The 2006 Pinot Noir Triple Black Slopes was sourced from the steepest hillsides on the property. It offers the most expressive nose of the collection with an aromatic array of smoke, mineral, toast, black cherry, and black raspberry. Layered on the palate, this tasty effort might be too much of a good thing for Burgundy lovers. It will drink well through 2018. Willakenzie Estate remains a reliable source for well-made and fairly priced Pinot Noir. Their vineyard-designated wine are held back for an additional year before release so these 2006s are the current offerings. The differences between the various vineyard designates are subtle (each parcel has its own clonal selection, exposure, and age of vines); personally I would like to see a cuvee of the top barrels encompassing all of these sites for purposes of comparison but, alas, they do not make one. Tel. (503) 662-5026; www.willakenzie.com

Certainly the best of WillaKenzie’s lineup in 2006, the Triple Black Slopes Pinot Noir brings a density and focus, coupled with riper, darker fruits and appealing minerality, that is missing from its stable mates. There is a delicious core of black cherry fruit, notes of baking spice, cinnamon and toast; but it is the fruit that shines here—still young, compact and slightly earthy, it lingers tantalizingly and says, “Cellar me.”——P.G.(12/15/2009)—— 91