2016 Failla Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2016 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain Vineyard is more medium-bodied and concentrated, with a masculine, structured vibe as well as textbook notes of forest floor, damp river rocks, earth and darker berry fruits. It’s holding things slightly closer to its vest, and I’d give bottles 2-3 years of bottle age. Readers looking for a serious lineup of single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay that have a distinctly Burgundian vibe need to check out these releases from Ehren Jordan and Savanna Wright. Failla owns prime terroirs on the Sonoma Coast, as well as has access to some of the best vineyards in the region. While these aren’t for those craving big, powerful wines, they have plenty of intensity as well as singular profiles. In addition to the Sonoma releases, Jordan’s Oregon releases and a few Rhône variety wines are also included in this report.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain is the most complete of the Oregon Pinots in the Failla lineup. Bright and focused in the glass, with terrific depth, the Chehalem Mountain hits all the right notes. Bright, lifted aromatics, sculpted fruit and striking persistence are some of the signatures in this impeccable, mid-weight Pinot Noir from Failla.