2014 Caballus Pinot Noir 750 ml

Echoes of Grand Cru in the Willamette Valley

Caballus is the new icon Willamette Pinot Noir from Veronique Drouhin and Isabelle Dutartre, both steeped in the viticultural legacy of Veronique's family, one of the most prestigious of Burgundy. This year, there are only two routes to Caballus: from the winery, or from Wine Access. This rich, taut collaboration stands as one of James Suckling’s stars of 2014, earning 95 points with its “wonderful length and focus.” We think it represents the absolute finest of the Willamette Valley.

As if sourced from two Grand Cru villages, Caballus expertly combines the bright elegance of Dundee Hills fruit with the earthy depth of Eola-Amity Hills. Full-bodied and rich, with silky tannins and an underlying tension — New World power that reverberates with echoes of Burgundy.

Drouhin and Dutartre have toiled in Oregon since few were traveling the Willamette Valley’s wine route: Drouhin to establish her family’s name in the New World, and Dutartre first as a winemaker for Drouhin, then De Ponte Cellars. After decades of guiding these ventures, the two friends met while riding horses — hence the “Caballus” on the label — and teamed up to bring their shared expertise into one bottle.

Veronique and Isabelle’s entire 2013 production could have been warehoused in a spare bedroom, and needless to say, many missed out. The supply from the stellar 2014 vintage is equally small — just 225 cases — but this time we had a shot at Caballus. We almost never book a flight to taste one wine, but one sip of the 2014 Caballus Pinot Noir in the Dundee Hills proved our hunch right.

Made by masterful hands in miniscule amounts, this Wine Access exclusive is simply the apex of Burgundian winemaking in Willamette Valley.