
The nose on this wine had a lot of earthiness to it, which I like. As I tasted the wine, I found it to have a light taste with a slightly creamy finish. This is a very easy drinking wine and one I would definitely suggest. You can definitely hold onto this wine for a few years if you’re collecting, or you can drink it now.
Anam Cara Cellars 2007 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
“As we learn our vineyard, we have identified sections and rows with Reserve potential. This wine was blended from selected barrels and individual rows bearing only 1.5 tons of grapes to the acre.
Well-received by chefs who recognize the wine’s versatility and ability to enhance rather than overwhelm a dish, this wine’s evolution in the glass is remarkable. Wonderfully delicate, yet layered with flavors and aromas, tones of wild blackberries, plums, red cherries combine with earthy notes of cocoa and dusty sandalwood.”
This was my cellar purchase of the night! The nose was quite surprising to me. It has the usual earthiness you’ll find on pinot noir wines, but this one also has a floral characteristic. As I drank the wine, the first thing I noticed was the spice on the wine. This was a great addition to the overall balance on the wine. If you like your wine to have a lil spice/smokiness to it, then this is a clear winner.
Anam Cara Cellars 2008 Nicholas Estates Gewürztraminer
“From only one acre of Gewürztraminer vines planted on the steepest slope of our vineyard, and next to our single acre of Riesling.
This “ice wine” has opulent aromas of apricot, white flowers and bosc pears which join ripe cantaloupe, warm juicy peaches and tropical fruits on the palate.
The grapes for this wine were commercially frozen in their original Harvest bins for 10 days before delivering to the winery for a slow, gentle crush.
This is a sweet wine, but because of the natural acidity it is fresh and clear with a full, creamy mouthfeel and lingering finish.
Delicious with seasonal desserts such as apple pie, pears, peach cobbler and persimmon pudding.”
This wine has a nice citrus nose to it and was fairly pleasant to drink for a dessert wine. It did come off a little heavy for my liking, but not so much where you can’t enjoy it on its own. My suggestion would be to enjoy this with your favorite dessert.
Overall, Anam Cara Cellars has some great wines and I highly recommend you check them out during the holiday weekends (when most Oregon wineries are open to the public) if you’re around the Portland area. For more information on Anam Cara Cellars, please visit their website: http://www.anamcaracellars.com
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