Owen Roe Sharecropper's Pinot noir 2010

Review:

This will be the ONE value Pinot from Owen Roe this year -- there will be NOT be an O'Reilly's Pinot! 2010 was an excellent, though small-yielding vintage, so grab it while you can.

The Sharecropper Pinot is always a delicious, easy drinking, and inexpensive favorite from vintage-to-vintage. The 2010 offers a big red candied nose - a well balanced Pinot that is drinking great right now. Rich red fruit and currant combine on the tongue. Just the right amount of acidity provides a texture uncannily similar to the 2008. My first, second, and third glass all closed with an undeniably smooth finish that will provide a nice platform for aging as well.- Andy

2009 Vintage Tasting Notes

The new Sharecropper's Pinot says "check me out!" Yep, it's forward. Big, ripe red fruit and spice with a supple texture, the 09 will please fans of the 2006 (and there were a lot of them).

The Pinot Noir in this year's Sharecropper's wine was sourced from several sites in the Northern Willamette Valley, predominantly the Eola-Amity Hills and the Yamhill-Carlton District.

The warm summer of 2009 yielded fruit ripe with dark cherry cola flavors and an undercurrent of earth and coffee bean. This very balanced Pinot Noir is an excellent value, ready to drink now through 2012. - the winery

2008 Vintage Tasting Notes

Fresh-picked black berries, blue berries, and a hint of dried wild rose essence on the finish. The rich, creamy texture belies the price, and we're not stretching to say this is the best Sharecropper's Pinot yet. - Avalon

"A shy and refined aromatic profile of dark berries with a hint of spice. I liken it to fruit in a tuxedo. Tasty dark red fruits with a hint of oak framed by fuzzy tannins and ending in a dry finish. A bright and charming wine that works as a go-to drinker." - Rusty Gafney, Prince of Pinot - Pinotphile

2007 Vintage Tasting Notes

The 2007 Sharecropper's flavors of red raspberry and red cherry intermingle with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and white pepper. The wine has a layer of soft tannins and a racy acidity. Supple, spicy and fresh, it is Owen Roe's most popular Pinot noir.

Pinotfile, in their reviews of 42 different Oregon Pinot noirs under $25, said of the 2007 Sharecropper's:

"Unique and pleasurable aromas of strawberry tart, brioche, sandalwood and vanilla wafers. Primarily strawberry flavors with a hint of root beer. Nicely balanced with soft tannins and a dry, clean finish. I like this wine because the acid doesn't overpower as it does in many Oregon 2007 Pinot Noirs. One of the best 2007 under $25 Pinot Noirs I tasted".

The Sharecropper's label was created to expand David O'Reilly's close relationships with vineyard owners in the Willamette Valley. By making the Sharecroppers wines as partners and splitting the profits, David works with vineyard owners to offer you some great deals.

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

Big aromatics, well balanced sweet red fruit, good acidity, and well integrated tannins. A wonderful value. This label hearkens to the spirit of the original sharecropping ideal of a partnership between landowners and the laborers who toiled producing the crops.

The 2005's nose is intense, with violets, lavender, red raspberry, blackberry cobbler, and red cherry present. Flavors are of red raspberry and cherry, lots of soft sweet spice notes, and an ethereal puff of violet perfume hinted at in the finish. It's refreshing, silky, supple, and expansive, opening in the mouth to show layers and layers of fruit, spice, herbal notes, and pepper.

Uplifting, refreshing acidity and balanced tannins make this wine great now, but ageable. Quite a deal, we couldn't help but compare it to other, higher end Pinots and find it really just about as good, at a really reasonable price. -jy

David O'Reilly of Owen Roe was approached by the owner of Kalita Vineyard when a glut of grapes and a slow economy made it hard for him to sell his crop. David partnered with him to produce the wine, and to reduce costs, the vineyard provides the fruit, David makes it, and the vineyard is paid when the wine sells. In this way, David was able to make a wine at a price that is considerably below equivalent offerings in price.

This beautifully maintained vineyard (Kevin Chambers is vineyard manager) produces Pinot noir on Willakenzie soil, growing the 114, 115, and 777 clones.

2004 Vintage Tasting Notes

David says: "We decided to put some excess first rate fruit into neutral barrels and essentially split the profits with the vineyards. This label hearkens to the spirit of the original sharecropping ideal of a partnership between landowners and the laborers who toiled producing the crops. Very rich and forward, we really could have sold this for twice the price."

"This is a wine for those who like very rich Pinot Noirs! The 2004 vintage in the Willamette Valley yielded some of the smallest crops to date and as a result the wines from '04 are very ripe and forward."