Penner-Ash Pinot Noir 2021

Penner-Ash Pinot Noir 2021 is a 750ml Willamette Valley Pinot Noir bottled at 14.1% ABV, sourced from vineyards across six sub-AVAs. Awarded 93 points by Vinous and 92 points from both Wine Spectator and James Suckling, this vintage stands as one of the stronger recent releases from the estate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.1%  |  Origin: Willamette Valley, Oregon  |  Vintage: 2021  |  Producer: Penner-Ash Wine Cellars

Production & Heritage

Penner-Ash Wine Cellars was founded by Lynn Penner-Ash, one of Oregon's most respected winemakers, with decades of experience shaping Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The 2021 vintage draws from a unique selection of vineyards spanning six sub-AVAs within the Willamette Valley, blended each year to express the best characteristics of the region and the vintage. The fruit is hand-harvested and sorted before fermentation in small, temperature-controlled tanks, followed by aging in French oak barrels — a portion of which are new — to add structure without overwhelming the fruit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Spiced raspberry and ripe Hood strawberry lead into warm vanilla oak, with dried flowers, rose petal, and a subtle mushroom earthiness emerging beneath. There is a light potpourri quality and hints of cinnamon and pine that add dimension.

Taste: The entry is vibrant with crushed cherry and tart raspberry, moving into a mid-palate layered with Rainier cherry, cocoa, and savory herbs. The texture is luscious and medium-bodied, with a chalky, polished tannic framework. Notes of black tea, orange zest, and red spice develop as the wine opens.

Finish: Medium to long, with lingering sandalwood, forest floor, and green tea tones. A thread of dried cranberry and wet stone minerality carries the wine to a clean, savory close.

How to Drink Penner-Ash Pinot Noir

Serve at 58–62°F in a Burgundy glass; this wine rewards 20–30 minutes of air after opening. It drinks well on its own and needs no embellishment, though a slight chill can sharpen the red fruit focus. While primarily a wine for the table, the Penner-Ash Pinot Noir works in a Pinot Noir Spritz for a lighter warm-weather pour, a New York Sour where its cherry and spice complement the whiskey base, and a refined Sangria Roja built with fresh stone fruit and citrus to echo the wine's inherent flavors.

Best For

• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates Oregon Pinot Noir
• Pairing with a holiday roast or Thanksgiving dinner
• Adding a benchmark Willamette Valley producer to a home cellar
• Hosting an Oregon vs. Burgundy comparative tasting

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Penner-Ash Pinot Noir taste like? The 2021 vintage leads with vibrant raspberry, cherry, and cocoa flavors supported by savory herbs, forest floor, and a chalky tannic structure. It finishes with sandalwood and green tea on a medium-length, polished close.

How does Penner-Ash Pinot Noir compare to Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir? Both are benchmark Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs at a similar price tier, but Penner-Ash tends toward a slightly richer, more fruit-forward profile with pronounced spice, while Domaine Drouhin typically leans into a more Burgundian, earth-driven style. The 2021 Penner-Ash scored 93 points from Vinous, placing it competitively with Drouhin's recent releases.

Is Penner-Ash Pinot Noir good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is a food-friendly wine, but it has enough complexity and balance to stand on its own, particularly with a bit of air to let the savory and floral layers develop.

Where is Penner-Ash Pinot Noir made? Penner-Ash Wine Cellars is located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, and the 2021 vintage specifically blends fruit from vineyards across six distinct sub-AVAs within the valley to capture a broad expression of the region.

What foods pair well with Penner-Ash Pinot Noir? Roast duck or quail, where the cherry and spice notes mirror the richness of game birds. Wild mushroom risotto, which echoes the wine's earthy undertones. Grilled salmon with a berry gastrique, complementing the red fruit core. Aged Gruyère or Comté, whose nutty complexity plays against the wine's savory finish. Herb-crusted lamb chops, where rosemary and thyme align with the wine's herbal notes.

What sizes does Penner-Ash Pinot Noir come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Penner-Ash Pinot Noir worth the price? Penner-Ash positions as a premium Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and scores of 92–93 points across Vinous, Wine Spectator, and James Suckling suggest strong critical validation at its price tier. For a multi-vineyard, multi-sub-AVA blend from one of Oregon's most established producers, it represents solid value within the premium Oregon Pinot category.

Why Penner-Ash Pinot Noir?

The 2021 vintage's defining strength is its multi-vineyard blending across six Willamette Valley sub-AVAs — a practice that gives the winemaking team unusual flexibility to capture the best lots from across the region each year. That approach, combined with hand-harvesting and careful French oak aging, produced a wine that earned 93 points from Vinous and 92 points from both Wine Spectator and James Suckling. Lynn Penner-Ash's long tenure in the valley lends real credibility to the blend, and the result is a Pinot Noir that reads as distinctly Oregonian — layered with red fruit, savory earth, and spice — without sacrificing accessibility. In a crowded field of Willamette Valley producers, this remains one of the more consistently well-regarded releases vintage after vintage.