Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

The world’s largest charitable wine competition was held March 29th and 30th 2008 in Rochester, New York. All proceeds go to improving the quality of life for children touched by cancer. (The competition this year judged over 2,350 wines from nearly 500 wineries spanning 39 states and 14 different countries).

Competition this year in the Pinot Noir category saw the following results:

Double Gold: none
Gold: 3
Silver: 12
Bronze: 22

Additional information posted at: www.fliwc.com

I poured your 2006 pinot at a wine tasting at my office, together with 6 other wines, two of which were pinots. As you could guess, your wine was the favorite of the vast majority; quite a few are veteran pinot/burgundy drinkers. The balance of earth to fruit is what made your wine more interesting than the other pinots from sonoma coast (a 2005 land's edge hartford court.....tough competition) and santa rita hills (2005 seasmoke botella). It was nice to be proven wrong.....as I predicted the seasmoke would have been the overall favorite. Thank you for making such a reasonably priced pinot.

Lastly, who are your wholesale distributors in Maryland and Delaware.

yours, Chris

Copia's Artisan Wine Festival

In March of 2008 Domaine Coteau was invited to Napa, California to pour the 2006 vintage at Copia's Artisan Wine Festival. This tasting event showcased only 60 boutique wineries; it was conducted in May 2008.

Copia, with initial funding from Robert Modavi, is a member-supported discovery center whose mission is to explore, celebrate, and share the many pleasures and benefits of wine, it's relationship with food, and it's significance to our culture.

Additional information at: http://copia.org

Wine Spectator Magazine (April 30, 2008 edition)

This national publication evaluated more than 1000 wines for the April 2008 issue. It also covers news of great restaurants, terrific resorts, and other wine-related places to visit.

"A bit firm in texture, with woodsy, fallen leaf accents to the blackberry and black pepper flavors, softening a bit on the finish. Drink now through 2013."

Additional information at: www.winespectator.com

The Wine Library

"This up and coming super star is on a roll. With numerous 90+ point from almost every publication, it's no wonder these wines are getting harder to find. The 2006 vintage is a return to glory for the state of Oregon, and this red hot super star should shine again!"

Additional information at: http://winelibrary.com

Northwest Palate Magazine (March/April 2008)

"Layered, lush aromas of red cherry and blackberry fruit intertwined with smoke and earth accents on a pretty nose. On the palate, an immediate sense of clean cherry and plum fruit greets the tongue, then broadens across the palate with a creamy texture and deeper sense of dark fruitiness. Inflections of spiced earth, sage, and cocoa add interest, and a surprising twang of tangerine gives vibrancy to the finish. Ripe tannins and balanced acidity help make this drinkable today..., but it would be interesting to taste after 1-3 years of cellaring."

This regional food and wine magazine has been rating northwest wines since 1987. Highly respected in the Pacific Northwest, their tasting team conducts tastings of up to 200 wines for each issue. Don't look for numerical scores here. Northwest Palate has a three-tier rating system: wines are “Recommended,”“Highly Recommended,”and “Exceptional.”

For the March/April 2008 issue, 24 Pinot Noirs received recommendations: 0“Exceptional,”2“Highly Recommended,”and 22 were “Recommended.”

Additional information at: www.nwpalate.com

The Florida State Fair International Wine Competition

The first Florida State Fair was held in 1904 in Tampa (which became the Fair's permanent home). The 2008 Fair was held February 7th through the 9th.

Almost 2,000 wines were entered into this competition in 2008. In the Pinot Noir category 50 wines were awarded medals (2 Gold, 27 Silver, and 21 Bronze).

Normally more wine receives Bronze than Silver. This was not the case in 2008. Thus the large number of Silver medals awarded (and the very low number of Gold) indicate a very high level of overall quality for the Pinot Noir category.

In 1923 the Florida Grape Growers Association (FGGA) was established. It is the FGGA that is responsible for the wine competition.

The FGGA has separated the competition into two broad divisions:  Amateur and  International. Over the years the International Division has grown into a large and well-respected wine competition.

Results available at: www.fgga.org

Wine Spectator Magazine (December 31, 2007 edition)

(Domaine Coteau - A triumph of quality control)

The following article on Domaine Coteau was written by Harvey Steinman and was published in the 31 December 2007 edition of the Wine Spectator.

