We’ll be donning the midnight green this weekend, as the Eagles play for the NFC championship against the San Francisco 49ers! If they win, they return to the Super Bowl for the first time in five years!

No pressure, guys. But you don’t want to disappoint this little boy, do you?

Course you don’t.

We need a little contrast with the dark green, so how about some nice dark red wine. This week I’m drinking 2021 Jolete Wines Le Verre Cuvee Pinot Noir.

It hails from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, which has become “one of the premier Pinot noir–producing areas in the world.”

Protected from cold Pacific Ocean air and rainstorms on the west by the Coast Range mountains, the Valley follows the Willamette River for more than a hundred miles from the Columbia River near Portland to just south of Eugene. The Cascade Range to the east forms a natural boundary and protects against the opposite extreme: the dry, desert-like climate of eastern Oregon. Overall, the climate boasts a long, gentle growing season: warm summers with cool evenings, a long and lovely autumn with the first rainfalls of winter amid plenty of sunny days, and mild winters followed by long springs. The unique geography and climate of this region led winegrowing pioneers like David Lett and Charles Coury to plant the first Pinot noir grapes in the Willamette Valley more than 50 years ago.

It’s a beautiful garnet color, and on the nose, I get not-quite-ripe blackberry. On the palate, I get pomegranate and a bit of black tea. It’s not super bright like Dois Irmãos, which I’ve written about before.

The finish is a bit heavy. This would pair better with beefier dishes than I’d have with pinot noir. It’d definitely make a great rustic coq au vin if you’re feeling fancy. (I’m a fan of this InstantPot/pressure cooker version.) Or maybe shepherd’s pie. It’s super delicious and extremely sippable!

Have a great weekend and please nobody talk to me on Sunday afternoon. Go Birds!