The 2006 Pinot Noir Athena is slightly muted aromatically but on the palate exhibits the juicy, fat mid-palate which characterizes the vintage. Flavorful, ripe, and easy-going, this easy to understand Pinot will drink well for another 5 years. Boedecker Cellars is the winery of husband/wife team Athena Pappas and Stewart Boedecker. The wines are all produced from contracted fruit and bottled in Stelvin screw caps in their new winery in an industrial section of Portland. Many of their wines are held back for an additional year of bottle aging.Tel. (503) 288-7752; www.boedeckercellars.com

Ripe and peppery, with a spicy edge to the muscular dark berry flavors, lingering on the firm-textured finish. Drink now through 2013. 800 cases made. -HS

The Athena bottling is round and fruity, a pleasing mix of ripe apple and tangy cherry flavors, which glides sweetly across the midpalate and into a gentle finish. The tannins are silky and in good proportion to the fruit.——P.G.(10/1/2009)—— 87