“Dean Sandifer spent 25 years as a quality-control manager at a defense industry plant in Minnesota before his job was downsized in 1994. His search for employment landed him in Portland Ore., building guidance systems for aircraft. Thirteen years later, at the age of 65, he’s hard at work at his dream job, making Pinot Noir in his own winery, Domaine
Coteau.

A forklift sets down a box of grapes inside the winery, a building about the size of a three-car garage, in Carlton, Ore. ‘When I moved to Portland, I had an ulterior motive,’ Sandifer admits, picking up one of the dark-blue Pinot Noir bunches. ‘I wanted to get closer to these.’

Sandifer had been a home winemaker in Minnesota, air- freighting grapes from California. ‘I thought of going to California, but land was too expensive there,’ he says. ‘Oregon was relatively cheap.’

He found his vineyard site, an old cherry orchard, altitude 600 feet, on the northern edge of the Amity Hills. He wanted something at a high elevation, with silty loam soils so that he wouldn’t have to deal with too many rocks. Using Oregon’s traditional Pommard clone and several Dijon clones, Sandifer planted 15 acres at high density, more than 2,000 plants per
acre. He was looking for intense black fruit flavors. He got them.

He makes two wines from the site. Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Reserve 2005 (90, $29), a barrel selection, shows lithe texture and nicely packed black cherry, blackberry and toasty spice flavors, all in harmonious balance. Even better was last year’s Pinot Noir Yamhill County 2004 (91, $27), a plush mouthful of gorgeous current, blackberry and red plum flavors.

These supple, inviting wines are much better than some of Sandifer’s earliest efforts, from 1999 and 2000. Made from purchased grapes, they were clumsy and tannic. He credits his own vineyard, planted from 1998 to 2000, for the improvement. ‘Now I have control over the source,’ he says. ‘It makes a big difference.’

The name is a total invention. ‘I knew it had to be ‘Domaine something,’ he says, ‘So I got out a French dictionary and started making lists of wine words of two or three syllables that could be pronounced phonetically in English. Coteau means ‘hillside,’ and that made perfect sense.”

Robert Parker (November 2007 Online edition)

"The 2005 Pinot Noir Reserve is estate grown and bottled. The wine was aged in French oak, 33% new, and was then bottled unfined and unfiltered, and sold at a bargain price. The winery has none left according to its website so a careful search of the market is warranted for this awesome value. It has a toasty, smoky, blueberry and blackberry scented nose. This leads to a medium-bodied, beautiful balanced wine with gobs of fruit to balance the acidity and structure of the vintage. The pure finish suggests that it could evolve for 5-7 years and provide pleasure through 2022."

Additional information at: www.erobertparker.com  

Wine Spectator Magazine (May 15, 2007 edition)

This national publication normally features evaluations of more than 500 wines each month. It also covers news of great restaurants, terrific resorts, and other wine-related places to visit.

"Lithe in texture and nicely packed with black cherry, blackberry and toasty spice flavors. A hint of barnyard lurks in the background, yet the fruit and spice predominate, harmoniously balanced. Drink now through 2013"

Additional information at: www.winespectator.com  

The Florida State Fair International Wine Competition

The first Florida State Fair was held in 1904 in Tampa
(which became the Fair’s permanent home). The 2007
Fair was held February 8th through the 21st.

In 1923 the Florida Grape Growers Association (FGGA)
was established. It is the FGGA that is responsible for the wine competition.

The FGGA has separated the competition into two broad divisions: “Amateur” and “International.”
Over the years the International Division has grown into a large and well-respected wine competition.

Results available at: www.fgga.org

Tasters Guild Wine Judging Competition.
Tasters Guild is a society of wine and food lovers
consisting of over 40 chapters that provide active and ongoing wine and food events. They adhere to the philosophy of evaluating wines in price categories for better value perception. One of the goals of Tasters Guild is to give the consumer a reference point in choosing good quality wine values.

This was the 20th year for these awards – held April 25 – 28, 2007. Over 2,000 wines from 15 countries and 31 states/provinces were evaluated by 40 judges from around the world.

Results posted on www.tastersguild.com

"I look for pinot noir from ... Domaine Coteau...."

