Tag Archives: pinot noir

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….

Richard Bruno Pinot Noir 2019, Clarksburg, California

26 Monday Oct 2020

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See through dark shade of red in the glass.  The nose has red currants and pomegranate.  The palate gives me mulling spices, currant reduction and dried red fruit.  There is a healthy dose of slightly green tannins that immediately dry out my gums.  The mid palate is quite astringent with notes of red fruit- mainly currants but a bit of rhubarb adding some acidity to the mix.  The finish is relatively short but I do get some really nice flavors and the tannins tend to mellow pretty quickly.  This one is a touch young and the greeness of the tannins worries me.  It’s not a subtle Pinot nor is it over-extracted, a nice balance of flavor, structure and freshness.  88 points and 3 stars for this $22 wine. Drink till 2027 with roast Chicken, perhaps eggplant parmigiana. Salut….

Apriori Pinot Noir 2016,Sonoma Coast, California

09 Friday Oct 2020

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This Pinot is quite dark and extracted. The color is damson red/light purple but it’s nearly opaque. On the nose it brims with New World goodness- cranberry/cherry jam, spicy cinnamon and Christmas fruit cake. On the palate it is full bodied and not ashamed to show off the fruitiness it’s been holding back. Layers of red jammy delight, spice box, a touch of leather and some oak greet me right off the bat. This wine continues the rich theme onto the mid palate where I get acidity, just a touch. There is barely a trace of tannic grip but I am enjoying the richness of this wine so much I am not worried about any astringent accents. The finish is medium length and shows off yet more red fruit. If you like a rich Pinot, this one is right up your alley. I usually like them much more restrained, but this one simply knocked my socks off. I am a fan- 93 points for this $36 wine make it a 5 star effort to be drunk by 2024. Salut….

EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir 2017, Russian River Valley, USA

28 Monday Sep 2020

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This wine was part of the #9 Virtual Wine tasting. I made some notes from others at the event.

It is very extruded and rich looking in the glass- a dark shade or red/purple and nearly opaque.  On the nose I sense a sweet cherry pie note with a touch of Vanilla, black licorice and coffee.  It’s very interesting, that’s for sure.  On the palate I first get black cherry concentrate, chocolate and dare I say- overripe Reb berries?  The mid palate continues the theme with more dark chocolate, Dr. Pepper, licorice.  There is a modicum of tannins and a nice dose of acidity.  The finish is dark and dry.  The wine seems to be a touch sweet and getting more so as it airs out.  It’s not my favorite style of Pinot but it did well at the tasting and for me it’s a 91 point wine.  The complexity and depth are worthy of high marks.  At $40+ it’s a pass for me, but others who enjoy the new world boldness will dig this wine.  It got higher marks from the pros BTW.  3 stars in my book.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Patricia Green Cellars Reserve Pinot Noir 2018, Willamette Valley, USA

25 Friday Sep 2020

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This Oregonian Pinot is quite dark and nearly opaque, very extracted and brooding.  On the nose I get cinnamon, cherry and black currants.  It’s an interesting mix for this varietal.  The initial palate is telling- very fruity with tannic grip right off the bat.  This is not your typical Old World Pinot folks, it’s full throttle with all the bits and pieces.  Cherry cola, sassafras and a hint of oak are all present.  The mid palate is a continuation of the theme but there is now a hint of acidity showing up.  It’s quite nice if you like this style of Pinot.  The finish is a dry affair, tannins and black tea alongside the red fruits and spice.  It’s not my cup of tea but it will certainly appeal to many.  Technically speaking I would give this $23 wine 90 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2027 with lighter fare.  Salut….

