The 2011 pinot noir from John Thomas is a very fine bottle in the making, but out of magnum it is still on the young side and deserves more time in the cellar. This is a cooler vintage in Oregon (as it was in California as well) and the wines are still on the young side, but in regular-sized formats they are starting to blossom nicely. However, in magnums, time is still needed. The classy bouquet here wafts from the glass in a blend of strawberries, beetroot, woodsmoke, a fine base of soil, lovely spice tones and a very discreet framing of new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and soil-driven in personality, with a fine core, impressive nascent complexity, moderate tannins and a long, focused and tangy finish. This is lovely juice, but it is still a puppy and patently deserves at least another five or six years in the cellar to more fully blossom.