The 2005 Pinot Noir Alliete is medium ruby-colored with a slightly muted red fruit bouquet. This leads to a lean (some would say elegant) wine in need of mid-palate depth. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. Willakenzie Estate has substantial holdings of 105 acres, including 20 acres in Dundee. The winery’s release policy typically finds them running a vintage behind their Willamette colleagues. The current wines include the entry level 2006 Pinot Noir with all the rest coming from the more challenging 2005 vintage. Taken in that context, they are some of the more successful wines of 2005. Tel. (503) 662-5026; www.willakenzie.com

WillaKenzie’s Aliette is a selection of estate-grown, mostly Pommard clone Pinot Noir from the winery’s oldest vineyard, planted in 1992. It’s soft and supple, with a smooth and chocolaty undercoating behind the tight, herbal red fruits. The best part of the wine is its aroma. Dense and complex, it suggests layers of brambly berry, earth and herb that have yet to appear in the actual wine.——P.G.(11/15/2008)—— 89