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
May/June 2007  

“Ruby-red. Smoky, bacon fat-accented blackberry and raspberry liquer aromas are lifted by hints of white pepper and baking spices. Sweet red and dark berry flavors are impressively concentrated and focused, with gentle tannis lending support. The juicy, smoky finish boasts impressive thrust and cling. This gained complexity with air and should reward at least a few years cellaring. ”

Additional information at: www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/home.html

Jerry D. Mead’s New World International Wine Competition  

The 17th annual Jerry D. Mead’s New World International Wine Competition was held March 19th and 19th, 2007 in Ontario, California. More than 2000 wines were judged from the New World (i.e., from the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa).

“It’s quite an achievement to win a medal…” said Dr. Richard Peterson, Chief Judge. “Of [over] 2000 entries only 249 won a top award….”

Wines are judged by price category and vintage year.

Results posted at www.nwiwc.com 

Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

The world’s largest charitable wine competition was held March 31st and April 1st 2007 in Rochester, New York. All proceeds go to improving the quality of life for children touched by cancer. (In 2006 this event attracted over 1,700 wines from around the world).

This 7th year of competition in the Pinot Noir category saw the following results: three Gold Medals, 13 Silver Medals, and 32 Bronze Medals.

Additional information posted at: www.fliwc.com

Wine Spectator Magazine (June 15, 2006 edition)

This national publication normally features evaluations of more than 500 wines each month. It also covers news of great restaurants, terrific resorts, and other wine-related places to visit.

“Smooth and velvety, aromatic with fruit and spice, a plush mouthful of gorgeous currant, blackberry,   and red plum flavors, lightly shaded with delicate sweet oak notes. It all finished with grace and impressive length. Drink now through 2014. 1,350 cases made.”

Additional information at: www.winespectator.com  

• Additional Discussion on the Wine Spectator's Review

Gourmet Magazine (November 2006)

Wine Lovers Page: Bucko's New Releases

2004 Domaine Coteau, Pinot Noir, Yamhill County, Oregon, $27, 1,350 cases. This is a new wine for me, and considering how pricey Oregon Pinot has become, this is a very good value. You'll find lots of berries and spice on the nose, while the flavors exhibit currants, red berries, and judicious oak notes. Elegant, yet lively; 90/91.

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
May/June 2006  

“($38) Bright red. Somewhat reticent initially, but opens up quickly to show ripe strawberry, raspberry and red current jam aromas. This is strikingly pure, with vivid red berry and mineral flavors tinged by tangy notes of fresh rhubarb and cinnamon that go on and on. A graceful, pure wine that is silky and sweet, with wonderful balance and length. This has the elegance of a Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny. 91 points.”

Additional information at: www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/home.html

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
May/June 2006

“($27) Medium red color. Fresh, mineral-driven red berry aromas are lively and precise. Brisk and energetic on the palate, with spicy flavors of wild strawberry, raspberry lifted by some exotic spice notes. The fresh red berry notes build on the back, retaining impressive energy and cut. 89 points.”

Additional information at: www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/home.html

Decanter Magazine (April 2006 edition)

This London-based wine magazine is truly international in its coverage; there is readership in over 90 countries. As Britain’s leading wine magazine it is read by both experts and enthusiasts alike. There is always a good mix of wine-related news, interviews with wine personalities, regional profiles, and, of course, wine recommendations.

The April 2006 edition covered North American Pinot Noir with Domaine Coteau being selected as a RECOMMENDED wine.

“Quite reserved and elegant nose yet shows depth of fruit. Well-structured palate with attractive ripe red fruits, firm tannins and long. 2-5 years.”

Additional information at: www.decanter.com

Grand Harvest Awards

Sponsored by Vineyard and Winery Magazine, this was the 16th year for this wine competition, held each year in Santa Rosa, California.

This is a unique wine competition. All wines are judged in the context of their viticulture region. The goal is to learn more about how “terroir” contributes excellence and distinctiveness to wines.

One of the goals of this competition has always  been to identify the finest examples from the various viticultural regions (for Domaine Coteau that is the Willamette Valley in Oregon).

The Grand Harvest Awards force judges to take a longer look at wines then when judging other wine events. The focus on “terroir” makes for a slower and more exhausting process. Judges spend more time with each wine examining it for nuances, much as the winemaker does in his own cellar. The result of this examination is a comparatively stingy medal response.

On the positive side, the judges think that even  Bronze Medal wines are of unusually high quality. Silver and Gold Medals, of course, even more so -  perhaps among the best offered.

Results posted at www.vwm-online.com

Pacific Rim International Wine Competition

One of the largest and most respected wine competitions in the West, the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition receives entries from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand.

