Click below to learn more about this month’s club selections!

1. 2025 BROOKS PINOT BLANC

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Grape Varietals

• 100% Pinot Blanc

Location

Country: United States
State: Oregon
AVA: Willamette Valley
Vineyards: Crannell Vineyard, Yamhill Vineyard and Hoy Vineyard

Cellaring

Best drinking: Now–2029

Tasting Notes

The 2025 Brooks Pinot Blanc is a beautifully expressive and surprisingly textured example of the variety. Aromatically, it offers pineapple, kiwi, star fruit and pear, accompanied by hibiscus, gardenia and other floral notes. The palate becomes broader and more generous, bringing in juicy melon, yellow pear, yellow apple, nectarine, mango and hints of banana, followed by lemon and orange citrus. Subtle herbal notes of thyme and sweet marjoram add complexity. Although the wine has a round, almost creamy texture, its naturally high acidity keeps everything bright and balanced. The wine was whole-cluster pressed, fermented in stainless steel and then aged for five months on its fine lees, which helps explain that combination of freshness and surprisingly rich texture.

Food Pairings

This Pinot Blanc is wonderfully versatile at the table. Pair it with grilled shrimp, scallops, crab, halibut, salmon, roast chicken, pork tenderloin or lighter grilled meats. The tropical fruit and floral character also make it an excellent partner for mildly spicy Asian dishes, Thai food or dishes incorporating ginger and fresh herbs. Creamy cheeses, goat cheese and soft-ripened cheeses would work beautifully as well. Because the wine combines substantial acidity with a slightly rounded texture, it can handle richer dishes such as seafood in a cream sauce or roast chicken while remaining refreshing. Brooks specifically highlights seafood and light grilled meats as particularly good partners.

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2. 2024 BROOKS “JANUS” PINOT NOIR

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Grape Varietals

• 100% Pinot Noir

Location

Country: United States
State: Oregon
AVA: Willamette Valley
Vineyards: Brooks Estate, Muska, Crannell, Eola Springs and Sunny Mountain

Cellaring

Drink: Now-–2036

Tasting Notes

The 2024 Janus is an elegant yet concentrated Pinot Noir built around huckleberry, black cherry, cranberry, raspberry and blackberry, with additional notes of pomegranate and red apple skin. Floral aromas of violet and lavender add lift, while more savory elements—including herbs, sassafras, coffee bean and a distinctive salty umeboshi-like character—give the wine considerable complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with bright acidity and firm but polished tannins, gaining weight and concentration toward the finish rather than becoming heavy. The wine saw 23% new French oak, enough to contribute structure and subtle complexity without masking the old-vine fruit. James Suckling awarded the 2024 Janus 96 points, particularly noting its purity of fruit and old-vine origins.

Food Pairings

Janus is a beautiful food wine because its acidity and moderate tannins give it far more flexibility than a heavier red. Pair it with duck breast, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, lamb, salmon, mushroom risotto or roasted root vegetables. Its combination of red fruit, herbs and earthy character makes mushrooms an especially good match—try wild mushroom pasta or mushroom-and-herb risotto. Duck with cherry or berry sauce would also echo the wine’s fruit beautifully. For cheese, choose earthy or moderately aged styles such as Brie, Camembert, Gruyère or aged Gouda. As the bottle develops with age and becomes more savory, dishes incorporating mushrooms, truffles and slow-roasted meats should become even more compelling.

Producer

Brooks Wine was founded in 1998 by Jimi Brooks, whose approach to Oregon wine centered on holistic farming, minimal intervention and allowing vineyard sites to express themselves clearly. After Jimi’s unexpected death in 2004, his eight-year-old son Pascal became the owner of Brooks, while Jimi’s sister Janie Brooks Heuck and members of the Oregon wine community stepped in to preserve his legacy. Janie remains Managing Director today, with Claire Jarreau as winemaker. Brooks has become particularly celebrated for Pinot Noir and Riesling and maintains an unusually strong commitment to environmental stewardship; the winery holds both B Corp and Demeter Biodynamic certifications. The Janus bottling is especially representative of Brooks’ Pinot Noir program because it draws from some of the winery’s historic old-vine sources across the Willamette Valley.