The 2012 Pinot Noir Reserve is designed to be a little more extracted with higher fermentation temperatures and a higher percentage of new oak. It comes from several vineyards picked at 24.4 Brix, undergoing a seven-day cold soak and matured in 25% new French oak for 11 months, then a year in bottle. It has an outgoing "juicy" bouquet with black plum and cassis scents that are clean but missing a little nuance. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet core of dark plum, blackberry, cafe latte and dark chocolate. There is good weight here, the new oak nicely enmeshed with a persistent, gutsy finish that deserves a year to mellow.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve is a blend of all seven vineyards with which Raptor Ridge works. It is free of any greenness while displaying notes of toasty oak, spice box, and black fruits. On the palate it exhibits plenty of depth, layered fruit, a bit of succulence, and good concentration. It should drink well through 2019. Raptor Ridge was able to move into their new winery facility just in time for the 2010 harvest. In the interim, their 2009s offer a fair reflection of that vintage. www.raptorridge.com

The 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve is a blend of 5 vineyards. Dark ruby in color with a restrained nose of smoke, cinnamon, clove, and assorted black fruits, on the palate it remains tightly wound and in need of significant cellaring. However, it seems to have all the right stuff but is more of a gamble than most of the wines of this superb vintage. When I visited in August, 2010, Raptor Ridge was completing construction of their new winery, hopefully in time for the 2010 harvest. I also tasted a 2008 Pinot Noir Meredith Mitchell Vineyard, but it was too herbaceous and tannic to recommend. www.raptorridge.com

The 2007 Pinot Noir Reserve is medium ruby-colored with a bouquet of spicy red fruits and earth notes. On the palate it comes off as slightly lean with just enough fruit to cover the tannin. It should be drunk over the next several years. Tel. (503) 887-5595; www.raptorridge.com