Evolution Oregon Pinot Noir, 2019

Yes, the photo is right: this is not a bottle but a bag-in-the-box. It's handy for every night drinking, but it is not the juggy wine you expect from a bag-in-the-box. In fact, it is very good Oregon Pinot Noir that earned 92 points from James Suckling.

Last month we had a bottle of the 2015 Evolution Pinot that I had stored in the cellar for a few years. It was good enough that I went online to seek out replacement bottles and discovered this option on the Sokol Blosser website. It is $28 for a 1.5 liter box with free shipping on an order of two or more boxes. For a wine of this quality, the bag-in-a-box makes perfect sense. If a friend stops by unexpectedly, you can pour out a few glasses without committing yourself to opening a full bottle. Once you start pouring from the box, the bag collapses on the wine, preserving freshness for several weeks. Over the long term, wine does not age as well in such a format, though, so I expect to finish these boxes within the year.

Beautiful ruby, shading to garnet. Pouring from the spigot gives enough aeration to bring out those beautiful Pinot scents--cherries, berries  flowers and spice.  Fruity on the palate but not at all simple. Silky texture, good concentration. Cranberries, orange zest and black pepper on the finish. Now the box goes back in the cellar to await another one-night stand.

Is this wine as good as the Decoy California Pinot Noir I had last night? It is much better, in my opinion.