Francis Tannahill Pinot noir "The Hermit" 06

Sam Tannahill was winemaker with Gary Andrus at Archery Summit before founding Francis Tannahill with his wife, Cheryl Francis. They are also partners in A to Z and Rex Hill wineries.

Portland Monthly's September issue named the "50 Best Oregon Wines" and the 2006 Francis Tannahill "Hermit" Pinot noir was among them.

Portland Monthly says: "Concentrated and richly textured, with persistent dark-cherry flavors."

Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

Francis Tannahill Pinot noir "The Hermit" 05 - The wine possesses a beautiful dark garnet burgundy color from the almost opaque center to the rim. Excellently focused aromas of violets and smoke immediately emerge from the glass. Complex spice, sweet raspberries, bing cherries, blackberries, game, minerals (wet stones) and earth notes come out with aeration.

Very ripe and perfumed, the aromatics lead to a rich and succulent palate. The opulence of the wine is given firmness and definition by the ripe tannic structure. Classic, broad and intense the wine finishes with an outstanding finish of depth and purity of flavor.

Sam Tannahill (formerly at Archery Summit) and Cheryl Francis (formerly at Chehalem) married, started a winery, then two baby boys. They make some of the best Pinot noir in Oregon. Sam was winemaker with Gary Andrus at Archery Summit, making those huge, over-the-top Pinots that got such high ratings.

From the Winery:

Winery - Founded in 2001 by Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill, Francis Tannahill strives to craft wines that offer the purest expression of unique terroirs, old world technique and impeccable winemaking. Select growers, vineyards and blocks are chosen and carefully tended to produce wines that balance power and concentration with integrity and elegance.