Four Graces Pinot Noir
Four Graces Pinot Noir comes from The Four Graces winery in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
The Four Graces is an estate-driven winery located in Oregon’s renowned Willamette Valley. Their philosophy emphasizes crafting “pure, elegant and complex wines” that reflect the distinct characteristics of their four estate vineyards. The name itself was inspired by the original founding family’s four daughters, marking its personal and familial roots.
The winery boasts four distinct estate vineyards across the Willamette Valley, each located in a unique appellation and soil type. This diversity of sites allows The Four Graces to draw out nuances in climate, elevation, soils and clones, which plays into the winery’s focus on site-specific expression.
Sustainability is central to The Four Graces’ vineyard approach. They define sustainable farming as meeting present needs without compromising future generations, along with stewardship of natural resources as a core principle.
As a big fan of Oregon Pinot Noir, I was excited to see what this wine had in store for me!
Four Graces Pinot Noir Wine Review
I tasted the 2023 vintage of The Four Graces Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley.
Appearance
In the glass, The Four Graces Pinot Noir presents with striking clarity. Its appearance is non-hazy, allowing the eye to appreciate the purity of its hue.
The wine settles into a deep, dark ruby tone. When lifted to the light, a gentle transparency emerges. While the core color remains dark, subtle light passes through, revealing the varietal’s elegance beneath its depth.
As the wine is moved around the glass, it forms long deliberate legs that stream steadily down the bowl of the glass. These significant, well-defined tears hint at both viscosity and extract, offering an early promise of the fullness and texture to come.
Aroma
On the nose, The Four Graces Pinot Noir opens with a welcoming, medium-intensity aroma that feels both inviting and refined.
Gentle notes of cherry and cherry-wood rise first, which may be a nod to its nine months of oak aging. The wood influence folds naturally into the fruit, giving the wine a lightly toasty profile.
Despite its 14.1% alcohol content (per the bottle label), there’s remarkably little heat in the aroma.
Instead of an alcoholic bite, the wine offers a smooth and composed bouquet that lets the fruit and subtle oak shine through.
Overall, it’s an approachable nose that draws you in with its balance of ripe cherry charm and understated barrel-aged complexity.
Taste
On the palate, this wine is immediately friendly and easy-drinking, offering a smooth welcome with each sip.
You’ll get bright raspberry notes that are fresh, lively, and just tart enough to keep things interesting
As the fruit flavors settle back, a subtle, non-sweet dark chocolate character emerges on the finish, adding a touch of richness and depth without weighing it down.
Allowing the wine to breathe softens the initial burst of flavor, giving it a more relaxed, harmonious feel. With that said, it still retains a gentle tannic grip and clean, lingering finish.
Overall, I found its taste enjoyable and approachable.
Mouthfeel and Tannins
I found the wine to have a silky mouthfeel with fine grained tannins that settle into your palate.
Finish
The finish of The Four Graces Pinot Noir is long lasting, carrying its cherry and raspberry tones well into the aftertaste.
The fruit lingers with a clean, steady presence and is nicely supported by tannins that are firm but not intrusive.
Overall Opinion of Four Graces Pinot Noir
Overall, I enjoyed The Four Graces Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley quite a bit!
I found all of its characteristics to be well-balanced and complimentary of each other.
Four Graces Pinot Noir price $19.97. Definitely a good price for such a well-crafted Oregon Pinot Noir.
Suggested Food Pairing
While this wine would go well with just about any dishes, I would pair this with filet mignon.
A richer steak or beef dish might overpower this wine.
Honestly, it’s an easy-sipper on its own!
