Tag Archives: pinot noir

Luminous Hills Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2015, Yamhill-Carlton District, Oregon

13 Wednesday Apr 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This Pinot Noir is pale ruby, bordering on garnet which is commensurate with its 7 years of age.    The nose has quite pronounced aromas of red and black cherry, baking spice, cranberry, rooibos tea, orange peel, strawberry compote and a touch of heat.  The palate is dry with very rich flavors of cherry (red and black), stewed red fruit and the other notes I mentioned.  Medium bodied, it has lithe, integrated tannins and medium (+) acidity.  The mouthfeel is great with the richness of the fruit balancing the acidity whilst the tannins give a touch of dryness.  The alcohol is not an issue at this point.  The finish is relatively short but packed with fruit.  I really like this wine- it drinks so easily and delivers lots of red fruit with a bunch of secondary and tertiary notes.  For $35 it is a very good Oregonian Pinot that shows off some New World fruit-forward notes alongside some Old World elegance and tertiary notes from aging.  92 points and 5 stars.  Drink till 2028 with some grilled poultry or a slab of charred Mackerel.  Salut….

Siduri Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2018, California

20 Sunday Mar 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Our Virtual Wine Tasting group has drunk numerous Pinot Noirs over the past 2 years. This one hails from the southerly Santa Barbara county.  I wanted to introduce a different style of Pinot to show how climactic differences and terroir can affect a single varietal wine.  I was not disappointed with my choice.  This medium-ruby wine had very defined legs in the glass and packs a 14% ABV punch.  Aromas of black cherry, root beer, cola, Dr. Pepper, ripe raspberry, cinnamon, nutmeg and a saline note.  The palate had medium tannins, medium (-) acidity, a medium weight body and brooding flavors of cranberry, mulling spices, black cherry and a tart cherry finish.  14/20 from me and 91 points for this $20 wine makes it a 5 star effort to drink over the next 5 years.  Salut….

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Montague Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir 2018, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

14 Monday Mar 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


When I was last in Quebec I bought a few bottles of this delicious Pinot.  Having enjoyed the 2017 Montague immensely I could hardly contain myself when I found this vintage.  It is a pale ruby in the glass as expected but has very thick legs- interesting considering it rolls in at 13% ABV.  The nose is quite intense- red cherry, strawberry coulis, cinnamon, clove, pomegranate, mocha and florals of violet and geranium.  The palate it dry and surprisingly tannic for this varietal.  The flavors are a bit less intense from the nose but I get strawberry as the lead component with the red cherry and pomegranate supporting.  The chocolate, spice and florals are present along with a touch of oak. The wine is medium (-) bodied with juicy acidity and a decent length finish.  This wine perplexes me- it’s a bit in-your-face at the get go, the tannins are quite persuasive yet it morphs into a seductive and soft Pinot as it transitions to the mid palate and finish.  It may need a bit of time.  Right now it is a 90 point wine that I see potential for.  At $32 CAD ($26) it’s worth looking for and cellaring.  5 Stars from me- I’m pairing it with roast Duck and Scalloped Potatoes.  Salut….

Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Dopp Creek’ Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

09 Wednesday Mar 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Medium ruby colored, this wine is a shade more opaque than most Pinot Noirs.  The nose is exquisite after a good swirl to get things going.  Ripe cherry, strawberry coulis, cola, a touch of forest floor and bilberry.  The palate is a touch subdued from the intensity of the nose.  The wine is dry with very lithe tannins, medium (+) acidity, medium bodied and long in the finish.  The bright red fruit flavors are present as is some Rooibos tea, a definitive Pinot flavor that I cannot name and spices like Christmas cake.  For close to $30 this 90 pointer gets 4 stars from me.  Delicious now, it will drink well till 2030 and pair nicely with Roasted Cornish hens or Ratatouille.  It has a fantastic mouthfeel btw.  Salut….

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 2006, Cote de Nuits, France

24 Thursday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I was reading an olde book about French wines, written a few years ago and chock full of iconic classics.  I stumbled across a Burgundy wine that I recognized so I checked my cellar and sure enough I had a bottle or two of this 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin.  My mind was instantly made up- Duck Confit and a glass of this aged Pinot Noir would fit my dinner plans perfectly.  I needed help getting the cork out, the Ah-so was a savior…

For a 16 year old Burgundy there is plenty of medium ruby color with virtually no sign of bricking.  The nose is exactly what I was hoping for.  Stewed cherry, barnyard, garigue, dried herbs and cooked strawberry essence.  Very little oak is evident but the tertiary notes are singing.  On the palate it is very smooth, tart, dry and still very tannic.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of cooked cherry dominate with supporting notes of raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb crumble.  The barnyard/garigue and dried herb components are present but the tartness is a bit much.  It is medium (-) bodied and has a mid length finish.  This is still a young wine with more evolution left, which contradicts the original assumptions that it would peak in 2013.  There is plenty of structure and fruit to last until 2028 at the least.  Under-scored and under-estimated- this $80 wine gets 92 points from me and 5 stars.  Glad I cellared a few bottles, looking forward to more evolution.  Salut….

