Bledsoe McDaniels LFG Pinot Noir 2023

Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. It is recommended to decant it for an hour. Bledsoe McDaniels is a collaborative project between former NFL player Drew Bledsoe and winemaker Josh McDaniels. It is part of Bledsoe Wine Estates and was founded with the intention of producing limited quantities of Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley and Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. The winery comprises several estates, including the original McQueen vineyard, located at 1,400 feet above sea level. The Pinot Noir grapes for LFG Bledsoe McDaniels come 90% from Coulee Estate and 10% from Anahata, Eola-Amity Hills. The name of the LFG wine harks back to the company's motto, "Let's freaking go," used as encouragement throughout 2020, and thus embodies the company's spirit of facing challenges and difficulties. After vinification, the finished wine ages in a mix of new French oak barrels, puncheon, and 1,000-liter foudre for 16 months. The result is an expressive wine that reveals a vibrant ruby ​​color in the glass. Its aromatic profile is broad and lively with notes of red fruits, raspberry, cherry, and pomegranate, followed by earthy notes of licorice and tea. On the palate, it is soft and silky, fruity and juicy with a good minerality. Velvety tannins and a fresh acidity balance the tasting. This is a rich and energetic Pinot Noir that embodies the pure expression of its terroir and can evolve elegantly over the next decade. Try it with mushroom risotto or game birds.