New releases of Pinot Noir from Oregon’s much-heralded 2008 vintage continue to slowly come into the marketplace. In general, these wines are relatively rich with lots of fruit (mainly dark berries like deep raspberry), smooth, silky tannins and a fair amount of acidity to give the wines structure and aging potential.

The rich fruit and tannins, however, make the wines very drinkable in their youth so if instant gratification is your desire, you won’t be disappointed. For most wine aficionados a big plus with the wines of 2008 is the lower alcohol levels found in this vintage; after the higher alcohol wines of 2006, this is a great improvement. Below are some recommendations of some newly released wines at various price points that I think are worth seeking out.

2008 Coeur De Terre Pinot Noir. This wine comes from a relatively new and small producer located just to the west of McMinnville. Dark cherry and flower petals accent the nose and continue on to the palate. Normally priced at $28, the winery is letting this go for a steal at $21.

2008 Seven of Hearts Pinot Noir. Another great bargain in quality Pinot Noir this time from winemaker Byron Dooley who sources fruit for this wine from 3 vineyards including his own Luminous Hills Vineyard located just outside of Carlton. The wine presents with aromas of dark flower petals and spice and finishes with a very pleasant herbaceous quality. Again we are benefiting from a soft economy so Byron has reduced this wine from $26 to $24.

2008 Ayoub Pinot Noir. Never inexpensive but always in great demand, the wines from Mo Ayoub’s vineyard are typically rich, full-bodied and velvety and the 2008 is no exception. Deep red currant flavors predominate and the finish is extraordinarily long giving today’s taster a tease of the complexity that the wine will show after further aging in bottle. As I said, it isn’t cheap, coming in at $54 a bottle but, sometimes, don’t you deserve to treat yourself?

2008 Antica Terra Pinot Noir. Each year I attend the Oregon Indie Wine Festival and I play a little game in my head. I pretend that I am a secret undercover judge and my mission is to select the wine for the “Best of Show” award. This year I selected this release from Antica Terra; it was the hands-down winner. Winemaker Maggie Harrison has crafted a wine of deep flavor and color yet it retains an elegance and finesse that only a winemaker of Maggie’s talents can produce. Like the Ayoub above, the Antica Terra claims a steep price of $51 but its outstanding quality definitely justifies its price.