Did not decant and I purchased this on release many years ago.
Crimson in color. 15.4% ABV. Tremendous nose of dark red fruits, pine needles and baking spices. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Lush, ripe and fruit forward. Cherries, black raspberry, cloves and sarsaparilla on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Slightly bigger in style than I expect from Dehlinger but still a fantastic Pinot Noir. Best over the next 2-3 years.
I stopped buying Dehlinger after the 2010s were released, because as I drank through the 2003s through 2007s I was generally underwhelmed. The wines just weren’t doing it for me like the late 90s/early 00s had been.
Then, as I gradually opened the '08s through '10s over the next few years, bottle after bottle delivered. I should have kept buying them. Hell, I should start buying them again I suppose.
Does anybody know if the winemaking was different in the mid oughts?
That was the transition from Tom Dehlinger to Eva Dehlinger. I sold my 05’s. Just didn’t care for them. I think the wines are as good as ever now though.
I think the ripeness and alcohols (including for the chardonnay) have gotten quite high. Though the quality of the grapes and winemaking remain very strong. So it’s a matter of taste and all.
I was a big fan in the early and mid 2000s, but the increasing ripeness and alcohol started to get out of my range a bit, and I dropped off.
