Visit to Arcadian --- brief impression TNs on some current and old releases

[Scott_E_Wade]

Thanks for the notes, Brian. Your championing of this winery has it at the top of my list of wines I’ve got to find time to try.

[Karring_Moan]

@Chris Seiber

Nobody has a fall shipment blitzkried quite like Karring. How many lists are you on these days, my man?

I choose to remain ignorant these days, but you’d be proud of me in that I dumped about 6 clubs and stopped buying off another 4 or so lists before my recent move.

Of course, throughout the year some lists opened up (Carlisle and Scherrer), I joined a few more (Liquid Farm, Arcadian, Frequency, and Piedrassasi), and started buying from a couple other lists (Keplinger and Kinero). And so it goes…

k.

[J_Singleton]

I think Scott Fitzgerald is on every single mailer or waitlist. So he might be the winner. Just check any “mailer” thread and you’ll see.

[Karring_Moan]

@J. Singleton

I think Scott Fitzgerald is on every single mailer or waitlist. So he might be the winner. Just check any “mailer” thread and you’ll see.

That I believe!

k.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

@Chris Seiber

Another one of those “I spend too much time on WB” moments. A few weeks ago, I was standing in line for something, and a woman walks up with a dog like the one in Brian’s photo, and I think to myself, "I wonder if that’s Brian Grafstrom’s wife?

Get. A. Life. Chris.

@jbray23

@Chris Seiber

Has anyone ever tasted an Arcadian that seemed like it was even into the latter half of its drinking window? I know they only go back to the mid 1990s. The oldest ones I’ve had seem like they are only barely arriving at their best place, if they even have yet.

03’ for me

Interesting. I’ve actually only tasted one '03 from Arcadian – the Dierberg Pinot, back in 2011 – and I thought it was open, but still with lots of life in front of it. I have a few '03’s in my cellar, though. Which bottling(s) did you taste that made you form your opinion?

@Scott E. Wade

Thanks for the notes, Brian. Your championing of this winery has it at the top of my list of wines I’ve got to find time to try.

Once you get around to trying them, I hope you enjoy the wines as much as I do.

[jdietz]

@Chris Seiber

Another one of those “I spend too much time on WB” moments. A few weeks ago, I was standing in line for something, and a woman walks up with a dog like the one in Brian’s photo, and I think to myself, "I wonder if that’s Brian Grafstrom’s wife?

Get. A. Life. Chris.

Well? Was it her???

[Chris_Seiber]

I propose a Scott v. Karring list-off. All in, let’s see what you’ve got. My money is on Karring.

[J_Singleton]

@Chris Seiber

I propose a Scott v. Karring list-off. All in, let’s see what you’ve got. My money is on Karring.

Are we basing it on actively purchasing lists, or just lists where offers are being made to these two?

[Chris_Seiber]

I’d say any list where they’ve made at least two purchases in the last 24 months?

Let’s see it. The World Series of Mailing Lists, final table, all the chips in.

[Karring_Moan]

@Chris Seiber

I’d say any list where they’ve made at least two purchases in the last 24 months?

Let’s see it. The World Series of Mailing Lists, final table, all the chips in.

Hmmm, exposing my pathological listmania. I don’t want to hijack this awesome Arcadian thread, so I will just say this: a rough count puts my active purchasing lists at around 35. Some are new, and I have yet to get wine from them though. If someone makes a new thread, I’ll post the producers, but I am sure there are others that have more buying partners.

k.

[Sc0tt_F_tzgerald]

Oh man, I’m just sitting here on the couch enjoying a nice glass of Wind Gap Syrah and stumbled across this. It’s on like Donkey Kong! I’ve gone from a few bottles of Columbia Crest in late 2012 to over 500 bottles in less that 2 years. My secret…? LISTS! Shhh…

So, what are the rules again? Active lists or just anything I joined over the past 24 months, even if I’ve dropped?

[Tyler_Rico]

@J. Singleton

@Chris Seiber

I propose a Scott v. Karring list-off. All in, let’s see what you’ve got. My money is on Karring.

Are we basing it on actively purchasing lists, or just lists where offers are being made to these two?

If we include threads started for mailing list offers, my money is on Scott!

[Chris_Seiber]

@Scott Fitzgerald

Oh man, I’m just sitting here on the couch enjoying a nice glass of Wind Gap Syrah and stumbled across this. It’s on like Donkey Kong! I

My fantasy football team is called “It’s On Like Ndamukong.”

[jbray23]

@Brian G r a f s t r o m

@Chris Seiber

Another one of those “I spend too much time on WB” moments. A few weeks ago, I was standing in line for something, and a woman walks up with a dog like the one in Brian’s photo, and I think to myself, "I wonder if that’s Brian Grafstrom’s wife?

Get. A. Life. Chris.

@jbray23

@Chris Seiber

Has anyone ever tasted an Arcadian that seemed like it was even into the latter half of its drinking window? I know they only go back to the mid 1990s. The oldest ones I’ve had seem like they are only barely arriving at their best place, if they even have yet.

03’ for me

Interesting. I’ve actually only tasted one '03 from Arcadian – the Dierberg Pinot, back in 2011 – and I thought it was open, but still with lots of life in front of it. I have a few '03’s in my cellar, though. Which bottling(s) did you taste that made you form your opinion?

@Scott E. Wade

Thanks for the notes, Brian. Your championing of this winery has it at the top of my list of wines I’ve got to find time to try.

Once you get around to trying them, I hope you enjoy the wines as much as I do.

It was the 03’ dierberg, I found it hollowing out, it was drying at the end. It seemed like a ripe vintage Pinot that lost it’s luster.
I like the other wines just fine though.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

Ha! That’s funny. Ya just gotta love the whole YMMV thing.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (7/19/2014)
– tasted a single pour non-blind –

Nose is super chalky and quite floral. Light to medium-light bodied on the palate. Very floral (violets), with aspects of leather and mineral; very elegant; fantastic Fiddlestix — indeed, this may be my favorite Fiddlestix bottling that I’ve ever tasted from Arcadian, with only the ’06 giving it a run for its money; I usually find Fiddlestix to be too austere and tannic for my preferences, but this is not that at all. 13.8% alc… Excellent.

---

This is the note from Brian in the OP - I just copied it for simplicity.

I decided to open one of these late this afternoon, based on this note and availability. The note is right in sync with my experience. However, notably, the leather appeared very briefly and then was missing. That’s ok with me in my Pinot. I am not sure how to “get” chalky on the nose - to me, that is a mouthfeel kind of thing. Not a criticism - what is important is that the taster has his own context for experiencing a wine and its characteristics, then translates that into descriptors that will bring the wine back into his memory (and perhaps also set the stage for future tasters.) Wow, that was a lot to say.

At any rate, these are lovely, lovely wines. This 2008 Fiddlestix is quite grand. Elegant and floral, perhaps, but also a bit showy early on.

A few hours into it, the acidity is more pronounced. My palate tends that way, and I can’t check it as I am consuming solo this evening.

Thank you to David for cellaring more patiently than I do, and for the key to his cellar .

[Doug_Lee]

Our two visits to Arcadian have been highlights indeed and I have enjoyed Arcadian pinots a great deal. This thread confirms my ongoing impressions. Can’t wait til these 08’s age a bit more.

Cheers,
Doug

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

Thank you for the kind words, Merrill; I’m happy to hear that you, too, enjoyed the '08 Fiddlestix.