Producing wineries, custom crush growers, negociants, or appropriately designated importers or wholesalers may enter wine.

This competition has grown from approximately 100 entries in 1985 to over 2200 entries in 2006. 2006 marks the 21st year for this event at the grounds of the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California.

Competition held March 8th and 9th 2006.

 Additional information posted at:
www.nationalorangeshow.com/wine_competition.htm

Northwest Palate Magazine (March/April 2006)

“Black cherry, plum, and graham aromas. Black cherry and plum flavors are intense yet restrained. Deep, lingering flavors of fruit and spice. Serve with duck rillettes on toasted baguette."

This regional food and wine magazine has been rating northwest wines since 1987. Highly respected in the Pacific Northwest, their tasting team conducts tastings of up to 200 wines for each issue. Don’t look for numerical scores here. Northwest Palate has a three-tier rating system – wines are “Recommended,” “Highly Recommended,” and “Exceptional.”

For the March/April 2006 issue, 20 Pinot Noirs received recommendations: 1 “Exceptional,” 5 “Highly Recommended,” and 14 were “Recommended.”

Additional information at: www.nwpalate.com

Decanter Magazine (World Wide Awards)

Decanter Magazine’s “World Wide Awards” is a global wine competition, held in London each year in May. This is the third year for this competition and includes many of the world’s most famous wines. Results are published each year in the October edition of the magazine.

The Decanter World Wide Awards celebrate the diversity of wine by focusing on regional styles and on the influence of terroir.

Additional information at: www.decanter.com/worldwineawards/2006/

Northwest Wine Summit (2006)

This is the 11th year for the largest wine competition in the Pacific Northwest (held each year at the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon). Wines must come from British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana.

Results available at: www.nwwinesummit.com

Wine & Spirits Magazine (June 2006 edition) 

This national publication is the only wine magazine to win a James Beard Award for excellence in wine writing. 2006 marks the 18th year of providing practical, straightforward, and enlightened advice with regard to fine wine and spirits.

“This wine overlays toasty oak on a plush red cherry scent. These components bear out on the palate with a rich, almost pillowy texture. Lay it down for a year to serve with halibut with wild mushrooms.”

Additional information at: www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com  

Critics Challenge Intl. Wine Competition

This highly regarded wine competition is held yearly at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego. The judges bring a global perspective and a high skill level to the task of wine evaluation.
Chief Judges: Ms. Mary Ewing-Mulligan (Master of Wine)
Mr. Robert Whitley.

The “Critics Award” honor indicates that the wine has demonstrated a high standard of quality and has earned a “buy” recommendation from the judges.

“Toasty with ripe berry.”  Gerald Boyd.

Results posted at www.criticschallenge.com

Sante’ Magazine (May 2006 edition)

Sante’ Magazine is the award-winning national  business-to-business (B-to-B) magazine for restaurant and hospitality professionals.

The May 2006 edition covered Pinot Noir with Domaine Coteau being selected as a RECOMMENDED wine in the Prestige category.

 “Pretty aromas of cherry blossom and strawberry with yummy flavors of crushed red cherry, rose petals, white pepper, and accents of leather; a bright and uplifting character. Alder-plank salmon and roasted potatoes.”

West Coast Wine Competition

The 2006 edition of the West Coast Wine Competition marks the 24th year for this event (held each April in Sonoma County, CA). This event now accepts wines not only from California, Oregon, and Washington, but also from Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Western Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and British Columbia.

Results posted at www.vwm-online.com
 

Accent Magazine (March/April 2006 edition)

“Stereotypical Oregon pinot: Lush, rich fruit, excellent structure and balance. This one nearly begs to be opened for dinner.”

Additional information at: www.accentmagazine.com

The Florida State Fair Wine Competition

The first Florida State Fair was held in 1904 in Tampa
(which became the Fair’s permanent home). The 2006
Fair was held February 9th through the 20th.

In 1923 the Florida Grape Growers Association (FGGA)
was established. It is the FGGA that is responsible for the wine competition.

The FGGA has separated the competition into two broad divisions: “Amateur” and “International.”
Over the years the International Division has grown into a large and well-respected wine competition.

Results available at: www.fgga.org

Hilton Head Winefest

Hilton Head Island's 21st Annual Winefest is the largest outdoor, tented wine tasting on the East Coast.

The wine competition is open to both table and sparkling wines.  Wines are categorized by price range ($20 and up was the category for Domaine Coteau) and are rated using the 20 point Davis Scale.

