Tag Archives: pinot noir

Mac Forbes Pinot Noir 2016, Yarra Valley, Australia

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

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When I drank this wine at my mates place, I was thinking of my wine course so I used the standard lexicon to describe it.  Having said that, I will add a few personal notes.  I’ve never had a wine from Yarra Valley.  A cooler climate area that allows Pinot to grow, I found this wine to be well developed, almost over the hill at a mere 6 years of age.  Perhaps my mate Johny stored it incorrectly?  It was tasty to be sure, but was very much ripe and stewed.  It may have a few years left but drink now to enjoy it the most.  I give it 90 points even though it got upwards of 93 from the pros.  At $30 plus, it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut…

  • Pale tawny
  • Nose- medium intensity strawberry, cranberry, red cherry, earth and game.  Developing
  • Palate-dry, medium – acidity, medium – body, medium – tannins, medium intensity flavors of strawberry, red cherry, earth, cooked strawberry and sour?.  Medium finish.
  • Conclusion- acceptable quality to be drunk now, but has potential for ageing.

Chris Baker Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

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This Pinot is pretty opaque for the varietal.  A lovely shade of ruby with watery legs that give clue to the low 13% ABV.  On the nose I get spice box, red cherry, pomegranate and cranberry.  On the palate this wine is a touch tart and lacks any discernible tannins- not that I am complaining.  I like Pinot with a touch of sourness and no dryness, makes for a crisp mouthfeel.  The red fruit flavors are quite pronounced and balanced but I also get blueberry on the mid palate.  I like the weight but the finish is a touch short.  This bottle has what I really like in Pinot Noir- elegance and lightness with freshness and not too much oak influence.  It is seductive and lithe, maybe not very complex but it delivers lots of fruit flavors.  I would drink this one till 2025, perhaps pairing with Duck or Strip steak.  89 points from me and at $20 it’s a good deal that gets 4 stars.  Salut….

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

30 Wednesday Jun 2021

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One of this week’s assignements for my wine course is to discuss and taste a Burgundy. Here goes:

I have selected a 1er Cru wine to taste from the Côte D’Or.  Located in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, the Vergelesses vineyard is southeast facing with a gentle slope.  The wine is a Pinot Noir that has been vinified with wild yeasts having been hand picked and cultivated without chemicals.  It has been aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.  

The Pinot Noir grape is notoriously difficult to grow and produce quality wine, it requires a lot of attention and is susceptible to disease and rot.  It has a difficult time ripening and needs a cool to moderate climate.  Situated in the central part of Burgundy, this vineyard gets the right weather and with the aspect being southeast, it gets the maximum sunshine ensuring full ripeness.  The gently slope allows some extra degree of sunshine for the grapes as well as good drainage.   

Hand picking the ripe berries makes for a more uniform selection of grapes and raises the overall quality whilst the use of French oak barrels adds complexity, which is compounded by the use of wild yeasts.  

Jean Féry & Fils Savigny-Lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 2010, France 13% ABV

  • Appearance- Clear, pale garnet with watery legs.
  • Nose- Pronounced aromas of red cherry, redcurrant, stewed fruit, clove and smoke.  Developing.
  • Palate- Dry, high acidity, medium (-) tannin, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity flavors of red cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, smoke, prune. The finish is medium (+).
  • Conclusion- A very good wine that can be drunk now but has potential for aging.

Ps. This is the second 1er Cru I have opened this week that I think is too young, even at 10+ years.  I really like the way this one is developing, the tertiary flavors are starting to come out.  I have two more bottles to sit on and watch the evolution over the next 5 years or so.

So, I am going with 92 points and for $50, this is a great deal on semi-aged Burgundy that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….

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

29 Tuesday Jun 2021

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I have been sitting on this Pinot for many years, letting it age gracefully. The time has come as I needed to taste a Burgundy for my wine course. Here are the technicalities:

Appearance- Pale garnet with watery legs.

Nose- Medium intensity, aromas of dried cherry, strawberry, mushroom, forest floor, Rooibos Tea and truffle.  Fully developed

Palate- dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (-) tannin, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium (+) flavor intensity, long finish.  Flavors of cherry, strawberry, Rooibos tea, forest floor.

Quality- very good with potential for more aging.

In layman’s terms, this is a delicious yet young 1er Cru Burgundy. I enjoyed it more as the night went along but could not help but feel a tinge of regret, opening it probably 5 years too soon. I was hoping for many more tertiary notes, a little less tannin. I can only guess at the cost- $75? It gets 92 points from me and is a 5 star effort in the Burgundy minefield of red wine. Paired with grilled Rack of Lamb. I wish I had another bouteille…. Drink from 2025-2030. Salut….

