Was up at August West wines in San Francisco last week helping out with the harvest and hanging with fellow Berserkers Wes Barton, Ken Zinns and Ed Kurtzman. I got a chance pickup my BDX Cuvee from Ed and brought him a bottle of Goodfellow Berkersker Cuvee. Ed wanted to pop both and do some side by side tasting. I wasn’t about to argue with that.
Both are lovely and delicous wines, stylistically similar but different. I expect no less from two excellent veteran pinot makers.
The 2017 Sandler Berseker Cuvee was drinking nice very well. Open for business out of the box. This wine is softly shouting “Bien Nacido” with its early ready to drink character. Beautiful red fruit with wonderful mushroom and earthy notes on the nose and the palate. Soft delicate finish. Round without being lush. This wine is approachable now and ready to drink. I know Ed’s wine can age and expect this to be no different but why wait when it’s this good now.
The 2017 Goodfellow Bersker Cuvee. Was really tight on the nose that day. Needed a good decant which it didn’t get. Subtle strawberry but tight. On the palate juicy red fruit with nice balancing acidity. Some added spiciness from the whole cluster and a nice long finish. This wine needs some time and has the structure but seems to be closing down compared to the previous bottle.
Glad to have a bunch of each of these to enjoy now and long into the future. Kudo’s to two awesome winemakers for stepping up and continuing a tradition Jim Anderson started. In a few years, I will be sure to have a 3-way Berseker Cuvee tasting.
Here’s a picture of winemaker Ed Kurtzman with the goods… (Ken Zinns in the background on the ladder cleaning out the hopper).
Thanks for the notes. I can’t wait to open a 2017 Goodfellow Berserker Cuvee in the next week or so.
Speaking of the Goodfellow Cuvee, I’ve seen a couple of recent posts about availability including above. Marcus, is the 2017 Goodfellow Berserker Cuvee still available or sold out? Just asking for folks who seem to have an interest.
I do have around 15 cases, although we are cutting into that a bit. I know BD11 is coming up fast but we also have a few Berserkers coming to visit over the next month.
Good idea, Marcus, let’s trade a 6 pack. Thanks for starting this thread, Sean, and thanks to Wes for alerting me about this. I was finishing up a Breaking Bad tour of Albuquerque when Wes emailed me. It was actually the end of a short sales trip, but I did make it to some of Walter White’s old haunts.
Tales of Invnetory. Amidst a pallet of random bottles that are odds and ends of things I came across 8 bottles of 2014 Berserker Cuvée. One doesn’t even have a label beyond a handwritten note on it what’s more Berserker Cuvée than that!? Round it up to a case with something else and it’s yours to the first one who emails me. I would suggest the 2017 Fat Cat as the 4 other bottles. Was wine for a friend but he passed away insanely unexpectedly earlier this year. Portion of proceeds goes to an education fund in Monterey area. We retail it at $45. Delicious stuff. $300 before shipping? Mini-Berserker Day minute?
