WINE ADVOCATE, ROBERT PARKER, OCTOBER 31, 2010

2008 Bethel Heights Willamette Valley Pinot Noir – 90The 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley has a lovely bouquet, particularly for an entry-level wine. Aromas of cedar, spice box, rose petal, and an amalgam of red and black fruits leads to a medium-bodied, ripe, moderately structured wine with 1-2 years of aging potential. With ample spicy fruit, good volume, and a fruit-filled finish, it will provide considerable pleasure over the next 6-8 years.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Estate Grown – 91The 2008 Pinot Noir Estate Grown is a bit darker in color with an expansive, spicy bouquet, cherry, and black raspberry aromas leading to a wine with excellent concentration, layers of fruit, and enough ripe tannin to evolve for 2-3 years. This well-balanced, lengthy wine will be at its best from 2012 to 2020.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Casteel Reserve – 92The 2008 Pinot Noir Casteel Reserve is a blend of the winery’s best barrels. The process of selection must have been quite a task given the raw materials. The expressive bouquet of sandalwood, Asian spices, underbrush, rose petal, incense, and assorted black fruits leaps from the glass. On the palate it displays dense, succulent fruit, outstanding volume, precision, and balance. Give it 5-6 years in the cellar.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Estate Flat Block – 92The 2008 Pinot Noir Flat Block Estate is medium ruby red with more focus on the red fruit side of the spectrum. Asian spices, incense, tobacco, cherry, and raspberry aromas lead to an elegant, succulent, velvety-textured wine that contains enough density and richness to blossom for another 4-5 years.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir West Block – 92The 2008 Pinot Noir West Block sports a similar aromatic profile that jumps from the glass. Denser, richer, and more succulent, it is a beautifully rendered wine that combines elegance with power. Give it 3-4 years of additional bottle age and drink it from 2013 to 2023.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard – 93The 2008 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard offers darker fruits, loads of spice, and great volume. The flavors are savory, succulent, and already complex, but it is only going to get better for those able to delay gratification for a few years.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Justice Vineyard – 91The 2008 Pinot Noir Estate Justice Vineyard amps it up aromatically with an aromatic array of cherry blossom, Asian spices, incense, black cherry, and black raspberry. On the palate it displays richness, succulent black fruit flavors, nicely concealed tannins, and excellent volume. This lengthy effort offers a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2023.

2008 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Southeast Block – 91The 2008 Pinot Noir Southeast Block adds a touch of minerality to its aromatic display. It is only 13% alcohol but the amount of fruit crammed into this medium-bodied offering is striking. Savory, ripe, and balanced but only a shadow of what it will be in 4-5 years, it demands significant cellaring to display its full potential.

“Also presented, but no tasting note given. These represent excellent to outstanding value.”

• 2009 Bethel Heights Pinot Blanc Estate Grown – 89
• 2008 Bethel Heights Chardonnay Estate Grown – 90
• 2009 Bethel Heights Gewürztraminer – 90
• 2009 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Rosé Estate Grown – 90