Cakebread Cellars Annahala Ranch Pinot Noir 2018, Anderson Valley, California

26 Saturday Jun 2021

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My buddy Keef and I sat out on the patio last night and enjoyed this Cali Pinot. It was medium ruby in the glass with a medium intensity nose of funk, steeped cherry, lavender and blueberry.  Definitely not your typical Pinot nose, Old or New world. The palate is more raspberry and cherry. The funk does persist on the mid palate though.  The acidity is medium (-), and there are very fine grained tannins lurking.  The lack of primal fruit and the overwhelming funk is a bit strange to me.  It’s a very young wine to have started it’s transition by shedding primary fruit.  87 points from me and 2 stars for this $56 bottling. Salut….

Vignoble Guillaume Pinot Noir 2009, IGP Franche-Comte, France

20 Sunday Jun 2021

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My friend Arty was tidying up her office last week and stumbled upon three bottles of wine that had been left over from various functions. They were all standing upright and at least 8-14 years old. I promised to dispose of them for her, so last night we sampled two of the three. I started out with this Pinot Noir from France. The bottle suffered from severe cork failure. However- this entry level Pinot is actually holding up quite well in the glass. It is showing a touch of bricking, a Garnet color and it’s see-through with a bit of sediment. The nose gives me stewed plums, cherries and strawberry. There is a hay component that I’m finding very interesting but it’s mostly cooked fruit which signifies it’s plateau of maturity. The tannins are fully integrated at this point and there is a modicum of acidity that gives me a little bite at the finish. I’m surprised this one has made it so long but it’s a drink now situation. Overall 91 points and kudos to the winemaker for crafting such a pleasurable mature Vin de Pays. Surprisingly it only runs 12.5% abv, a relative lightweight! Newer vintages will cost $18, making this wine a steal worthy of 5 stars. Salut….

Scott Kelley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019, Oregon

12 Wednesday May 2021

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This Oregonian Pinot is see-through and medium ruby. The nose is quite intense with red cherry and strawberry. Cloves also come to mind but I can smell a whiff of the 13.5% alcohol. The palate is rounded and gives me ripe, squishy strawberry and some spice box alongside the cherry and now raspberry flavors. The wine is quite acidic and I get fine grained tannins on the mid palate. The red fruit theme continues to a mid length finish where the fruit overtakes any secondary flavors I previously got. It is New World with restraint in style, something I appreciate. The tannins really grip on the back end and the acidity does a nice job of balancing it out. Medium body and generally very pleasant- it gets 90 points from me and at $20 it’s worthy of 5 stars. Yummy stuff to drink till 2026. Salut….

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Jules Taylor Pinot Noir 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand

11 Tuesday May 2021

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In our wine tasting group (virtual), there are many of us who enjoy Pinot. I ventured to New Zealand for this tasting of the varietal. New World without a doubt, this wine was 70% opaque and dark purple in the glass. On the nose, the tasters got rich strawberry, deli meat, tobacco, black tea, straw and some subtle barnyard notes. On the palate we tasted cherry, oak, funk, black pepper and Macha Green tea. Overall I thought it was a little too extracted for my taste but others really enjoyed it. 89 points from me and at $20 it gets 4 stars. The pros went 92 on this steal for Pinot. If you like the style, go for it! Drink till 2030 as this baby packs some well integrated tannins, balanced by some decent acidity. Salut….

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The Sisters Pinot Noir 2017, Marlborough, New Zealand

03 Monday May 2021

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I’m slow-roasting some Pork Belly and it needs an acidic, lighter style wine that can cut through the fat yet not overpower the delicate white meat. Cool climate Pinot Noir came to mind and this bottle happens to be on my tasting bench.

See-through and ruby red. At 12.5% ABV I’m not expecting to see much in the way of legs in the glass. The nose is very interesting to me- ripe strawberry, raspberry, cloves and leather (yes, like fresh cut leather). The palate is definitely New World. Red raspberry driven with bakers spice and a good dose of acidity make for a delightful taste. The wine is off-dry and offers a touch of tannic dryness. The acidity is on pointe and exactly what I was hoping for. Red fruit and juiciness make for a long finish that I am enjoying, albeit my jaw is aching from the acidity at this point- I can’t wait for the meat to cut it down some. I really like this wine and think it’s a good value for $16 ’cause it gets 90 points and 5 stars from me. Drink till 2025. Salut….

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Van Duzer Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir 2016, Willamette Valley, Oregon

26 Monday Apr 2021

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Dark purple and more opaque than I was expecting for this Pinot Noir. The nose has extracted black cherry and spice box, quite interesting. I also get a hint of bergamot and some deft oak notes. On the palate it is very smooth and delicious. Rich cherry, strawberry extract, spices and cedar. The mid palate shows a little bit of sour cherry which leads into an acidic finish that is making my jaw water. I find it difficult to discern tannins in this varietal but I do get a hint of some well integrated ones. The finish is long in length and echoes that Cherry theme from the get-go. The acidity is very much in play on this wine keeping it fresh and delicious. I’m going with 91 points, with a drink-by 2027 window. For $60, it’s a bit pricy and gets 3 stars from me. Salut….

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