Northwest Pinot Noirs That Crossed the Bar in 2020

It's not always easy to get consensus on Pinot Noirs, but more than 20 crossed the 90-point bar for us in 2020. There were some surprises and some expected names that found themselves on top of our blind review. Our top ten included some expected names like Archery Summit and Panther Creek, but smaller operations also tasted their way to the top. South Willamette Valley's Bluebird Hill Cellars placed two wines in our top ten and two more that crossed the 90-point bar.

While a majority of our top Pinots came from Willamette Valley, wines from Southern Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge, Idaho and Western Washington also made our list of favorites. Our top pick, tasted side-by-side blind with all the Gold Medal wines was one of those surprises, coming from Trella Vineyards in Southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley. Here's our complete list with tasting notes:

Trella Vineyards 2016 Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir from Oregon's Umpqua Valley rose to the top in our side-by-side blind tasting with vibrant aromas of cherry-leather with Allspice, hints of pipe tobacco and an earthiness alluding to sweet potting soil. On the palate, its fruitiness is reminiscent of cherries and raspberries with secondary notes of cocoa leading to a finish of subtle baking spices. The wine shows lively fruit and shows surprising balance and complexity. AVA: Umpqua Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $32

Archery Summit 2017 Arcus Vineyard Pinot Noir

Archery Summit placed two wines in our top and this Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a single vineyard offering that elegantly presents its terroir. It offers enticing aromas led by raspberry and ripe plum that are mixed with notes of sweet tobacco, rose blossom, Allspice and dried herbs. On the palate, it delivers nicely balanced red fruit that is met with notes of clove and cocoa powder that lead to a finessed finish framing vibrant acidity around a background of earthiness and lingering spice. AVA: Dundee Hills, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $125

Archery Summit 2017 Red Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir

Archery Summit's second wine on our top ten list was this single vineyard Pinot Noir from Red Hills Vineyard. It presents a nose of red berries that mix with notes of pine, lavender and a hint of Allspice. On the palate, flavors of cherries and raspberries are nicely balanced with notes of cola and chocolate with firm tannins that hint at dried herbs on a lingering finish. AVA: Dundee Hills, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $100

Bluebird Hill Cellars 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir

This Reserve Pinot Noir from Bluebird Hill Cellars is a beautiful pale ruby with pleasing aromas of potpourri spice and red fruit. Beautifully structured on the palate, it's bright with flavors of cranberry and ample notes of earth, violets and dried herbs leading to a peppery spiced finish. This would be an excellent pairing choice with salmon, duck or roasted pork loin. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $49

Bluebird Hill Cellars 2017 Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Oregon's Bluebird Hill Cellars offers a beautiful balance of bright red fruit, a little bit of spice and a lovely earthy frame. On the nose of jammy and smoky red fruit meets a prominent dusting of baking spices, notes of mulch-rich fragrant potting soil and hints of sweet dried herbs. On the palate, it delivers a burst of tart wild blueberry that gives way to beautifully framed earthy notes alluding to bittersweet chocolate and tea. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $32

Panther Creek Cellars 2017 Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir

This single vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir shines with a translucent, pale ruby, inviting you in with aromas of red berries that are lightly perfumed with florals and notes of dried herbs. On the palate, it's beautifully structured with bright flavors of tart dried cherry lively notes of baking spices and uplifting tannins delivering a finish hinting at cocoa. AVA: Yamhill-Carlton District, Oregon Judges Score: 96 Points Price: $50

Holesinsky Winery 2018 Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir from Idaho's Snake River Valley will be a hit with those who prefer a bolder, fruit-driven wine rather than the light and bright Pinots typical of Oregon. Its nearly opaque color is a clue to its boldness, appearing a medium-plus ruby. Despite that, it won us over with its pleasant florals, jammy red fruit and hints of mint and fragrant herbs on the nose. On the palate, it delivers rich notes of cherry-strawberry compote, a dusting of baking spices and enough tannins to reel it in with a finish adding cocoa to the mix. AVA: Snake River Valley, Idaho Judges Score: 95 Points Price: $24

Lady Hill Winery 2018 Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from St. Paul Oregon's Lady Hill Winery is beautifully translucent, a pale garnet in color. On the nose, there are subtle, but complex aromas that seamlessly blend notes of sweet cherries, raspberry jam, pitchy forest floor and a dusting of Allspice. On the palate, it delivers a punch with bright notes of red huckleberry upfront, an intriguing earthy midpalate and a finish hinting at herbal-tart hibiscus tea and dried herbs. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 94 Points Price: $38

Druvor Hill 2017 Cotore Field Blend Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir by Salem, Oregon's Druvor Hill offers aromas of raspberry crisp with notes of Chinese Five Spice and rose blossom. On the palate, it offers flavors of cherries and cranberry jelly balanced by prominent notes of cola-clove spice and a finish that reveals hints of cocoa powder and vanilla oak. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 93 Points Price: $40

Pomeroy Cellars 2016 Pinot Noir

This Washington Pinot Noir from Pomeroy Cellars comes from White Dog Vineyard in La Center, just 20 minutes north of the Oregon-Washington border. The wine is lovely perfumed with rose petals, a hint of Allspice and a nice balance of red fruit and sweet dried herbs. On the palate, fruit flavors allude to cherry and red plum balanced with some peppery spice and an earthiness hinting at black tea. AVA: Washington Judges Score: 92 Points Price: $32