Results posted at: www.hiltonheadhospitalityassociation.com

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

The San Francisco Chronicle became the major sponsor of the Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition six years ago. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of this event.

Fifty five professional wine judges converged on the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Cloverdale, California to judge 3,318 wines from Oregon, California, Washington, and Idaho.

Results posted at:
www.winejudging.com

San Francisco Chronicle
22 November 2005 Edition

The San Francisco Chronicle tasting panel tasted 94 Oregon Pinot Noirs from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 vintages and selected 17 to recommend to their readers.

"Earth and chocolate-covered cherry aromas; blackberry, raspberry liqueur, orange zest and cocoa with spice box hints on nose and palate; some oaky richness; smooth mouth feel."

Additional information at:
www.sfchron.com

New York Wine Report

"This deep purple...Pinot Noir possesses an archetypical bright, floral bouquet [and] its juicy palate features a medium body, soft tannins, and vivid cherry cola extract."

Additional information at:
www.nycwinerport.com

Critics Challenge Intl. Wine Competition
This highly regarded wine competition is held yearly at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego. The judges bring a global perspective and a high skill level to the task of wine evaluation.

Chief judges: Ms. Mary Ewing-Mulligan (Master of Wine) and Mr. Robert Whitley.

In 2005 the competition was held May 28th and 29th. Results posted at www.criticschallenge.com

Wine Press Northwest (Summer 2005)
“This youthful red provides spicy, smoky
aromas of cherries and chocolate and flavors
of sweet red fruit, cola and tea. A hint of
of residual sugar is balanced with modest
tannins and bright acidity.”

L.A. County Fair.
The largest wine competition in the United States.
For 66 years this competition has showcased the finest vintages from America and countries throughout the world. Named one of the top five wine competitions in the country by USA Today. Seventy-five judges evaluated 3,936 wines from 1003 wineries.

Information posted on www.fairplex.org.

Grand Harvest Awards – Sponsored by Vineyard and Winery Management Magazine. This was the 15th year for this wine competition, held annually in Santa Rosa, California.

This competition is unique in that the wines are judged only in the context of their own viticultural region. The goal of this competition has always been to identify the finest examples from each region (for Domaine Coteau that is the Willamette Valley in Oregon). These awards
acknowledge the influence of “terroir” in producing quality wine.

See attached note

Results posted on www.vwm-online.com

Tasters Guild Wine Judging Competition.
Tasters Guild is a society of wine and food lovers
consisting of over 55 chapters that provide active and ongoing wine and food events. They adhere to the philosophy of evaluating wines in price categories for better value perception. One of the goals of Tasters Guild is to give the consumer a reference point in choosing good quality wine values.

This was the 18th year for these awards – held April 21 – 24, 2005. Over 2,000 wines from 15 countries and 31 states/provinces were evaluated by 40 judges from around the world.

Results posted on www.tastersguild.com

Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
This competition took place April 2-3, 2005.
This is the 5th year for this charity event, the proceeds of which go to improving the quality of life for children touched by cancer.

Judges ranged from sommeliers, wine makers, educators, importers, retailers, and industry consultants.

Results posted on www.fliwc.com

The Wine School is the region's premiere online resource for current wine reviews. Within their pages, they offer independent reviews of the best wine values available in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.

Unlike the Wine Spectator, they review only wines available. More importantly, they only publish reviews of wines that are the highest caliber and the best values.

Domaine Coteau 2002 Pinot Noir
Wine Style: Nuanced Reds
Region: Yamhill County, Oregon

"Exactly what Pinot Noir is supposed to be. Aromas of crushed violet and fresh berry. Supple, elegant texture and a delightfully long finish. The palate is a swirl of sweet ripe fruit on layers of herb."

The San Diego National Wine Competition.
This is the 3rd-largest wine competition in the United States. It awards medals for winemaking excellence. Thus one of the main purposes is to spotlight winemaking accomplishments. Proceeds go to Camp Oliver, a children’s camp in San Diego County.

Results posted on www.sdnwc.org.

(Year 2004 competition).

Tasters Guild Wine Judging Competition.
Tasters Guild is a society of wine and food lovers
consisting of over 55 chapters that provide active and ongoing wine and food events. They adhere to the philosophy of evaluating wines in price categories for better value perception. One of the goals of Tasters Guild is to give the consumer a reference point in choosing good quality wine values.

