Pale ruby color; cherry, blackcurrant, raspberry, forest floor, baking spice on the nose; cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, vanilla, black tea on the palate.
Dry; mild tannins and acidity (3.63 pH); medium body. Blackcurrant and black tea bite at mid-palate rule out this being an etherial easy drinker, but does supply character and intrigue, especially for pinot noir at this price point. Vineyard sources: 51% Oregon, 41% Rogue Valley, 8% Willamette Valley. Finished in 15% new French oak. 13% ABV
Union Wine Company founder and owner Ryan Harms moved to Oregon in 2001 and worked in various wineries. He started the Union Wine Company in 2005. He notes: “I decided that I wasn’t going to accept that wine made in Oregon had to be expensive. So, Union is about creating something that I can share with friends and family and make accessible, without sacrificing quality.”
Harms chose the Union Wine Company name “to honor and bring together the diversity, spirit and character of Oregon that we love. At the end of the day, wine is just a beverage. And then it becomes part of something greater. It brings people together over a meal, for celebrations big and small. And that’s incredibly satisfying to me, and to all of us at Union.”
Union Wine Co Underwood Pinot Noir, Oregon 2021 is quaffable entry-level budget pinot noir. Pure pinot play, which helps set it apart from other pinot noir offerings at this price. Darker fruits, some tartness and blackcurrant tang make impression. True home may be in 375 mL/12-oz cans rather than standard 750 ml bottles. Pair with beef; lamb; pork—baked ham; pasta dishes; salmon and other rich seafood; turkey. Cheese—fresh cheeses, mixed milk cheeses, soft goat cheeses; burrata, mozzarella, feta, mascarpone, rocchetta. $12-14 (750 ml bottle, also comes in half bottles, 12-oz cans)
