There are few Oregon Pinot Noirs that offer as much deliciousness per dime as the McKinlay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Winemaker Matt Kinne’s great grandfather George Angus McKinlay farmed fruit and nuts in the Willamette Valley, and today Matt’s wines are made with about the same level of fanfare as the annual filbert crop had in the early 1900s. Despite the low-key nature of the operation, McKinlay has a dedicated fan club that includes Liner & Elsen, because each vintage, this Pinot Noir outperforms far more expensive wines from more famous and expensive names. The 2022 vintage is another notch in a very long belt, with an appealing nose of ripe black cherry, black raspberry, a touch of underbrush, black rose allspice, clay, orange and cranberry. Light yet palate staining, the wine is silky and filled with fresh picked berries, dried leaves and cinnamon. As a signal of good things to come with the 2022 vintage, we’re excited enough to offer this charmer to kick off the first fall dinners featuring roasted veggies, stews, and risottos.