2013 Patricia Green Cellars, Pinot Noir Olenik Vineyard, $39.75

Winery info: Patty Green and Jim Anderson purchased their 52-acre estate in the Ribbon Ridge AVA in 2000. Since then she’s become one of Oregon’s most respected winemakers (garnering more 90+ scores for her Pinots from the very discerning wine critic Steve Tanzer than any other Oregon winery).

Winemaker: Patty Green, along with cellar master Jim Anderson

Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir, all Wadenswill clone

Vineyard sources: Olenik Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountain AVA. The site consists of well-draining, rocky, sedimentary Willakenzie soil.

Flavor profile: Medium-bodied, with lots of spice, lingering texture, and inviting complexity. As the winery website notes: when planted in marine sedimentary soil, such as Olenik, the Wädenswil clone produces wines that are “deft, graceful and so full of minerality that they often smell of quartz.”

Production/Availability: 266 cases. In short supply as they’ve moved on to the next vintage.

Drinkability: Very drinkable now but, according to the winery, it should age well over a long period of time

Food Pairing: You could experiment with a variety of foods with this, from root vegetable dishes to poultry or red meat.

2013 Big Table Farm, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, $44

Winery info: Brian Marcy and Clare Carver founded Big Table Farm (both a winery and a working farm) in 2006 when they moved from Napa to Gaston, Oregon. Brian brought ten years of winemaking experience with him, including time at Turley, Neyers, and Marcassin. Wine and Spirits listed them in their top 100 wineries of the year for both 2014 and 2015, and the previous vintage of this wine was number 11 on Wine Spectator’s top 100 Wines of 2015. Here’s a chance to get to know this rising star.

Winemaker: Brian Marcy (with label art by Clare Carver who also manages the farm)

Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir.

Vineyard sources: This Pinot is a blend of fruit from all of the sites they work with.

Flavor profile: A light-bodied Pinot, made using whole cluster fermentation which adds complexity, spice and dried fruit notes. Very elegant and pretty with lovely aromatics.

Production/Availability: 1534 cases. There is still a bit left with the distributor.

Drinkability: Very approachable now, or over the next five or more years.

Food Pairing: Although it is quite light and delicate, its soft tannins and high acid make it a great wine for a wide variety of foods.