Wine of the Month

Benton-Lane Winery 2004 Pinot Noir Estate

Benton-Lane Winery
PO Box 99
23924 Territorial Hwy.
Monroe, OR 97456
541-847-5792

Winemaker: Tim Wilson

www.benton-lane.com

Comment:

Benton-Lane is one of the top producers of Oregon Pinot Noir.  This example is very balanced, smooth and well-rounded, with tannins that wrap around the tongue like silk.  It should be very friendly to fish, and light beef dishes.

Pinot Noir requires passion.  Steve and Carol Girard had that when they came north from California in 1988, searching for land to grow great grapes in the cool climate of Oregon.  They found and bought Sunnymount, an old sheep ranch in the foothills off the southern Willamette Valley.  By 1989 the first vines were planted, and the Benton-Lane Winery was founded.

Their hard work rewarded them.  The winery grew, specializing in Pinot Noir exclusively until 2003, and their wines were widely sold.  Unfortunate problems with bad corks and spoiled wine brought them to the use of screwcaps -- but that seems to be a continuing trend in the wine world.  Although we will miss the mystique of the cork, we can see that the tide is turning on the issue of corked wines, and if it saves us a few bad bottles, we will learn to live with it.