A Blooming Hill Vineyard & Winery 2017 Pinot Noir Gemini

This Pinot Noir from Oregon's Chehalem Mountains offers aromas of raspberry, potpourri with vibrant clove spice; and an earthiness alluding to sweet potting soil. On the palate, cranberry and tart cherry are upfront with secondary notes of hibiscus tea, bittersweet chocolate and a finish that reveals spicy hints of Allspice. AVA: Chehalem Mountains, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $25

Blakeslee Vineyard Estate 2016 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Chehalem Mountains AVA presents a perfect transparent pale ruby appearance and beautifully balanced aromas of cigar box, rose and fresh red berries with a dash of brown sugar and Allspice. On the palate, flavors of dried cherry are balanced with uplifting notes of chocolate orange and baking spices that linger on refined tannins to an extended finish. AVA: Chehalem Mountains, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $48

Bluebird Hill Cellars 2017 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir uses estate fruit from Bluebird Hill Cellars south of Corvallis, Oregon and was aged for 22 months in French oak. On the nose, fragrant aromas of rose blossom, Allspice and vanilla mix with subtle notes of red berries. It's silky smooth on the palate, alluding to red plum sauce nicely balanced with cola-clove spice that lingers with notes of cocoa on an extensive finish. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $49

Bluebird Hill Cellars 2017 Barrel Select Pinot Noir

Beautiful translucent ruby in color, this Willamette Valley Pinot Noir presents delicate floral and herbal aromas that mix with notes of dried cherry and Allspice. On the palate, it's earthy, savory and bright with flavors of cranberry, dried herbs, cocoa powder and a gravelly minerality. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $49

Belle Fiore Winery 2016 Reserve Pinot Noir

From Southern Oregon, this is a bold and ripe style Pinot Noir, a medium-plus ruby in color with rich aromas of ripe plum and dried cherry punctuated by spicy and herbal notes of Allspice and dried herbes de Provence. The rich fruit flavors show on the palate too with notes of dried cherry and spiced plum sauce joined by cola, cocoa and baking spices. AVA: Rogue Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $44

Chemeketa Cellars 2016 Pinot Noir

We were thrilled when the top wines were revealed and this one came from the wine studies program at Salem Oregon's Chemeketa Community College. It is richly perfumed with intense florals that wrap around fruit alluding to dried cherries and notes of dried herbs. It's juicy on the palate with flavors of raspberry, tart cherry and blood orange nicely balanced with notes of hibiscus tea, a dusting of Allspice and a finish showing a stony minerality. AVA: Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $22

King Estate Winery 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

A beautiful translucent pale ruby, this wine presents enticing aromas of fresh raspberries that mix with light florals and notes of cigar box. On the palate, bright notes of tart cherry and raspberry linger through the mid-palate before lively hints of Allspice and orange zest wrap around a dusting of bittersweet cocoa. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $29

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards 2017 Pinot Noir Winemaker's Reserve

This Pinot Noir from Roseburg, Oregon's Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards was aged for 10 months in French oak, 60% of it new barrels, and then another year in the bottle before release. On the nose, it presents fruity aromas of raspberry and cherry mixed with notes of fragrant rose, brown sugar and just a hint of gun smoke. On the palate, chocolate covered cherries mingle with a lingering spiciness and nicely structured tannins that allude to a dusting of cocoa and ground espresso. AVA: Umpqua Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $42

Stave & Stone Winery 2017 Pinot Noir Broken Boulder Vineyard

This Pinot Noir is made from Columbia Gorge AVA grapes by Hood River, Oregon's Stave & Stone Winery. On the nose are aromas of raspberry mixed with clove and rose petal potpourri and sweet tobacco, On the palate are flavors of cherry cola with a dusting of baking spices that lead to a polished finish hinting at cocoa. AVA: Columbia Gorge Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $44

Sweet Cheeks Winery 2015 Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Eugene, Oregon's Sweet Cheeks Winery offers a complex nose with smoky and floral aromas weaving around notes of jammy red berries and Allspice. On the palate, it leads with flavors of cherry and baking spice followed by textured notes of cocoa and a hint of vanilla. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 91 Points Price: $48

J Wrigley Vineyards 2017 Estate Pinot Noir

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from J Wrigley comes from their estate vineyards in the McMinnville AVA. The wine offers aromas of raspberries and prominent notes of potpourri with clove, dried lavender and hints of sweet tobacco. On the palate, flavors of cranberry and pie cherries offer a tart entry balanced by Allspice before finishing with earthy dry notes of dried herbs and hibiscus tea. AVA: McMinnville, Oregon Judges Score: 90 Points Price: $45

Knudsen Vineyards 2017 Pinot Noir

This Dundee Hills Pinot Noir from Newberg, Oregon's Knudsen Vineyards is made in a refrained style with elegant red fruits showcased and plenty of earthy nuances and acidity. It's light-bodied, offering subtle aromas of red berries with lovely floral and spice notes joining the mix. Gripping acidity on the palate alludes to cranberry and tart raspberry with just a dash of baking spices, a hint of cocoa and a delightful background of earthy and floral notes that are left to linger. AVA: Dundee Hills, Oregon Judges Score: 90 Points Price: $55

Port Townsend Vineyards 2017 Pinot Noir

Washington's Port Townsend Vineyards sourced Pinot Noir grapes from Oregon's Willamette Valley for this silky and earthy offering. It offers bold aromas of black cherry, clove potpourri, sweet tobacco and a hint of gun smoke. On the palate, cherry cola is upfront with secondary notes of dried herbs around a sturdy acidic frame that alludes to spiced cranberry with orange zest showing on the elegantly earthy finish. AVA: Willamette Valley, Oregon Judges Score: 90 Points Price: $31