Tasted alongside its 2011 counterpart, the Erath 2003 Pinot Noir Prince Hill smells of the sea and beach, with alkaline and kelp notes as well as a salinity that happily carries into the finish and stimulates the salivary glands. The tannins here are a bit rustic and drying but the mingling of dried red fruits and marine minerality is more than worthy of a second sip, as well as of some attention at table over the coming year. Horner explains that fermentations galloped in this hot vintage and a time when he did not yet have a refrigeration chamber and other controls at hand such as he enjoys today. Veteran vintner Gary Horner showed me a significant share of 2011 vintage releases from Erath, though I did not have time to taste by any means all (and we focused exclusively on Pinots). He opined that higher-elevation sites – even though cooler – seemed to him favored in 2011, presumably on account of the important role played by wind in concentrating flavors everywhere in the Willamette in October of that year. And wind was certainly critical in helping counteract what Horner claims were two of the toughest challenges of this vintage: rot, especially that hidden – along with pink berries – inside clusters; and clusters themselves so heavy that as he quipped “even at one to a shoot, your vines were sometime over-cropped!” Virtually all of the 2011 Pinots here are around 12.5% in finished alcohol, and that’s even after selective chaptalization. An elevage of 11-12 months in 35-45% new barrels is pretty much the routine for Erath Pinot. (For more about this historic winery; its vineyards; and Horner’s approach, consult my issue 202 introduction.) Tel. (503) 538-3318