The 2005 Pinot Noir is the entry level bottling. It spent 10 months in barrel. Medium ruby-colored, it offers up smoke, damp earth, and red and black cherry fruit. Medium-bodied, the wine has a broad belt of sweet fruit to balance the elevated acidiy and tannin of the vintage. It is made in an elegant style, ideal for near term drinking over the next 3-5 years. Over the past 15 years Willakenzie Estate (named for the soil type on which the winery sits) has been a consistently excellent source for Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and particularly, Pinot Noir. The quality has been solid and the prices have been fair.Tel. (503) 662-3280; www.willakenzie.com. Also tasted: 2006 Pinot Gris (88), 2006 Pinot Blanc (89)

Estate-grown, high-density vines supply the juice for this entry-level wine from this outstanding Oregon producer. It’s supple and juicy, with bright fruit flavors that mix berries, cherries and even a hint of Concord grape. This has some of the velvety texture of more expensive wines, and beyond the fruit there are hints of earth, soy and leather that add interesting details to the finish.——P.G.(11/15/2007)—— 87