Review: Wines of Stoller Family Estate, 2021 Releases
Stoller is a name that’s been around in Oregon winemaking just about forever — it Chehalem brand is probably its best known — focusing as most do in these parts on pinot noir. We received three of them — two reds and a rose — so let’s dig into the trio.
2020 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Rose Willamette Valley – Quite a straightforward rose, all strawberry and vanilla up front, leading to a bit of a gummy character as the palate develops. The chewy body is approachable but a bit underwhelming, with less acidity than it could benefit from. B / $28
2019 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – Peppery and high and acid, this is a rather tart expression of pinot noir that keeps the focus fully aimed at cherries and cola notes. The body however is on the thin side, which makes standing up to this level of bright acidity over the long haul difficult. B+ / $25
2019 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills – This more focused AVA turns out a pinot that is significantly earthier and more savory, balancing black pepper with black cherry notes, brambly blackberry, and some gingerbread elements. This wine lacks the bold acidity of the Willamette bottling, making for a more unctuous, enveloping experience — though it does end up dulling some of the fruit on the finish. B+ / $35
2020 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Rose Willamette Valley
$28
