Tag Archives: pinot noir

Domaine Bernard Serveau Les Sentiers 2009, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, France

23 Friday Dec 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale garnet colored, this 13 year old Pinot Noir is starting to show some age.  The nose  is too.  Baked cherry, dried strawberry, caramel, chocolate powder, orange peel, vanilla pod, figs and raisin compote- very layered with primary, secondary and tertiary aromas.  The palate is bone dry with medium (+) acidity and low tannins.  Flavors of dried and stewed red fruit with caramel and cocoa powder dominate.  It’s not as rich or complex as the nose was indicating.  Light bodied it carries through to a short finish that is comprised of tart cherry, cranberry and some caramel.  I was hoping for more from a 1er Cru Burgundy- 88 points with a drink till 2024 window.  It would normally run $50+ and therefore gets 3 stars from me.  We are pairing it with roast Turkey and all the accompaniments.  Salut….

Prophecy Pinot Noir 2018, California

19 Monday Dec 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,


I have just returned from Lebanon and the UK, so Moxie decided to cook a meal for me and Beef Bourguignon it is!  She did not venture into the cellar for a bottle of Pinot, opting to remain clear and go directly to the wine shop where she picked up this $11 California offering.  It shows medium opacity and a somewhat dull ruby color with medium looking legs (13.8% ABV).  The nose is interesting for a New World Pinot- there’s quite a bit of earthiness to alongside the cherry, pomegranate and raspberry aromas.  I also get some baking spices and a touch of funky red licorice.  The palate is dry with very lithe tannins and low acidity.  It’s a fruit forward wine that bursts with cherry and strawberry, pomegranate and black raspberry.  The spices are present but very subdued.  Medium bodied with a short finish- quite tasty.  This is a not an age worthy wine, but it rocks as a pop-n-pour and doesn’t break the bank.  It gets 87 points from me and 4 stars.  Very smooth and appealing.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Rainstorm Pinot Noir 2021, Willamette Valley, Oregon

13 Tuesday Dec 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pale ruby with a touch of effervescence on the rim. The nose offers up medium intensity aromas of strawberry, cherry, cranberry, singed alder, cinnamon, pomegranate syrup and a tart red apple. The palate has juicy acidity that is medium along with very lithe tannins. Medium bodied- I get the same red fruit driven flavors with a kiss of oak. The wine finishes medium length with a touch of tartness. I like this $15 wine, it’s moderately complex with primal fruit and for the price it gets 5 stars. 90 points, drink till 2025. Salut…..

Benjamin Darnault Pinot Noir 2020, Languedoc, France

23 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale ruby with a hint of red on the edges.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of raspberry, rose petal, red cherry, baking spice, pomegranate and red currant.  The palate is dry with low tannins and high acidity.  Flavorful- it has a medium body and I get candied cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, red currant and baking spice.  The balance is nice but the wine finishes a bit short.  I like it and would pair it with roast chicken, grilled Mackerel or even baked Salmon.  88 points and for $13 you can enjoy this 3 star wine till 2025 whilst tasting the sunshine of the South of France.  Salut….

Sokol Blosser ‘E – Evolution’ Pinot Noir 2020, Willamette Valley, Oregon

15 Thursday Sep 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


After the disastrous Pinot I just tasted at the wine bar I needed redemption- this 89 pointer helped.  Pale ruby colored it had a slight funk to the nose alongside spice box, cherry, earthy cinnamon and stewed raspberry which made me wonder if this was yesterdays unprotected bottle??  The palate had medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (-) tannins- all to be expected for this varietal.  For $14 this is not a bad drop of Oregonian Pinot that you could pop-n-pour any night of the week and pair with roast Chicken or even use in Boeuf Bourguignon.  Drink this 4 star effort till 2025.  Salut….

