Freja, Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir

When it comes to savory, high-toned Pinot Noir with bottle age, the Willamette Valley is chock-full of artisan-crafted options. But for $25? Give me paper and pencil, lock me in a room for the day, and I’ll only emerge with a single name: Freja. And yet, I wouldn’t have even known to write it down this time last year! That’s when an Oregon wine veteran, loaded with four decades of experience, introduced me to Freja and uncorked a five-vintage vertical of their lithe and mesmerizing Pinot Noirs.When the tasting concluded, he then revealed a piece of information that had our jaws hanging dangerously close to the tabletop: Every wine was comfortably below $30. Given that Freja’s estate vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains was planted 35 years ago—practically ancient history in the Willamette Valley—it’s amazing these gems have remained so well hidden. Today’s 2017 was one of the wines in that vertical tasting, and, after trying it again weeks ago, I’m thrilled to say it still beams with gor