2008 Dominio IV The Black and The Red; Falling in Love with Oregon, One Pinot at a Time...

This weekend's treat!

We spent a few hours tasting and talking with the passionate, dynamic winemaker/proprietor of Dominio IV wines Patrick Reuter on our recent trip to Oregon.  His tiny production wines are represented by James Moises in New Orleans and we've been big fans for awhile. His winery and tasting room are located in an old granary in McMinnville and will definitely be a stop on our Oregon Wine Tour 2013.

Tasting some new wines with Patrick at the Dominio IV tasting room.

Patrick and his wife Leigh Bartholomew, who has also been the vineyard manager at Archery Summit for the last 12 years, bought land in Mosier Oregon with Leigh's parents in 2002. Their Three Sleeps Vineyard is certified Biodynamic and here they produce Viognier, Syrah and Tempranillo.  But knowing all of the Oregon wine jobs were in the Willamette Valley, they've based their operations in McMinnville where they source biodynamic and organic fruit from Moe and Flora Momtazi in McMinnville, the Stermer Vineyards, owned by the Lemelson family in Dundee and Bella Vida in Dundee.

3 Sleeps Vineyard

 The name of their wines, like viticulture, the word Dominio comes from deep in the past. The Spanish use the word to mean land or territory or dominion, where as the Romans have a secondary meaning of a feast or banquet, thus a feast from the land. Dom is also of the sun as in Domingo (Sunday). The number four represents four people, four seasons, four varieties of the grape and four quadrants of our symbol the labyrinth. Four is also the number of the earth. (from Dominio's website)

We featured Patrick's Dominio Pinot Noir Poetry and Roses in our 2008 Oregon Pinot Show but this is the first time we've tasted The Black and and the Red (where black midnight meets deep red cherry...) and it is a show stopper.  While it could still use a little bottle age, it opened up beautifully after decanting.

The Momtazi Vineyard in McMinville

 He sources 50% of the fruit from each Momtazi and Bella Vida vineyards.  The Bella Vida vineyards feature Willamette Valley's flagship dirt Jory, the basalt-based volcanic soil found in most vineyard sites in the Dundee Hills.  High in clay content and iron, Jory is reddish in color and nutrient-rich. The Momtazi vineyards are grown on the shallower volcanic basalt soils of the Nekkia series seen throughout Eola Hills and McMinnville.

This is a powerful pinot, dark black cherry fruit and plums with cinnamon and baking spices, it still has a bit of tannic edge to it buts opens up with decanting to a plush mouth feel with layers of complex fruit.  Very balanced, tons of aging potential!  And at $35.50, it is a steal! 175 cases produced.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 Points
The 2008 Pinot Noir The Black and the Red sports a captivating nose of sandalwood, exotic spices, violets, black cherry, and blueberry. This is followed by a dense, ripe, loaded, suave offering with layered fruit, exceptional concentration for the vintage and 2-3 years of aging potential. This superb Pinot has a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2021.  

Cheers!