One of the most collectible Pinot Noirs made in all of Oregon is from a winery you’ve probably never heard of: Thomas Winery. Located in Carlton, Oregon, winemaker John Thomas has been releasing small amounts of wine from the Thomas Vineyard since 1988. I don’t recall ever seeing ratings from the Wine Advocate or the Wine Spectator, and I don’t think Thomas has ever hosted a public event. The winery has achieved cult like status among wine collectors.
Ruby red in color. 13.4% ABV. Charming nose of red fruits, cloves, earth and rose petals. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Rich and elegant with earthy, tart fruits. Tremendous structure and concentration. Cherry, nutmeg, black tea and soil on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Everything is here but this Pinot Noir is young and needs more time in the cellar. I’ll open another bottle in mid 2027.
My rating: 94 points.
Thomas Pinot Noir makes a brief appearance at Portland-area wine shops soon after release, and is priced around $95 per bottle. The 2024 will be released in the Fall of 2026.
If you want to put your name on the mailing list you will need track down the winery email address and send John a note. I’ve had the opportunity to taste bottles going back to the late 90’s, and think the wine shows best 7-10 years past the vintage date.
A recently had a chance to visit John Thomas and wrote about it in A Visit with John Thomas at Thomas Winery.
Nice post, Tom! Thank you for sharing. I tasted this wine recently and my rating is the same as yours. The score on this wine could go higher with more time in the bottle. Cheers!
I agree completely. I received some new Burgundy glasses for Christmas and wanted to open something special. Otherwise, I likely would have waited another year before trying my first 18 Thomas.
Nothing like quality Burgundy glasses for quality pinot noir. The Thomas ’14s are drinking beautifully right now, in my opinion. Cheers Tom!