Tag Archives: pinot noir

Stangeland Pinot Noir Bethany Heights Vineyard 2017, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

13 Saturday Feb 2021

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This wine is very see-through and has a pale purple hue but I am concerned with some effervescence in the glass and bottle. I’ll give it a try before passing judgement. The nose has cherry, mocha and red currant hints. On the palate it kicks off with a strange note of tart cherry and mushrooms. The acidity is bracing to say the least. There is a wave of tannins that hits me on the mid palate but I manage to sense red fruit and rooibos tea. The effervescence I noticed may be interfering with this wine’s flavors, hard to tell. The finish is quite dry and juicy, balanced between the tannic grip and the jaw drenching acidity. Think straight up cranberry juice mixed with sour cherry juice along with a mouthful of black tea in a pouch. I’m afraid I cannot pass judgement on this wine due to the potential flaw with secondary fermentation occurring. I paid $23 per bottle. Shame….

Domaine Jean Fery & Fils Les Vergelesses Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2010, Burgundy, France

27 Wednesday Jan 2021

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Tonight I am cooking Venison Loin with cherry reduction, paired with Leek Rosti and Armenian Khorovats (grilled salad). This meat can be very lean, coupled with the sweetness of the sauce requires a deft wine that will not over-tannic the cut, yet allow the sauce to shine. Pinot Noir, in the form of aged Burgundy seems the logical choice.

I last tasted the Jean Fery back in July of 2020. I liked it a lot. This particular bottle has a slight bricking to the hue, showing a lot more age than just 7 months ago. The nose is literally wafting out of the tulip-shaped glass. I get stewed cherry, mushroom, forest floor and wild strawberry- far more advanced than the other bottle. On the palate it is sublime. Smooth, polished and brimming with both primal fruit and the tertiary notes I was hoping would arrive. Soft cherry, bergamot, leather, funk and some cranberry are all present. Lithe tannins are barely perceptible but the acidity is en pointe. The mid palate is a mouth watering affair with layers of fruit and nuance all swirling around. On the finish it retains the tartness but I really get fruit over secondary flavors. The roles have reversed and the acidity of the red fruits, primarily cranberry and sour cherry take over. It is a long ending, 25 seconds at the least. Wow, yummy stuff that is going to rock my dinner. 92 points and 5 stars for this $80 winner. Drink till 2028. Salut….

Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Brut 2015, North Coast, California

25 Monday Jan 2021

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Peach colored with small bubbles.  The nose gives me fresh baked bread, yellow apples and faint pineapple.  On the palate the mousse is fine, smooth and refreshing.  Flavors of Brioche, Bartlett pear and more yellow apple are present with a touch of lithe acidity.  The mouthfeel is very soft thanks to the finesse of the bubbles and the modicum of zest.  Yummy stuff that gets 90 points from me. At $37 it’s a very good sparkler worthy of 4 stars. Drink till 2024 with Oysters, Ceviche or even grilled Trout. This is a Pinot and Chardonnay blend. Salut….

Traverro Pinot Noir 2019, Patagonia, Argentina

22 Friday Jan 2021

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This Pinot Noir is classic in the glass- dark red shade and totally see-through. On the nose I get cranberry and a hint of capsicum with some strawberry notes. The palate is very pleasing, if not a touch sweet. Lithe tannins greet me alongside red fruits and tangy acidity. The cranberry motif is very evident and continues through to the mid palate and beyond. It brings with it a nice zesty dollop of acid that is making my jaw water. The finish is of decent length and keeps the theme of cranberry, strawberry and red currants. The green note I got on the nose is a non-starter. Yummy stuff if you like them fresh, primal and perky. This one will drink nicely till 2025 and gets 88 points from me. Pairings to consider- roast chicken, Duck l’Orange or even grilled Swordfish. At $18 it gets 3 stars from me. Salut….

