2014 Briceland Vineyards Pinot Noir Phelps Vineyard
Nice to see a tasting note on this Berserker day fav!
These are low-alcohol, right?
13.6% on this one. My Wife, who has the palate of a Yak, even commented that she thought the alcohol was low.
Yes. I checked my notes to give you a few data points:
2014 Briceland Vineyards Petit Verdot Ishi Pishi Ranch - 12.7%
2015 Briceland Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Ishi Pishi Ranch - 12.3%
2014 Briceland Vineyards Malbec Ishi Pishi Ranch - 12.4%
2014 Briceland Vineyards Pinot Noir Alderpoint Vineyard - 12.7%
2012 Briceland Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve - 13.7%
2014 Briceland Vineyards Zinfandel Ishi Pishi Ranch - 13.3%
On the off chance you link to my notes, you’ll note I don’t always score. Don’t read into it, it just means I didn’t feel like scoring. Very general comments: (1) Ishi Pishi is special terroir and does really well with Bordeaux grapes – the Petit Verdot is bizarrely great; (2) I often find Briceland wines have a white floral component that I find beguiling; (3) all the Pinots are very good, but IMO Ronda’s and the Reserve are best; (4) the best comment I read about the Zinfandel is that it tasted like it was grown in the Loire – sadly, I didn’t come up with that line; and (5) wines are almost always red-fruited, though Dark Horse Vineyard can shade a bit darker to reddish purple.
Disclaimer: I visited Briceland and consider Andrew a friend.
Thanks for the note, Brian! A big +1 from me on everyone’s comments - whoever came up with that Loire Zinfandel comparison really nailed it. An easy buy from me each Berserker day.
Thanks, guys. I really appreciate all of the support as we head into BerserkerDay. It’s hard to believe it has been 8 years!
I decided to pop a bottle due to Brian’s note. It’s been almost a year and a half since my last go round with this wine.
This is really developing nicely at once juicy and tart. Utterly refreshing with good complexity. There’s also a floral note on the nose that is just so much fun to sniff. Really well done. These wines make me happy.
Indeed. Popped a '14 Phelps over the weekend. My favorite Briceland I’ve had to date.
Andrew: I’m still sitting on some 2013 Phelps Vineyard and 2012 Reserve. As I recall, you said when I ordered them to give them a few years. Thoughts on when I should open them?
Jumping in here too–love Andrew’s wines, have had most of the pinots across 2012 - 2013 and they’re house favorites. Also opened the 2012 Cab last weekend and it was really nice–on the lighter/redder fruit profile and so, so tasty.
+1
Briceland is among my top discoveries @WineBerserkers!
I agree with the plaudits for the reds in this thread. I’d add that the whites are worth exploring as well, as are the Pet Nats.
Thanks Andrew. Looking forward to what you bring to Berserker day XI…
Hi John,
Thanks for asking. Both of those wines will go longer, but the 13 Phelps I had in Oct. was in a great spot right now. The Reserve I’d hold a little longer, but, if I am honest, I am not a true expert on aged wine. I am fortunate to learn winemaking from a bright, talented guy who got wine production going in our area.
Micheal, Morgan, SK et al: Thanks for your kind words and ongoing support!
Thanks for the guidance, Andrew! Hope all’s well.
John,
Your question about aging these wines is one that I have asked myself. I’m experimenting a bit with some older(ish) bottles that I’ve tucked away. My early impressions (because I’m not done with my tasting yet) are that some of the wines definitely benefit from age, for example the Petit Verdot. But generally speaking, it comes down to what you want from the wine. In a limited sample, the Pinots become more Burgundian with darker fruits, but I like the exuberance of the wines 3-4 years after vintage, so I’m torn. I should probably add that I like a slightly leaner style of wine, so Briceland is one of the few Californian wines that I regularly drink.
I’ll post more impressions if you like.
Please do!
How timely that this thread is revived. I radomly grabbed one out of the cellar last night and it was everything it was last time. Came across a little bigger boned than I remember but thoroughly enjoyable.
Phelps Vineyard is, of our SVDs, typically the one with the most tannic structure. I have seen some vintages that go well past 10 years still improving at least in the POV of people who like aged PN.
I need to dig around and do a vert tasting.