D.H. Elliott Pinot Noir 2019, California

23 Wednesday Sep 2020

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It’s a nice shade of see-through purple, as can be expected of this varietal.  On the nose it’s a bit gamy but I eventually get ripe strawberry, cherry and twizzlers candy.  The palate is pleasing with some nice soft red fruit notes.  Red currants, more cherry and an interesting cedar plank note.  On the mid palate I sense some juiciness, the acidity making an entrance and keeping me on my toes.  The flavors get intertwined with some very fine grained tannins that are barely perceptible, yet leave an astringent coating.  The finish is pretty much red fruit and a hint of rhubarb for that sour thrust coupled with a touch of oak.  There is a greenness right at the end that perturbs me, but this is a nice wine that I am enjoying before cooking dinner.  It will go well with roast duck, salmon on the grill or charred Filet Mignon.  I’m guessing it will age for a few years, drink till 2024.  89 points from me and at $10 it’s a steal for Pinot Noir.  5 Stars- would buy again.  Salut….

Penner-Ash Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2017, Oregon, USA

09 Sunday Aug 2020

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The star of the #7 virtual wine tasting event was this Pinot Noir for most of the attendees.  Dark cherry, cedar, cola, forest floor, chocolate, pepper, Rooibos tea, nutmeg cloves and Intensity were all mentioned.

I found this wine to be more of my style in Pinot offerings.  A blend of Old and New world, fruity yet earthy.  Not over the top, but still powerful and elegant.  I love drinking Pinots in the summer, it’s a great time for a more restrained wine before we get into the cold weather and big heavy Cabs.  This wine would pair beautifully with pork, a roast chicken, filet or even a mushroom tart.  Loved it.  92 points from me and at $35, 5 stars and a buy-by-case recommendation.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Slang Wines Pinot Noir 2014, Sonoma County, California

01 Saturday Aug 2020

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It’s a broody looking Pinot, dark shade of purple and semi opaque in the glass.  The nose is clearly New World in style.  Ripe cranberry, rich cherry coulis and cloves.  On the palate it’s a touch sweet- like cherry jam and pomegranate syrup.  It’s got an intense spiciness that I am enjoying to go alongside the sweetness.  There is an underlying level of heat that I only sense on the mid palate- the 14.4% alcohol being well masked.  I also get a touch of fizziness which is intriguing.  The finish shows off some lithe tannins and more cherry coulis.  There’s a modicum of oak present that I am enjoying but I also get a touch of tartness, not from acidity, that is nagging at me.  Right at the end is where the acidity kicks in on the medium length finish.  Overall, not a bad drop to alongside T-Bones and hand cut fries with Bearnais.  I am giving this wine 90 points with a drinking window of 2020-2026.  No pricing info available as it was given to me by a friend.  Salut….

Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018, Sonoma County, USA

29 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Typical for the varietal, it shows a semi opaque light purple color in the glass.  The nose is stunning- cherries, cinnamon, blackberry.  On the palate this wine is fruity, New World in style but somewhat restrained.  Red fruit galore, some pepper and a hint of upfront acidity.  The midpalate gives me cherry jam, some cedar and an intro to the very lithe tannins.  This is some lip smacking juice people, absolutely delicious with a very nice mouthfeel and great balance.  The finish is medium in length, juicy with some sour cherry and mid length.  For $30 this is a great Pinot from one of my favorite wine making regions, the Russian River Valley.  92 points from me and 5 stars, buy it by the case.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 704 Pinot Noir 2018, Carneros, California

12 Sunday Jul 2020

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Talk about a New World version of Pinot.  This wine was full of stuffing- evident right away.  In the glass it was brooding, dark and semi opaque.  The nose was full throttle- big, ripe cherry, cinnamon, plum and sassafras.  A heady palate ensued with fruit flavors clamoring for attention, pushing aside the lithe tannins and making the acidity stand in line to be noticed.  If you like big, fruit forward versions of Pinot, this one is right up your alley.  Technically speaking, it gets 90 points from me but is not really my cup of tea.  I prefer a more restrained style of Pinot, a là Burgundy, or even cooler climate a là Oregon.  This wine comes from a great appellation and is well made.  At $16 a pop, it’s well worth stashing a few and drinking over the next 6 years.  5 stars.  Salut….