Doug Tunnell, owner and winemaker of Brick House Vineyards, spent seventeen years as a foreign correspondent for CBS television news before returning to his native Oregon to become one of the state’s preeminent winemakers. In 1990, he bought 40 acres on the Chehalem Ridge. Today, 30 acres are currently under vines, and the winery is a 100% estate producer, growing all of their own fruit and making all of the wine on site. The vineyards have been certified organic for 25 years and are also certified Biodynamic by Demeter, a fact that Doug feels demonstrates his dedication to growing and making the best wines the land can offer.

2014 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais – Ribbon Ridge Oregon
$79.95 per bottle / sold in 6 packs.

93 Points  – Vinous
Brilliant red. A highly perfumed and incisive bouquet evokes fresh red berries, Asian spices and candied rose, along with a zesty mineral overtone. Juicy, focused and light on its feet, especially in the context of the vintage, offering intense strawberry, cherry and blood orange flavors that deepen slowly on the back half. Clings with strong tenacity on the finish, leaving a suave floral pastille note behind. … Tunnel produces a little under 4,000 cases a year, on average, of elegant, precise, Old World-inspired wines that are made with a good amount of whole clusters, native yeasts and no fining or filtration before bottling …

93 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2014 Pinot Noir les Dijonnais was picked on 14 September and over the ensuing four days at 24 Brix, partially destemmed and undergoing a four-day cold maceration before maturation in 35% new French oak barrels. It has a very refined and delineated bouquet with brambly red berry fruit, cranberry and wild strawberry mixed with subtle sous-bois notes. It might sound cliched, but it is very Burgundian in style. The palate is medium-bodied with refined, crisp redcurrant and cranberry fruit, neatly integrated new oak that will require another 12-18 months to be fully integrated, with very satisfying substance on the finish. This is exquisite. These are very refined and natural wines with minimal intervention, not surfeit with fruit, but surfeit with personality, freshness and nuance. In particular, the 2014 Pinot Noir les Dijonnais was a gorgeous wine that was utterly harmonious and compelling. It will be fascinated to see if this ages with the same aplomb as its 2006 counterpart, still cruising along and giving so much pleasure at ten years of age. Brick House comes recommended, but hey, I’ve said that before. (NM)

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast
Happily, production of Les Dijonnais has climbed to 800 cases, while the quality remains as good as ever. This smooth and supple wine is velvety in the mouth, with flavors of raspberry, blue plum and black cherry. Its palate-pleasing thickness carries a vein of licorice and dark chocolate.