Sojourn Cellars Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Russian River Valley, California

22 Tuesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I’m a fan of this winery, having first tasted a bottle of their 2009 Gaps Crown Pinot back in the day.  My review is quite interesting and can be found at:https://caspernick.com/2012/08/10/sojourn-gaps-crown-vineyard-pinot-noir-2009/

I bought a few Magnums of this particular wine on spec and am glad I did- tasty stuff that paired beautifully with a roast Pork shoulder and apple reduction sauce.  I previously wrote about this particular wine and am glad to see my notes are consistent.

Pale garnet- which is kind of surprising for a wine that’s only four years old, it does look a little bit murky though. The nose has medium intensity aromas of strawberry coulis, bing cherry, cinnamon stick, burnt orange peel and stewed strawberry.  On the palate this dry wine is juicy with very, very mild tannins and a medium body. Pronounced flavors of red and black cherry with some strawberry nuance, spice box and hints of oak. I love the mouth feel of the wine, even though it’s medium bodied it’s got a certain lightness to it that I am really enjoying. The finish is medium length and has nice raspberry and red cherry notes with some vibrant acidity. 92 points for this $54 effort makes it worthy of 5 stars and something to look for and drink by 2026.  Salut….

Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012, Willamette Valley, Oregon

17 Thursday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


For a Pinot Noir, this one is quite a bit more opaque- say 60%.  It’s a beautiful shade of ruby with long legs in the glass.  The nose is quite intense- cherry, black raspberry, pomegranate, cinnamon stick, red licorice and an earthy note.  The palate is dry with some nice medium intensity tannins that are balanced beautifully with medium acidity.  The flavors are quite pronounced with red cherry dominating.  The pomegranate gets joined with cranberry and I also get the spice and earth components.  Medium bodied with a decent length finish that shows off some tannic grip.  I like this wine for it’s New World boldness yet it sticks to the traditional red fruit flavors I love in Pinot.  It’s had a decade to age and is still rather primal with another 10 years ahead of it.  92 points from me for this $75 effort makes it a 4 star wine that compares with the delicious 2014 Nysa that I previously tasted.  Salut….

Hidden Bench Estate Pinot Noir 2019, Beamsville Bench, Canada

08 Tuesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I was in Quebec a few months ago and picked up a few Canadian Pinots.  This one is pale ruby in the glass with a watery sheen showing off its relatively low 13% ABV.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of strawberry, red cherry, cinnamon, earthy bramble, pomegranate and a hint of cedar.  The palate is crisp and tart.  Fine grained tannins lead the way to a sour cherry mid palate where I am enjoying a melange of red fruit.  The back end is juicy with really good acidity and a hint of oak influence.  Sour red cherry is the key here, as it should be with this varietal.  The wine is light to medium bodied and has a crunchy mouthfeel- it’s a fresh, young wine for sure.  The finish is medium in length and very tasty if not a touch sharp.  I like it.  Pairing ideas for this 91 pointer would be roast chicken, Eggplant Parm or a cheese plate.  I think it is open for business and will remain so till 2025.  At $30 USD it’s a 5 star wine that might be a bit difficult to source here in the USA, but look for it up North eh.  Salut….

Apriori Pinot Noir 2017, Sonoma Coast, California

28 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pale ruby, this see-through Pinot has beautiful color and watery legs in the glass.  The nose is stunning- pronounced aromas of strawberry cobbler, red cherry, cherry cola, dusty wood, raspberry and red licorice.  The palate is very smooth with a great expression of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, red cola and licorice with that sawdust-like earthiness.  Very lithe tannins balance a medium acidity making for a mid weight mouthfeel that goes on and on.  The finish is a touch tart and juicy but has great length.  The thing I like so much about this varietal is it’s ease of drinking when young yet it has great aging capacity if made properly.  This one is only 4 years old but will go on until 2030 at the least, pairing with roast pork, grilled Cornish hens, eggplant parmigiana or even a peppercorn filet mignon.  It is seductive and lithe yet complex and mysterious.  Delicious expression of the grape that gets 92 points from me and 5 stars for its $32 price point.  Salut…..

Sojourn Cellars Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Russian River Valley, California

21 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pale garnet in the glass this wine exhibits big legs showing off its 14.2% ABV.  The nose is classic Pinot- cherry, strawberry, baking spice, cola, a bit of bramble and a touch of earthiness.  The palate is very precise with cherry driving the way.  The baking spice, cola and bramble/earth are all present but the red fruit really shines.  Juicy acidity and very svelte tannins make for a ‘sour cherry’ feel that I am really enjoying.  Medium bodied it has a medium finish that is really fruity.  I have had this brand before, enjoying it every time.  This one happens to be out of a Magnum and we are pairing it with appetizers of roasted Beef Marrow, charcuterie and phyllo cups filled with goodies.  It will work well with roast pork, chicken, filet mignon or duck.  92 points from me for this slippery smooth charmer that runs $54 and gets 5 stars.  I love this region BTW, the Russian River makes top notch Pinot that I look out for.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….