Reviews

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Cautionary Tale

Previous notes apply. This showed more upfront hedonism and sappier black and red cherry and raspberry notes than the Shadow Voices or Three Wishes. Darker and a bit richer, the Cautionary Tale's…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Three Wishes

The 2016 Wren Hop Three Wishes is a 3 barrel "reserve" of the Shadow Voices. As advertised, this delivers exactly how one might expect a BBS version of an already amazing wine (Shadow Voices) to…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Shadow Voices Estate

A truly complex and layered Pinot Noir, expertly displaying what seems to be a signature level of focus and sophistication from this house. Exacting and methodical, but also exciting and flavorful,…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Mortal Coil Phendler

Consistent with my notes from a year ago. This is aging very nicely, with an enhanced, progressing profile that especially stands out for its deliberate and focused display of flavors. A beautiful…

Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard

Deep, dark red raspberry, ripe red and black cherry, forest floor, mushroom, and faint orange rind and evergreen notes. A fairly rich and ripe rendition, with gobs of sappy fruit coating the palate.…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Previous notes apply, though this greatly suffered from a temperature issue, where its focus and frame became a bit flattened out as it reached room temperature. The flavors were all still there, but…

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard

PnP with sappy black cherry, wild dark raspberry, black soil/earth, loam, and dark spices. More on the black side of the fruit spectrum (as opposed to the Kanzler which is much more red fruited);…

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard

Previous note applies. Some cranberry, raspberry, and orange rind. Keeping this at a cool/cold temperature helped. When it started to inch away from a cold cellar temperature, it got a little blasted…

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Rita's Crown Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

One of the few Pinots on the entire planet that could successfully follow a lineup of Bevan's Cabs and red blends, the massively endowed 2016 Rita's Crown drinks (or rather, eats) like a Cabernet…

Soliste Cellars Pinot Noir Solitaire

Black and red cherry, strawberry water, earth, cedar, faint spice. Fairly round and medium throughout the front and mid, with a finish that tapered off relatively quick. A little more body than the…

Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten

Vertical of 2012/2013/2014 Sea Smoke TEN. All were very similar, with only the vintage characteristics standing out (if barely at all).

Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten

Vertical of 2012/2013/2014 Sea Smoke TEN. All were very similar, with only the vintage characteristics standing out (if barely at all).

Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten

Vertical of 2012/2013/2014 Sea Smoke TEN. All were very similar, with only the vintage characteristics standing out (if barely at all).

Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

Part of a would-be vertical of 2010/2011/2012 magnums of Aubert UV Pinots, except that the 2011 was severely flawed.

Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

Part of a would-be vertical of 2010/2011/2012 magnums of Aubert UV Pinots, except that the 2011 was severely flawed.

Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

Part of a would-be vertical of 2010/2011/2012 magnums of Aubert UV Pinots, except that the 2011 was severely flawed.

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard

This seems to have lost quite a bit of drive since I last recall. Displayed some nice saturated red raspberry, ripe red/black cherry, and citrus rind notes, but there was nothing to propel the…

Château Boswell Pinot Noir Absolutely Eloise Rita's Crown Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

Once again, I concur with CRISTAL's on-point description of this wine. Much more modern indeed, especially in comparison to the Sun Chase served before it. Dark, dark black cherry, muddled ripe…

Château Boswell Pinot Noir Absolutely Eloise Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast

CRISTAL's assessment is spot-on. Notes of black cherry, tobacco leaf, earthy cedar, and subtle woody spice. A decent amount of fruit here, with more focus than the overtly bombastic Rita's Pinot…

Vice Versa Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard

Even more intense than when I last had it in February, the VV Platt Pinot explodes with ripe black cherry, currant, juniper, evergreen, and earthy spicebox notes.

JCB Pinot Noir No. 6

Black cherry, dried cranberry, earth, and orange peel. Medium-shmedium all the way around - body, weight, complexity.

Melville Pinot Noir Block M

Similar to previous notes. Ripe red and black cherry and red raspberry core, with some strawberry, orange rind, wood, and spice. Drinking fine now. A tad heavy on the fruit, but the flavor push is…

Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir MacLean's Block

Dark black cherry, forest floor, pepper, earth, and spice. The darkest profile of the Pinots tasted. Medium bodied, with some booze on the back end that pulls you away from the core fruit just a bit.…

Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters

The most flavor-driven of the Pinots served, the Velvet Sisters was kicking out ripe and sweet red cherry, red raspberry, orange rind, and evergreen notes. The alcohol lingered in the finish. The…

Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard

An intriguing Pinot Noir, medium in weight, with a "light on its feet" delivery, but with a beguiling complexity of flavors that really elevated it to the next level. Normally I prefer a little more…