My favorite of the Bethel Heights Pinots is the 2005 Pinot Noir Estate “Casteel Reserve” (named after the founder of the winery). It is a blend of the estate’s old vines and is the most perfumed and complex aromatically. It has a broad band of fruit, brilliant raspberry, blueberry, and black cherry flavors, and superb integration of oak, tannin, and acidity leading to a 40+ second finish. It will reward 4-6 years of cellaring and drink well through 2027. The fact the Casteel Reserve stands out from the pack (at least for this taster) raises the obvious question about blending vs. terroir. The eight Bethel Heights Pinot Noirs have far more in common than they do differences making me wonder what justifies eight separate cuvees. As a consumer, I’d rather have more Casteel. And it is, after all, essentially from one (slightly larger) terroir reflecting the Eola Hills - Amity AVA. Bethel Heights Vineyard is one of Oregon’s pioneer producers. The winery was founded in 1977 and the first vintage was in 1984. Currently, 70% of the wine comes from estate grown fruit and production stands at 13,000 cases. In addition to Pinot Noir, Bethel Heights also makes excellent Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay. Tel. (503) 581-2262; www.bethelheights.com. Also tasted: 2006 Pinot Gris (88), 2006 Pinot Blanc (87), 2006 Chardonnay “Quercus” (89)