Tailored Republic Pinot Noir 2019, Arroyo Seco, California

08 Friday Jan 2021

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I do believe that Pinot Noir pairs nicely with Duck, so here we go! This one is quite a dark shade of red but completely see-through. The nose has a candied strawberry waft along with pomegranate and some mulling spices. The palate is very approachable and offers crisp red cranberry and cherry flavors. There is a juiciness to this wine that I am enjoying. The mid palate goes back to that initial strawberry note but I also sense a decent amount of acidity. There are tannins lurking in the background that hit me on the delightful finish that is a bouquet of red fruits and a touch of spice. Yummy and light with some good fruit, it will go great with my bird. Drink till 2025. 89 points for this $19 bottle make it a 4 star wine. Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 729 Pinot Noir 2018, Russian River Valley, California

17 Thursday Dec 2020

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Medium opacity with a lighter shade of purple. On the nose I get some baking spices right off the bat with cherry and orange rind. The initial palate is very seductive with soft cherry notes, vibrant acidity and some secondary flavors of cinnamon and clove. The mid palate continues the red theme with the addition of cranberry and cedar shake. The finish shows off some decent acidity to go along with the fruit flavors but I don’t get much in the way of tannin. This is a tasty wine that is fairly basic in composition and offers near term enjoyment. 88 points from me with a drink till 2022 window. For $16 it garners 3 stars from me. I’m grilling Lamb sausages and whipping up some Quinoa for the pairing. Salut….

Ondine Chattan Pinot Noir 2019, Russian River Valley, California

30 Monday Nov 2020

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Reddish purple and semi opaque in the glass. The nose gives me pomegranate, strawberry, black pepper and rich cherry extract. On the palate it is silky smooth with a very gentle intro to the fruit- it’s more a melange of ripe red fruits that are melded together. Bright acidity and a touch of tannin all make this a pretty full bodied wine. The mid palate has a purple streak, like damson plum jam. There’s a nutmeg spice note as well. The finish is quite dry and still loaded with those purple fruit notes. It’s an interesting take on New World Pinot that I am enjoying. If you like them full-throttle, this one is up your alley. 91 points from me and 5 stars for this $38 gem. Drink till 2026. Salut….

Boedecker Cellars Stewart Pinot Noir 2013, Willamette Valley, Oregon

27 Friday Nov 2020

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This Oregonian Pinot Noir is pale purple and see-through in the glass, as expected. On the nose I get a dose of cherry, some straw and strawberry. The palate is a touch spicy- ginger perhaps? The cherry flavors are very prominent but I also get red currants. The mid palate brings a shot of acidity that is really nice, not overpowering. The spice factor is no longer there, just red cherries and rhubarb. The finish is a juicy affair with the acidity really taking off. It’s not overpowering, but there’s a definite cut. The ending takes me back to the spice box- cinnamon and clove. Really tasty and still very young, it will drink well till 2025. 90 points from me for this $30 wine that gets 3 stars. I paired it with Turkey and stuffing! Salut….

St. Audette Nuit Pinot Noir 2019, Pays d’Oc, France

24 Tuesday Nov 2020

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This Pinot hails from the Pays d’Oc region in France. It is light purple and see through. The nose has light red fruit notes, boysenberry and a dusty earth component. On the palate it is richer than expected. Red raspberry, bramble and a cherry reduction with some lithe acidity greet me. The mid palate continues the red fruit theme with just a hint of tannin. The finish is very smooth and nicely balanced. Although not a very complex wine, it has some weight and good fruit flavor to handle many dishes. Roast chicken comes to mind, as does Salmon on the grill. I would drink till 2023. 90 points and for $20 it gets 4 stars. Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 771 Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, Oregon

31 Saturday Oct 2020

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It’s a typical Pinot in the glass- see-through, pale purple. On the nose it gives me loads of strawberry, violets, cherry and cinnamon. The initial palate is rich with warm strawberry pie, baking spices, sweet rhubarb and very fine grained tannins. There’s juicy acidity right off the bat and the wine continues it’s red theme throughout the palate. The baking spice component is an interesting facet to this wine. The flavor profile is neither Old nor New World, somewhere in the middle as far as taste, extraction and weight. It’s nice to drink and has some good structure to endure extended cellaring. The red currant and rhubarb finish is mid length and the tannins are very much evident. There is a hint of Rooibos tea right at the end that I am enjoying. I’m grilling up some Pork tenderloins, tossing some pasta with black olives and calling this a nice pairing. 90 points from me and 5 stars for this $20 effort. Salut….