DAY TWO (continued): At the 2007 International Pinot Noir Celebration in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, every afternoon features a walk-around wine tasting “al fresco” outside in the shade of some of the beautiful trees that dot the campus of Linfield College. Wineries and their winemakers take turns pouring their wines each day at these tastings, offering an interesting opportunity to taste Oregon, French, New Zealand, and Californian Pinot Noirs side-by-side.

As opposed to many public tastings where the people standing behind the table are only marketing staff for the winery, or even worse, just friends that have been pressed into service to pour for the masses, the folks at the IPNC tables are almost always the winemaker, the winery owner, or both.

Unfortunately, my single-minded tasting circuit doesn’t allow me much chance to take advantage of the great opportunity afforded by the presence of these folks, but they offer an amazing opportunity to learn whatever one might care to about their wines.

At this tasting it seemed to me that my palate responded better to the French wines than most of their Oregon brethren, though there were clearly some standout domestic Pinots to be had.

I should say that a number of the prices for the Burgundies are very approximate, as many of the producers only had a general sense of what their wines sold for in the US.

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5

2004 Chateau de Chorey “les Cras,” Beaune, Burgundy, France. $60. Where to Buy?

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 and 9.5

2005 Camille Giroud “Cent Vignes” Beaune, Burgundy, France. $50
2005 Domaine Audoin “Les Longerioes,” Marsannay, Burgundy, France. $25
2005 Domaine Claude Dugat Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin Burgundy, France. $800 Where to Buy?
2005 Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair Grand Cru Bonnes Mares Burgundy, France. $150. Where to Buy?
2004 Domaine Serene “Jerusalem Hill Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $75
2005 Kosta Browne Wines Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA. $75 Where to Buy?
2005 Marc Roy “Clos Prieur” Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France. ??
2005 Taupenot-Merme Grand Cru Corton, Burgundy, France. $95. Where to Buy?
2005 Violot-Guillemard Pommard “Rugiens” Burgundy, France. ??.

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9

2005 Addamo Estate Vineyards “Addamo Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, CA. $35
2004 Belle Pente “Estate Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $40
2005 Broadley Vineyards “Shea Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $50
2004 Cana’s Feast Winery, LLC “Cuvée G Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $75
2005 Domaine Lecheneaut “les Pruliers” 1er Cru Nuits-St.-George, Burgundy, France. $??
2004 Goldeneye Winery “Goldeneye” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $52
2005 Jacques Prieur “Greves” Beaune, Burgundy, France. $??
2005 Lynmar Winery “Five Sisters” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, CA. $80
2005 Maison Ambroise “le Rognet” Grand Cru Corton, Burgundy, France. $100
2005 Patz & Hall Wine Company “Chenoweth Ranch” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, CA. $55
2004 Stoller “Estate” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $40
2005 Taupenot-Merme Charmes Chambertin Burgundy, France. $95
2006 Valli Vineyards “Gibbston Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. $45
2004 Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards “Cheval Sauvage” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, CA. $55

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 and 9

2005 Argyle Winery “Spirithouse” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $70
2005 Bergstrom “Bergstrom Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $75
2005 Brick House Vineyards “Les Dijonnais” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $42
2005 Brooks Wines “Janus” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $29
2005 Cuvaison “Block F5” Pinot Noir, Carneros, CA. $48
2005 Domaine Alfred “Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, CA. $38
2005 Domaine D’Ardhuy “Clos des Langres” Monopole Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France. $75
2004 Hamacher Wines “Hamacher” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Joseph Voillot “Volnay Les Champans” Burgundy, France. $75
2006 Kingston “Alazan” Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile. $28
2005 Lemelson Vineyards “Jerome Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $50
2004 Main Ridge Estate “MRE Half Acre” Pinot Noir, Mornington Penninsula, Australia. $45
2005 Maysara “Delara” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $50
2004 Michel Gay “Chorey les Beaune,” Vieilles Vignes Burgundy, France. $25
2005 Patricia Green Cellars “Ribbon Ridge” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $38
2005 Soter Vineyards “Beacon Hill” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $46
2005 St. Innocent “Shea Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $35

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5

2005 Archery Summit “Red Hills Estate” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $85
2005 August West “Rosella’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA. $45
2005 Buena Vista Carneros “Ramal Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Carneros, CA. $40
2005 Carrick “Carrick Pinot Noir” Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. $38
2004 De Ponte “Dundee Hills” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $38
2005 Dobbes Family Estate “Quailhurst Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $65
2005 Melville “Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, CA. $29
2005 Raptor Ridge Winery “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $38
2005 Scott Paul Wines “La Paulée” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $40
2005 Sineann “Schindler” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $42
2004 Twelve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $28
2005 Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards “Unbridled – Bien Nacido Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, CA. $45
2005 WillaKenzie Estate Inc. “Pierre Léon” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $36

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 and 8.5

2005 Beaulieu Vineyard “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Carneros, CA. $35
2004 Chehalem “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $55
2004 Cristom “Jessie Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2002 Eyrie Vineyards “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $55
2005 Muddy Water Pinot Noir, Waipara, NZ. $40
2005 Orogeny Vineyards Pinot Noir, Green Valley, Sonoma, CA. $35
2004 Sokol Blosser “Dundee Hills Estate Cuvée” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $40
2005 Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards Pinot Noir, Central Coast, CA. $24

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8

2005 Aleth Girardin “Epenots” 1er Cru, Pommard Burgundy, France. $??
2005 Anam Cara Cellars “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $42
2005 Brandborg Vineyard & Winery “Ferris Wheel Estate” Pinot Noir, Umpqua Valley, Oregon. $35
2004 El Molino Pinot Noir, Rutherford, Napa, CA. $55
2005 King Estate “Domaine” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $50
2004 Panther Creek Cellars “Freedom Hill Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $40
2005 Huia Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ. $??