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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Bergström Winery's Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir (2007)

This review presents a rare opportunity for me ... the chance to review two different vintages of the same wine.  The only tandem of reviews that I have done is the Privé Le Nord 2006 and Privé Le Nord 2008.  This review will complete a second tandem, because, a few months back, I reviewed the Cumberland Reserve 2009 from Bergström Winery.  Recently, Clare and I opened the Cumberland Reserve 2007 from Bergström.  And, it was just as good as the 2009. 

The label on the bottle says it all about the Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir: "The 2007 Cumberland Reserve is a proprietary blend of Pinot Noir, crafted to showcase the best of Oregon's diverse appellations."  This means that the winemaker procures the grapes from different parts of the Willamette Valley and other appellations in Oregon.  The label adds, "through blending of our best barrels from some of Oregon's finest vineyards, we are able to create a Pinot Noir of great style and complexity."

The 2007 vintage of Bergström Winery's Cumberland Reserve pours a crimson, almost maroon shade of red.  For a five year old wine, the Pinot Noir shows its age well, with a good "water line" around the edges of the wine.  The aroma of the Cumberland Reserve is full of red ripe fruit.   Thoughts of cherries and even a few raspberries fill the nose.  There is also a little pepper or spice in the aroma.  As for the taste of the wine, there are notes of ripe cherries.  The wine has a medium body, with a dry finish.  on the edges.  

This wine was a little more mature and refined than the 2009 vintage, which seems sort of obvious given it is an older wine.  The 2009 vintage had black cherries and dark raspberries, with even a little oak or vanilla.  Those flavors were not as present in the 2007 vintage, probably having been mellowed due to the passing of time.  Still, the 2007 vintage was a very good vintage, perhaps showing that the 2009 would have been like in a couple of years.  

This wine is rather difficult to find.  I have located bottles at Binny's in the Chicagoland area, as well as State Line Liquors in Elkton, Maryland. It sells for about $45.00 a bottle.

ENJOY!

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