Dopp Creek has become a regular Wine Spectator favorite, scoring in the mid-nineties in recent vintages, and 2022 looks like one of the strongest releases yet. Colene Clemens is located where the Chehalem Mountains converge with Ribbon Ridge, on a beautiful 122-acre property planted in 2006, with vineyards ranging from 350 to 650 feet elevation on rocky, south-facing slopes of volcanic and marine sedimentary soils. The vineyard is planted to six different Pinot Noir clones, and that mix of clones, elevation, and soil seems to contribute to the wine’s elegance, texture, and balance. Farming is at minimum sustainable, with many organic practices, and careful crop management keeps yields low so the fruit can reach full physiological ripeness. In the cellar, the approach is straightforward and thoughtful: gravity movement, long lees contact, and aging, and in a balanced mix of new and older French oak, with the 2022 seeing 11 months in barrel and 33% new oak. It also helps that Stephen Goff (former assistant winemaker at Beaux Freres) is the winemaker, giving the wine a clear connection from vine to bottle. This is polished, expressive, and tightly allocated Oregon Pinot with broad appeal for both domestic Pinot drinkers and old-world Burgundy fans, and is a no-brainer at this price!