Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

This past week included a whole lotta Pinot Noir, but before we get into that realm of silky raspberry goodness, let’s take a brief detour into another realm of silkiness—a pinker version. There’s a great texture behind Baiting Hollow Farm’s rosé that’s a blend of traditional Bordeaux grapes. Often such rosés can be bitter, but this one has a wonderful crisp brightness that is very enjoyable.

OK, let’s start our Pinot Noir journey this week on the other side of the world, with this nice wine from Moorilla on the island of Tasmania. I’ve been a big fan of Tasmanian sparkling wine, and I’ve had some excellent Pinots from there as well. It’s high on my list of places to visit in the wine world, and this Pinot is a good example of why. It has a great cool-climate briskness to it.

Closer to home, the Sutro Wine Co. Pinot Noir from Sonoma County offers a richer interpretation of the grape, while the Yamhill Valley Vineyards version walks a nice line between fruit and herbs.

My favorite Pinots this week come from perhaps an unsurprising source. I received a few recent releases from Big Table Farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Winemaker Brian Marcy and his artist wife Claire make consistently delicious, biodynamically produced wines. Their regional Willamette Valley Pinot is delicious, but their single-vineyard rendition from Pelos Sandberg vineyard is spectacular. They also sent along a very tasty Syrah from a bit farther afield in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater.

Speaking of Syrah, I’ve also got the entry-level Syrah bottling from Qupé to recommend to you this week, along with a lovely Primitivo from Masseri li Veli in Italy’s Puglia region. Fans of Zinfandel will want to try this wine.

Lastly, the folks at Lang & Reed have been holding out on us. Specifically, they’ve been holding back bottles of Cabernet Franc from 2012 and are now releasing them for our drinking pleasure. They won’t come cheap, but they’re a wonderful expression of Cabernet Franc without a lot of fancy oak getting in the way of honest flavor.

Tasting Notes

2019 Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard “Pink Satin” Bordeaux Blend Rosé, North Fork of Long Island, New York
Pale peach colored in the glass, this wine smells of unripe strawberries, watermelon rind, and orange peel. In the mouth, silky flavors of watermelon rind, orange peel, and berries have a brisk brightness thanks to excellent acidity. Very tasty. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. 12% alcohol.  Score: around 9. Cost: $35. click to buy.

2019 Moorilla “Praxis Series – St. Matthias Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia
Light to medium garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberry and raspberry leaf. In the mouth, the wine is cool and slightly stony, with subtle flavors of berries, herbs, and crushed stone. There’s a delicacy here which is admirable, but some intensity that is also missing. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $??

2021 Sutro Wine Co “Warnecke Ranch” Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of raspberry and sweet cherry fruit. In the mouth, faint fleecy tannins wrap around a core of cherry and raspberry with bright acidity and a hint of dried licorice root lingering in the finish. Will appeal to those who like a richer style of Pinot Noir. 14.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $50.

2021 Yamhill Valley Vineyards “Estate” Pinot Noir, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherry and black raspberry with a hint of woodiness. In the mouth, cherry and raspberry flavors have a nice brightness to them thanks to excellent acidity. Floral notes emerge in the finish. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2021 Big Table Farm Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Light to medium garnet in the glass with a faint haze to it, this wine smells of raspberries, earth, and dried herbs. In the mouth, silky raspberry and herbal flavors have a nice sour-cherry brightness to them as citrus peel notes emerge on the finish. Excellent acidity and balance. 13.2% alcohol.  Score: around 9. Cost: $50. click to buy.

2021 Big Table Farm “Pelos Sandberg Vineyard ” Pinot Noir, Eola – Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Medium garnet with a faint haze, this wine smells of raspberries, cherries, and peeled willow bark. In the mouth, silky flavors of raspberry, green herbs, and a touch of dashi are mouthwatering thanks to excellent acidity. Remarkably smooth and sensuous on the palate. 13.4% alcohol.  Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $72. click to buy.

2020 Big Table Farm “Funk Estate Vineyard” Syrah, The Rocks District of Milton Freewater, Oregon
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberries and black cherry. In the mouth, faintly saline flavors of black cherry, blackcurrant, and blackberry swirl with powdery tannins that gradually stiffen. Excellent acidity and a nice stony underbelly. 14.4% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $68. click to buy.

2020 Qupé Wine Cellars Syrah, Central Coast, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberry and earth. In the mouth, blackberries, dried herbs, and an earthy river-mud flavor all have a nice stony quality and excellent acidity. Fine-grained tannins are wispy in the background, as notes of black cherry linger in the finish. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $19. click to buy.

2012 Lang & Reed Wine Company “T-Bar T” Cabernet Franc, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California
Medium to dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of dried cherries, dried herbs, and flowers. In the mouth, powdery, muscular tannins wrap around a core of cherry and plum, dried herbs, and dried flowers. Notes of licorice root linger in the finish. 14.5% alcohol. 97 cases produced. Score: around 9. Cost: $150.

2021 Masseria Li Veli “Orion” Primitivo, Salento, Puglia, Italy
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberries and dried flowers. In the mouth, blackberries and licorice flavors mix with a hint of black pepper and dried flowers. Powdery tannins are muscular, gripping the palate through the finish. Excellent acidity, boisterous fruit. 14% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $15. click to buy.