Horsetail Pinot noir 07 (Coattails Winery)
Horsetail Pinot noir 07 - Jared and Mikey Etzel, two sons of Beaux Freres' Mike Etzel, have released their first Pinot noir. Horsetail Pinot noir is the first wine from Beaux Freres' second generation. And so far, it's the Rookie of the Year.
Fragrant aromas of lilac, cinnamon, and pretty red fruit perfume with a background of dried herbs. Fresh yet rich flavors caress your tongue - purple flower-accented sweet cherry, sarsaparilla, brambly raspberry, and a creamy earth note. The finish resonates with pure Pinot noir character. - Marcus
Jared explains the choice of name - "The "Horsetail" name comes from the Equisetum hyemale 'Horsetail Fern', a plant that is used in biodynamic vineyards. The plant is made into a silica spray that enhances light absorption."
The 2007 Horsetail was made from Broadley Vineyard and Wahl Vineyard fruit. It is a mix of Dijon cones (Broadley) and the Courey Clone (Wahl). The Courey clone is a rare upright clone, old vines grown upright. The Courey Clone in the Wahl Vineyard was planted by the same respected vineyard manager who planted several blocks of the Beaux Freres Vineyard.
The color is translucent medium ruby with a fresh sweet berry and earthy, soil and spice aroma that lacks no ripeness, offers lots of fruit, but also conveys terrific finesse and delicacy. In the mouth, the Dijon clone fruit is obvious, with lots of cherry and spicy raspberry notes. But it's not sweet and candied. There's great acidic freshness that carries the flavors a long way and refreshes the palate for food or another sip. I don't pick up too much oak in this wine, and the finish turns mineral rather than sweet and caramel. In sum, this is excellent Oregon pinot noir and something I think will last in the cellar for several years, gaining aged sweetness and fat to hang on the nervy acid structure. - Elevage
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