Reviews

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

Previous notes apply. Hold for another year in hopes the hot, sweet, alcohol-tinged flavors will settle in a more integrated fashion.

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Wait another year. Still a little thin and linear mid palate.

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same as my notes from last month except that I moved this up a point. It was tasted side-by-side with a 2010 KB Gap's Crown. Both were very good, and sort of intersecting each other in their…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same as my notes from July, except that I knocked this down a point, as it seemed to fade fairly rapidly after a few hours of air. I would not recommend decanting. Enjoy sooner than later; I feel…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Oracle's Whisper

I need to listen to my own advice... WAIT...

Ancillary Cellars Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard

A little darker than the Sun Chase, but a little more muted and thin, with black cherry, mulch, and a hint of mushroom. Once the Sun Chase got past its balled-up tartness and predominantly red,…

Ancillary Cellars Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard

Fairly high-toned and a little tart at first, with cranberry and pomegranate flavors. Acid seemed high initially, with a drying quality on the finish. Some swirling in the glass coaxed out some nice…

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

I really need to leave this wine alone for another year. Same notes as before. Hot, sweet, and jammy. The stuffing is there to hopefully drive this home at some point, but certainly not yet. Hold!

Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

I wish my friends would stop bringing this wine... zzzzzz...

Neyers Pinot Noir Roberts Road Vineyard

Diluted red berry, cinnamon, and faint earth. Tasted like licking a Christmas pine cone and then drinking a gulp of dirty rag water. Pass.

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same as my previous notes. A fairly decent showing. Time seems to be helping out this wine significantly. Some nice evergreen notes to back up the core berry and fruit and cola flavors.

Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard

Although opinions varied and seemed to change throughout the night as all of the wines took in more air, the Williams Selyem pretty much ended up as WOTN among 4 pinots. The others were also very…

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Same notes as before. Stood strong with a 2009 Williams Selyem Estate RRV, a 2012 Talley Rosemary's, and a 2013 Eric Kent Sascha Marie. Considering price, the RM destroyed the others QPR-wise. It was…

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Sascha Marie

Previous notes apply. All this needs is a little more time. Approximately 4 total hours in a decanter allowed this wine to stretch it legs a bit and fatten up. Final sips were the best. As previously…

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard

Same as all of my previous notes on this wine. This went head-to-head against a 2009 Williams Selyem RRV, 2013 Rivers Marie Sonoma Coast, and 2013 Eric Kent Sascha Marie. In actuality, all of the…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Similar to the other appellation 2013 KB Pinots with hard red candied fruit, cola, red raspberry, earth, and spicebox flavors. Much more solid and approachable than expected, with just a bit of heat…

Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Same as my notes from 08/5/16. Light and fairly thin. Forgettable.

D.R. Stephens Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard

Ungodly tight and extremely acidic. High toned and failing to completely launch in any enjoyable way at the moment. Red, red fruit... pomegranate, unripe strawberry, crunchy raspberry, and alcohol.

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard

A fairly open and giving Pinot considering its youth. Usually these RM wines take some bottle age to really start kicking into gear (typically they can come off astringent and overtly tight).…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard

This took about two hours to fully unveil its core fruit and additional nuanced flavors. After a couple of hours in the decanter at 54 degrees, notes of deep black cherry, black raspberry, fresh…

Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Henry Ayrton's Block Rapley Trail Vineyard

What should have been the grand finale of the signature Pinot lineup from Fogarty ended up, not surprisingly, a total dud. Same old song with the watery and diluted flavor profile, even less so when…

Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Rapley Trail Vineyard

Probably one of the "best" wines in the Pinot lineup, the Rapley Trail had a little bit of forest floor, mulch, and cedar to assist in attempting to wake up the otherwise diluted and watery black…

Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Series Muns Vineyard

Try as I might, I can't for the life of me remember this Pinot at all. I can tell you it was thin and lost on my palate.

Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Will's Cabin Vineyard

Obviously sounding like a broken record, this wine followed suit with its brethren Pinots in its lost and forgettable profile. Some diluted strawberry, black cherry, and a hint of forest floor (which…

Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Series Vida Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains

Much like the appellation Pinot. Thin, diluted, and weak. I took one sip and dumped the wine. Instantly forgettable and disappointing. Not even lifesaver verbiage like "pretty" or "feminine" or…