Points and Press - 2003 Vintage

Wine & Spirits, April 2006

Year's Best Pinot Noir List:
"Over the last 12 months, Wine & Spirits tasted 453 American pinot noirs." Raptor Ridge produced 2 of the 17 that made the magazine's "Year's Best" list:
2003 Pinot noir Reserve: 93 Points
See complete rating below, Wine & Sprits, June 2005

Wine & Spirits, June 2005

93 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Reserve
"A wine with great poise and delicacy, at first it offers scents of rose and violet, with hints of earth, resin, wax and cherry. With a day, the fragrance develops as macerated cherries, with a gorgeous cherry blossom overlay; pure flavours, concentrated yet gentle, with a firmness that is more about precision than strength." - Patrick Comiskey

90 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"From a vineyard south of McMinnville, in what's known as the central range of the Willamette, this wine shows a lot of warm, chocolaty oak when first poured, but with a little air, some lovely aromas of five-spice powder and sweet cherries share the stage. Like the '03 Reserve, made largely from the same vineyard fruit, this wine has a purity of flavor that suggests free-run juice; it's generous, lean and tight, with a touch of heat on the end that might be tamed with a piece of fatty oven-roasted salmon." - Patrick Comiskey

88 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Coeur De Terre
"Forward like many wines of the vintage, this leads with succulent black cherry scents. Its bright blue flavors, very tight at the moment, could stand to spend some more time in the bottle, where the fruit might catch up to the heat and the structure currently prevailing in the wine. Cellar, then serve with pork loin." - Patrick Comiskey

Wine Spectator, May 2005

93 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Coeur De Terre
"Rich and opulent, showing super-ripe currant, plum and blackberry flavors. Reins it all in with refined textures and beautifully integrated tannins. Has tremendous length and a lovely mineral streak. Drink now through 2015." - Harvey Steiman

93 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Reserve
"Supple, smoky and seductive, its plush texture brimming with intense blackberry, cherry, currant and spice flavor that lasts and lasts on the long, lithe finish. Tannins are beautifully integrated. Best from 2007 through 2015." - Harvey Steiman

92 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Shea
"Has lovely focus and style, offering sweet red pepper-tinged cherry and white pepper flavors pointing through the long, seductive finish. A graceful wine that sneaks in a lot more character than it shows at first. Drink now through 2013." - Harvey Steiman

91 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"Polished and elegant, brimming with blueberry, currant and plum flavors, shaded with vanilla and a piecrust character that weaves through the long, supple finish. Drink now through 2012." - Harvey Steiman

90 Points: 2003 Pinot noir Yamhill County Cuvèe
"Smooth and polished, with bright blackberry, blueberry and vanilla spice aromas and flavors, which linger effortlessly on the deftly balanced finish. Drink now through 2012." - Harvey Steiman

Northwest Palate, March/April 2005

Highly Recommended: 2003 Pinot noir Reserve
"Alluring aromas of mint, black cherry, and graham. Vibrant flavors of black cherry, strawberry, and graham. Lively, focused, and balanced with a spicy finish. Yum! Tempting now with braised rabbit or quail, but cellaring 2-3 years will yield more elegance."

Recommended: 2003 Pinot noir Stony Mountain
"Perfumed aromas of black cherry, barrel tast, and mint. Warm and spicy, with juicy flavors of plum and black cherry. Well balanced, with ripe tannins and a long spiced-fruit finish. Enjoy now with roast duck, or cellar 1-2 years for additional complexity."

Recommended: 2003 Pinot noir Yamhill County Cuvèe
"Aromas of black cherry, vanilla, and anise. Medium-bodied, with cherry flavors and vibrant, juicy acidity. Mouthwatering, long fruity finish balances youthful tannins."

Seattle Times, March 2, 2005