Erath Oregon Pinot Noir 2022

Dick Erath was among the first to plant vines in the Dundee Hills in the 1960s when people thought he was out of his mind. Oregon Pinot Noir was not a thing yet. He helped make it a thing. The estate winery still carries his name, and the basic Oregon bottling still carries his philosophy — honest wine, fair price, no pretension. Bright cherry, blackberry, forest floor, a savory mushroom note that reminds you this is Oregon and not California. Light and focused. The kind of Pinot that does not demand your attention but rewards it if you pay it. It will not blow your mind. That is not its job. Its job is to be good on a Tuesday with roasted chicken and a salad. It does that job better than almost anything at $19.