Normally, I try to keep up with “vintage reports”, the assessments by “professionals” of the overall quality of a given region in a given year. They are meant to give the consumer an idea of what wines to buy and when to drink them.

Generally speaking, wines from “good” years might be able to improve over time and wine from “not-so-good” years should wither be consumed in the short term or maybe avoided altogether. It is far from an exact science and they are based on an assessment of the growing conditions, conversations with producers, and, of course, sampling the wines themselves.

These “vintage charts” are only meant to serve as a guide as there are countless examples of really good wines from a “bad year” and, well, not so great wines from really “good” years. I should also point out that it is rarely (ever?) a “good” or “bad” year across the board. For example, in France, 2008 was a good year in Burgundy, a not-so-good year in Bordeaux and one of the greatest vintages ever in Champagne (which my son, born in 2008, never fails to mention).

Vintage charts can pack a ton of information in a pretty small space. From Wine Enthusiast.

Speaking of 2008, it was also lauded (at the time) as perhaps the “best vintage ever” in the Willamette Valley (since then, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, and maybe 2021-2023 have all laid that claim in the region; thanks global warming), with one of the best growing seasons in the region’s then 50-year history of wine production. Not everyone (particularly some producers) agreed of course, particularly since 2007, for example, produced both more fruit and more “classic” wines.

Nonetheless, the wine press ran with the notion and many still consider 2008 among the Valley’s best vintages.

The other day, I noticed that I still had quite a few bottles of 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot in the cellar, from several producers. Thinking that they were likely at or beyond their peak, I thought it would be informative and even fun to pop a few and see how they were doing.

My conclusion? Most of the 2008 wines I tried this week were still in a pretty good place but had certainly slipped since the last time I tried the wines. And, to further underscore my assertion that the wines are in decline, once opened, most started to fade pretty quickly. My suggestion? If you have any of these beauties in your cellar, it may be time to crack them. And if you don’t have any? Come on over, I have a few more kicking around somewhere, and they need to be consumed!

2008 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $48. Heavy Bottle (671g; 23.6oz). Under cork. While most of what I wrote for the last bottle (no, not that Last Bottle) I consumed in 2022 remains true, this wine has clearly aged since I popped the previous bottle. A bit more stewed, perhaps, and the tannins are fully integrated, but this is still Outstanding with oodles of red and dark fruit, plenty of acidity, and endless verve. Bravo. 93 Points.

2008 Ayres Vineyard Pinot Noir Pioneer Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Heavy Bottle (609g; 21.4oz). Under cork. It has been a little over two years since the last time that I tasted this wine (in 2022, when I gave it 95 Points) and, well, the extra time has not served it well. Dark and brooding in both color and aromas with tons of stewed fruit, primarily raspberry and plum. The palate is a continuation of the theme, with that stewed, dark fruit at the fore, touches of acidity and earth. I loved the previous bottle of this wine, but this one is clearly tired and, well, old. Sure, there are markers of its previous stellar life, but only markers. Very Good. 88 Points.

2008 Brick House Pinot Noir Boulder Block, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (616g; 21.7oz). While much of the previous note remains true, it has been a solid five years since I popped the last one of these and, well, it is starting to show its age. Sure, there is still fantastic fruit, but it is ever-so-stewed, with tertiary flavors and aromas of leather and clove. The acidity is still there and running the show, of course, but given the decline in the fruit, that tartness sticks out just a tad more. Don’t get me wrong, this is still Outstanding and a delightful quaff, but it seems to have clearly passed its peak and is on the downward slope, albeit slow. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2008 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $45. Heavy Bottle (660g; 23.3oz). Under cork. Having just opened the 2007 Baldwin Family Reserve and realizing that it had declined considerably, I decided it would be best to crack this 2008 Dundee Hills as soon as possible. Well, that was tonight. And while the fruit has faded some, there really was no reason to worry as this is doing quite well, thank you very much. Still, I think it is certainly past its peak and the fruit will continue its downward slope, so better to drink these up in the near term. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2008 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Old Vine, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (695g; 24.4oz). Under cork. I bought a couple of bottles of this wine back in 2010 when I was out in the Willamette Valley for my first International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC). I made it a point to visit Patricia Green while I was out there since I had discovered that Jim Anderson, the co-owner with Patty Green, attended college with me (though neither of us knew of the other at the time). This is the first of those bottles that I have popped and it is gorgeous: intense red fruit on both the nose and the palate with balancing tartness and plenty of earth. Whoa. I was ready to admit defeat and accept that this wine was pst its prime, but this was absolutely singing. One note of warning: on day two, this had clearly regressed and the fruit was a bit stewed and tired. If you have any of this beauty, get to it soon and drink in one sitting. Outstanding. 95 Points.

2008 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $50. Responsible Bottle (548g; 19.3oz). I last opened a bottle of this wine back in January and really liked it then (93 Points). Tonight? While still Excellent, this is a tad funky. And while I normally like the funk, this time it is just a tad out of synch, I guess. Still great tartness and plenty of earthy notes, this is a very nice wine, even 17 years out, from a Willamette Valley stalwart. Most of the 2008s, which was described as a ripe (even over-ripe) year that should have been consumed in the near-term, seem to have held up quite well, but I fear that window is closing fast and it is time to drink up! Excellent. 92 Points.