Tag Archives: Russian river valley

Ondine Chattan Pinot Noir 2021, Russian River Valley, California

10 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale to medium ruby colored showing some extraction and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).   The nose has aromas of candied black cherry, ripe pomegranate, red plum paste, baking spices, red licorice and spring flower blossom.  The palate is dry with medium (-) tannins and medium (+) acidity.  The wine is medium to full bodied and carries through with the ripe, red fruit and oak nuance.  I get a touch of charred oak on the back end as the wine finishes with medium length.  I’ll be honest, it’s not my style of Pinot Noir- too heavy, too worked, too ripe- but it will appeal to many.  From a technical standpoint it gets 90 points from me.  At $19 a pop it gets 5 stars.  I’m pairing my bottle with Roast Duck and grilled Brussel Sprouts.  Drink till 2026. Salut….

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

22 Tuesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ 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….

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

21 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ 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….

Iron Horse Vineyards Two Clones Chardonnay 2017, Russian River Valley, California

01 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This Chardonnay has got a bit of bottle age which shows in the glass- a deep gold color.  On the nose I get wafts of MLF, perhaps a bit of lees stirring and some relatively fresh citrus and floral notes.  Brioche, butter, lemon curd, grapefruit, chamomile and sprite (the drink).  The palate is dry with medium body and juicy acidity.  The flavors are more citrus driven but I do get some minerality and a hint of Malolactic Fermentation. Tropical fruit notes hit the mid plate and the finish is long and silky with decent acidity.  I like this wine, but it’s not everyone’s style.  The silky mouthfeel comes with butter-like flavors that may not be up everyone’s alley.  The minimalist oak usage is appreciated btw.  For $20, it’s a good weekday wine that gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2026 with some hearty fish dishes or stuffed peppers.  Salut….

Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2018, Sonoma County, California

25 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


A lighter shade of yellow in the glass with pretty hefty legs belying the 14.2% alcohol. The nose has creamy citrus, like a mousse, plus a hint of butter and coconut. The palate is very rounded with lush flavors of nectarines, clementines, lemon zest and peach. It’s like a tropical fruit salad with buttery popcorn as a side. I taste layers with this wine, which shows some nice complexity. The acidity is relatively mild giving a full mouthfeel. The finish is mid length and adds some papaya to the mix. Delicious stuff, really. 92 points worth. Seriously, and at $21- it’s a steal. This one will be featured in another blog post early next year, and if I could give it 6 stars I would. Drink till 2025. I am pairing it with Shrimp Scampi and salad. Salut….

Daryl Rex Groom D.R.G. Pinot Noir 2019, Russian River Valley, California

22 Monday Feb 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This Pinot is a dark shade of purple and is quite a bit more opaque than expected. The nose gives me dark cherries, boysenberry, clove and cola. Very intricate. The palate is quite unique- cherry cola meets rhubarb and cranberry. I sense a cascade of acidity as my mouth starts to water but there’s a modicum of dryness from lithe tannins that hit towards the mid palate. The dark red fruit theme continues and I get a nice finish with some extras- Rooibos tea, spices and more of that cherry cola thing. It is a really tasty wine that has been extracted very well, not overdone with nice oak integration. The length of the finish is really great and the tannins stick with me for quite a while. Light-to-medium bodied, it has a nice mouthfeel. Drink this 91 point wine till 2027. I am preparing Sous Vide chicken and Swiss chard to pair. For $19 it’s an awesome deal that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 718 Chardonnay 2018, Russian River Valley, California

04 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale gold in the glass this Sonoma County Chardonnay gives me lemon and pineapple on the nose. The palate is quite crisp and tart with more yellow citrus flavors, some lanolin and green apples. On the mid palate it is very refreshing with some zippy acidity. The finish is decent in length and shows off green and yellow apples with citrus giving it back end juiciness. Yummy and relatively light bodied for me, it will pair great with my Chicken Pie. Other matches could be grilled Salmon or Parmesan dishes. For me it’s an 88 point wine that gets 4 stars for its $18 price tag. Drink till 2022. Salut….

Corsage Gewürztraminer 2018, Russian River Valley, California

28 Thursday Jan 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pairing spicy food with wine is pretty simple really, stay away from all reds. Riesling is the go-to normally, but I have played around with Sauvignon Blanc with great success and tonight will be trying out a Gewürztraminer with Thai red curry Chicken. The wine has a nice medium tone of yellow and the legs are very sheet like in the glass. On the nose it has that telltale floral note with melons, peaches and rosewater. The palate is very delicious with honey, peaches, tangerine and some tartness. The mid palate is more citrus driven with pomelo and tangerines alongside a hint of raw almond. The finish is long with the floral notes returning. The acidity as a whole is quite lithe with this wine which is typical of the varietal so the mouthfeel is a quite full. I am enjoying it pre-dinner and wonder if the lack of much bite will hinder the performance against the rich, spicy curry.

It was a winner! The curry was not overly hot, but very flavorful. The fruitiness and floral components of the wine were a great match. I added a heaping dollop of red chillies to test the match, it worked out great. This wine is delicious and will drink well till 2025, pair it with something fresh, something spicy, seafood, chicken or just pop it with some charcuterie. 89 points and for $19 it gets 3 stars. Salut….

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

17 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


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

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


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….