This was the 17th year for these awards – held April 21 – 24, 2004. Over 2,000 wines from 15 countries and 31 states/provinces were evaluated by 40 judges from around the world.

Results posted on www.tastersguild.com

The Long Beach Grand Cru is an international
wine competition and culinary experience
created and hosted by the Long Beach office of
the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
Since 1994, this competition has continued to
grow in size and prestige, attracting wineries
from around the world.

Results posted on www.longbeachgrandcru.com

“The Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition
is one of the world’s top global wine judging
events.”
  -- Beverages & more!

The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition.
This year marks the 20th anniversary for the largest wine competition in the Southwest (and the fourth largest in the United States).

Results posted on www.dallaswinecomp.com
after 21 April 2004.

Northwest Wine Summit Competition.
This is the 9th year for the largest wine
competition in the Pacific Northwest (held at
Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon). It
is the only competition where wines must come
from the Pacific Northwest (i.e., British
Columbia, Idaho, Washington, Montana, and
Oregon).

Results posted on www.nwwinesummit.com.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and
STARWINE.
This prestigious wine competition is hosted by the
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (the single largest purchaser of wine in the USA) and STARWINE. The tasting took place on March 4 – 6 in Philadelphia.

Results posted on www.starwine.net

Grand Harvest Awards – Sponsored by Vineyard and Winery Management Magazine. This was the 14th year for this wine competition, held annually in Santa Rosa, California.

This competition is unique in that the wines are judged only in the context of their own viticultural region. The goal of this competition has always been to identify the finest examples from each region (for Domaine Coteau that is the Willamette Valley in Oregon). These awards
acknowledge the influence of “terroir” in producing quality wine.

See attached note

Results posted on www.vwm-online.com

Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
This competition took place March 27-28, 2004.
This is the 4th year for this charity event, the proceeds of which go to improving the quality of life for children touched by cancer.

Judges ranged from sommeliers, wine makers, educators, importers, retailers, and industry consultants.

Results posted on www.fliwc.com

- “Fruity aromas of raspberry and cherry. Light- bodied; tight and youthful flavors of cherry and raspberry lead to a tart and tannic finish. Cellar 1-2 years for softer tannins.”

RECOMMENDED.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Mar/Apr '01
Bright ruby-red. Complex nose melds cherry, currant, meat, licorice, baking chocolate and an intriguing vegetal nuance. Fat and lush on entry, then a bit tough in the middle, giving the impression of energetic extraction. But there's subtle sweetness here. Finishes with a chewy suggestion of berry skin. With extended time in the recorked bottle, this showed a lusher texture and ripe black cherry and black raspberry flavor.

“Full colour. Ripe, stylish, composed, vigorous
nose. Very good fresh fruit. Full body. Very good tannins. Lots of depth and lots of character. Very good grip. This is rich and ample. Lots of dimension. Lovely intense finish. Very fine.” Domaine Coteau received a score of 18.5 on Mr. Coates’ 20 point scale – the 2nd highest
score of the 55 – 60 Oregon wines he reviewed.

For complete results of Mr. Coates’ evaluation of
the 1999 Oregon vintage click here

“While built along the slightly tougher, more‘structured’ lines that have come to define a good many Oregon Pinot Noirs, this solid effort from the Northwest fills its frame nicely with a good measure of concentrated ripe-cherry fruit. Very deep, but also a bit tannic and not so velvety as its more accessible California cousins are wont to be,
it is presently on the tight and slightly ragged side and warrants another three to five years of patient cellaring.”

Two Puffs (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

This auction was held in Los Angeles in November of 2000. It included countries encircling the Pacific Ocean. All the properties represented shared a passion to produce the very best wine.

Domaine Coteau was selected to participate along with Archery Summit and Domaine Drouhin.

The San Diego National Wine Competition.
This is the 3rd-largest wine competition in the United States. It awards medals for winemaking excellence. Thus one of the main purposes is to spotlight winemaking accomplishments. Proceeds go to Camp Oliver, a children’s camp in San Diego County.

Results posted on www.sdnwc.org.

(Year 2000 competition).

The San Diego National Wine Competition.
The Best Of Class award is selected from among all gold medal winners in each category for a wine of exceptional merit. The entire assembly of judges meet to evaluate the “Best Of Class” award winners.

Results posted on www.sdnwc.org.

(Year 2000 competition)