Review: Wines of Dobbes Family Estate, 2021 Vintage
Dundee, Oregon is home to Dobbes Family Estate, where the usual suspects — chardonnay and pinot noir — are being turned out by a winemaking team that clearly knows its stuff. This is our third encounter with Dobbes and we’re hopeful it won’t be the last.
2021 Dobbes Family Estate Chardonnay Grand Assemblage Willamette Valley – A cracking chardonnay, this wine has just the right amount of creamy vanilla and coconut to provide the backbone for a rush of lemon curd, Granny Smith apples, and a pinch of cinnamon that add loads of acidity to the mix. Breathe deep and a slate-like minerality is revealed, as are hints of white blossoms, particularly evident on the wine’s lengthy and immersive finish. It’s hard to find any fault with this chardonnay as it’s drinking today. I wouldn’t sit on it for long. A / $35
2021 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Patricia’s Cuvee Willamette Valley – Bold but not overblown, this wine showcases blackberries and dark cherry notes, with a healthy layer of tea leaf and, later, notes of rhubarb. The fruit and a punch of vanilla make for a cherry cola quality on the finish, seductive with a creamy body that recalls dairy cream and milk chocolate. This may all sound like the description of a much heartier wine, but Patricia’s Cuvee is plenty light on its feet, although it could use more acidity to perk things up even more. An excellent meal companion with pasta and sausage with fennel. A- / $60
2021 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Cuvee Willamette Valley – A dramatically different wine than the above, this cuvee is sharper and more subdued, less tannic though not particularly acidic. What rises to the top is plenty of fruit, here mostly strawberry and a touch of raspberry, with some vanilla cream dolloped atop it all. A hint of rhubarb and a dusting of baking spice evoke some of the more classic Willamette wines I’ve had in years past, before abvs started to creep up and up. At 13.5%, this one’s plenty light on its feet, though it also needs more acidity to really showcase its best features. A- / $45
2021 Dobbes Family Estate Chardonnay Grand Assemblage Willamette Valley
$35
