TN: WOTY Candidate! 1988 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Estate

Ok, maybe a bit of hyperbole as WOTY since I’ve had some great wines this year.
However, this shoots straight to the top of my all-timer CA list and the best CA Pinot I’ve had since the 1990 Morgan (Joe Davis wine) last year.
I went through a heavy Dehlinger phase in the late 2000s and had very good experiences with mid-90s Syrahs and Pinots before my attention and wallet turned elsewhere.
That being said, this was next-level revelatory last night.

  • 1988 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Estate - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (10/29/2018)
    Healthy, deep red to starting to cranberry- color. Opens with aged pinot fragrance: wisps of decaying leaves, autumn, tea, dark fruit. Slow to emerge, every 10 minutes it opens to reveal a bit more. Unwinding. There are cranberry/autumnal fruit notes with lively wisps of acid that would have you question the 1988 on the bottle. We get some asian spice, mushroom and a cool mint note in the background. At 30 minutes it becomes complete with a silky texture and a lively, round fruit that is persistent and lingers. I might think 25-year old Vosne 1er if blinded. Really special. Kudos Tom Dehlinger.

Posted from CellarTracker

Wow, fantastic! Have you owned the wine since release? I’ve never been able to wait more than 15 years on my Dehlingers…

That is a candidate for TNOY (Tasting Note Of The Year.)

I was in high school in 1988 neener Picked some up from a reputable retailer a while back. Glad I did.

[cheers.gif] Thanks you, sir!

So was Phil Franks when he started buying Dehlinger!!!

Lols [cheers.gif]

Very cool. It sounds more complex and distinctive than my post on the 1978 I opened a few weeks ago.
The silky texture appeared with air as well
Amazing wines.
I am looking forward to my few remaining older CA Pinot Noirs with enhanced hope, thanks.

Here are some notes on the 1981-1984 Dehlinger PN we had a while ago.

We just recently had a 1997 Reserve that was beautiful. I’m sure it would last 10+ more years in fine shape.

Craig,
Thanks for sharing that. Sounds like your '81 performed closest to what the '88 was like last night. In fact, your note on the '81 sounds almost exactly like my bottle. Bummer on the others, but it’s a crap shoot when popping 30-35 year old wines.
Cheers.

Has there been a shift in the style of Dehlinger PN with Eva’s involvement as winemaker and if so when did it occur? Will more recent vintages be less ageworthy?

Our 82 started a bit strange but ended up good. Some people even preferred it to the 81. I bought all four bottles last year from K&L (at the same time) so I’m not sure about provenance, but it couldn’t have been too bad. Anyway, two for four was pretty good as I had no idea if any would be good.

I don’t know about ageworthiness but my impression is that they ramped up in ripeness from 2003 onwards, though it was pointed out to me that there were a couple of hot vintages in 04/05 so it’s difficult to say what was a change in winemaking.

If anyone wants to take a shot on a middle-aged version, the ones from 98-02 come up at K&L reasonably often and the prices are close to current retail. Even the reserves and Octagon sometimes show up. I would happily drink any of them. I’ve been drinking a lot of those from my own cellar over the past 5-6 years because they reached a point where they have a really nice red fruit character.

Very nice note Dennis. I’m jealous as drank my last one over a decade ago. I believe Fred Scherrer was the winemaker at the time.

Great note!

Never had a Dehlinger. My reference points for aged California Pinot are Williams-Selyem (pre-1997), Arcadian, and Calera. I’m curious if you think I’d like the style. Based on your note my guess is yes, but only pre-2003?

I have been on the Dehlinger list since 1995, though I have ordered next to nothing over the last three years or so.
I have had some pre 1994 Pinots (like the '92 Reserve which was great a few years ago, as well as a 1985), but the sweet spot for Dehlinger pinots, to my palate anyway, is 1994 through 2003.
If anyone sees an offer for well stored pinots from those years they might want to give it a try. A 2002 Estate Pinot I had a few months ago was flavorful and silky.

The 2004 through 2006 vintages were weird. I think a combination of some hot vintages and the beginning of the stylistic changes. As we move to more recent vintages, with the exception of some of the cooler vintages (2011, I think) the wines Eva is making have definitely gotten bigger and more alcoholic. The wines are flavorful and well made, it is just in an overpowering style I am interested in drinking any more.

I have found it curious that back in the early 2000’s when syrah-like pinots were the rage with some producers in California, Tom bucked the trend and produced elegant wines. Now, when a more restrained style has been in vogue, Eva has gone in the other direction.

Thanks, Sean! And good to know that Fred was the reigns then. Kind of makes sense.

Thanks, Chris. Most definitely would like the style of the older wines. I really don’t know enough about Dehlinger on dates, but it appears 2003 is the line. I drank mid ‘90s pinots in the mid 00s and thought them delicious and not unlike Joe Davis’ signature.

Good info Jeff. Thanks!

Nice note Dennis. This sounds very special.

I agree with the comments above. I have loved aged versions of their earlier wines (2002 and earlier). But I think they started pushing the ripeness out of my range since then, and I’m also less sure how well they’ll age.

They’re still very well made wines, and they’re a big hit with civilians and sometimes just scratch that kind of itch for us geeks, but between the style change and some hefty price increases, I eventually dropped off the list.

Thanks!