Ramian Estate 3 Clone Selection Pinot Noir 2013, Sonoma Coast, California

15 Thursday Sep 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,


The second wine I tasted at the wine bar was this unfortunate Pinot Noir.  So over-the-hill it was shocking for such a relatively young wine.  Pale garnet colored, the pigments ended a mm from the edge of the rim when studied at an angle.  Aromas of stewed fruit, dried figs, bruised cherry and clove.  The tertiary notes dominated the nose and palate which was tough to swallow, everything has fallen apart here.  The tertiary flavors are what I love about cellaring wine, but there comes a point of diminishing returns and this bottle passed that a while back.  No score given, a major pass.  Salut….

Schug Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, Carneros, California

31 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This is the last of my 2009 Schug Pinot.  I first drank it 10 years ago and really enjoyed it. With cellaring this wine has turned to a pale garnet color.  I get pronounced aromas of stewed cherry and strawberry, bakers spice, cardamom, orange peel, cherry cola, vanilla, butterscotch/caramel and red plum compote.  Very complex and intriguing.  The palate is dry and delicious.  Low tannins coupled with medium acidity and medium (-) body lead me to quite pronounced flavors of cooked red fruit, spices, oak nuance and tertiary notes along with the cola and caramel.  The finish is medium in length and very smooth.  I have been amazed at how this wine has evolved- stunning, with years left.  Drink till 2026 with white meat or even strong fish dishes- think grilled Mackerel or Salmon on the plank.  92 points and for $35 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Aubert Lefas Bourgogne Rouge Les Grandes Carelles 2018, Burgundy, France

08 Wednesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This Pinot Noir is slightly more extracted than usual showing a medium ruby color in the glass with small, fast moving legs showing off the moderate 13% ABV.  The nose gives me telltale rose and funky barnyard aromas typically associated with this varietal.  I also get cherry, strawberry, straw and orange peel.  The palate is dry, low in tannins, silky smooth and delicious.  Juicy acidity hits by way of sour cherry and pomegranate- the strawberry and orange peel having vanished by now.  Light to medium bodied this racy wine has got a tart yet delightful finish that is medium (+) in length.  Pommard produces some delicious, powerful and rich wines, this regional example is true to the style.  At $24 this 91 point wine gets 5 stars from me.  Pair it with duck, venison, roast Cornish hens or just by itself!  I would drink this wine till 2028.  Salut….

Albert Morot Beaune Bressandes 2019, Beaune Premier Cru, France

13 Friday May 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Every so often I get thrown a curveball.  This Burgundian Pinot Noir was tasted blind at my WSET class.  I barely passed the assessment.  This 92 point wine was not at all what I tasted- bottle variation?  Storage issues?  Did the invigilator know this was a $60 Premiere Cru and made his mind up with that knowledge?  Who knows.  My notes are pretty consistent with the majority of the class.  This wine is medium ruby colored with medium (-) intensity aromas of red currant, raspberry, red cherry, pomegranate and red plum.  I called it simple.  On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins, medium body and high alcohol.  I got medium (-) intensity flavors of the above descriptors and found the wine to have a short finish.  I marked it as being of acceptable quality with a drink now recommendation.  In my world this is barely an 85 pointer and for the cash- 1 star.  It was a real disappointment to find out it had such pedigree yet did not deliver.  I almost want to buy a bottle and have another industry pro blind taste it to confirm my suspicions- but why waste $60?  Major pass.  Salut…

Cakebread Cellars Apple Barn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Anderson Valley, California

05 Thursday May 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


From one of the coolest California AVA’s comes this Pinot Noir that is medium ruby in the glass with thick watery legs.  The nose is medium intensity with aromas of steeped strawberry, red plum, orange peel, baking spices, black raspberry and rosewater.  The palate is dry with high acidity, medium, well ingrained tannins, a medium body and lovely flavors of dark red fruit, oak influence by way of orange peel and baking spices and some freshness from the rose component.  The wine is very silky, balanced and slippery with a medium length finish.  I like this wine, even though it’s not my style of Pinot.  91 points for this $60 beauty makes it a 5 star effort that I am pairing with beer-can Chicken and sautéed spinach.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….