Lemelson and King acknowledge that often “unruly” tannins have been a feature of past vintages of Stermer, but clearly consider their 2010 Pinot Noir Stermer Vineyard – entirely from Wadenswil Selection vines – to have overcome that problem. I wish I could entirely agree. There is impressively sweet, sappy blackberry fruit here along with overtones of sage, lavender, and game that put me in mind of red blends from southern France’s garrigue. But there is also an underlying structural severity exacerbated by resinous and astringent woodiness (reflecting just over half new barrels). Smoky, resinous pungency and paste-like dark berry intensity inform a gripping finish. Since I didn’t taste any of the three older Stermer bottlings sampled on this occasion when they were young, I can only say that if – as reported by King – this 2010 is less tannic today than the corresponding 2008 was at a similar stage (and ditto for evidence of oak in the 2009), then we may have a more refined and better-integrated wine on our hands in a few years. I imagine this will certainly hold together soundly for at least half a dozen years. Although he practiced environmental law for some years, Eric Lemelson was by then already smitten with Pinot and in a position to plant a vineyard in 1995 and build a state-of-the-art winery in time to receive its first harvest. The number of estate vineyards planted by Lemelson now stands at seven, several subjected to dedicated bottlings. Anthony King arrived here as winemaker from California in 2006. Mindful of the tannic proclivities I witnessed in the wines I tasted, King says he is sparing with punch-downs. He also notes that he put his wines to barrel after somewhat less settling in 2010 as his 2009s taste woodier than he had wanted, adding (and echoing many other winemakers I spoke with) that the inexplicable proclivity of Willamette Pinot Noir to reduce is what keeps him from putting wine into barrel “dirty” (i.e. without settling). The percentage of new oak varies from one- to two-thirds, though hearing the names of Lemelson’s favored tonneliers suggested to me one reason for the prevalence of smoky, toasty, and overtly wood resin character whose prominence bothered me in several of their wines. Apropos which, readers will perceive that I’m out-of-step with the generally highly laudatory consensus about these wines among my fellow critics, and I’ll be especially anxious to taste Lemelson releases again next year, having had no time to follow-up on my sole session in July. (Incidentally, this is among the many Willamette Valley wineries to label with that broad appellation, even where a more specific A.V.A. applies.) Tel. (503) 852-6619