TNs: Flight of 7 PNs (Rochioli, Lucia, Loring, etc.)

WINE TALK
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JROUND 2009 PINOT NOIR FLIGHT - Joshua Tree, CA (3/21/2009)

The tasting of seven pinot noirs was conducted double blind. The tasters ranged from pinotphiles to casual social drinkers.

  • 2005 Steele Wines Pinot Noir Block N Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
    Ruby appearance with classic pinot nose. Ripe red fruit, candied cherries, and hint of raspberry. Builds on palate and ends with medium finish of cinnamon and brown sugar. Tart acidity. 3rd overall
  • 2006 Stanza Pinot Noir - USA, California
    Lite and transparent with nose of baking spice, cherry, and tobacco. Initially thin on palate but builds on the finish. 5th overall. A nice surprise considering the line-up and its price point.
  • 2006 Blackstone Winery Pinot Noir Sonoma Reserve - USA, California, Sonoma County
    Shy nose and Koolaid sweet ont he palate. All up front and linear with sharp bit on the finish. 7th overall
  • 2006 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir Special Cuvée - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Beautiful transparent deep ruby appearance with nose of bing cherries, rose petals, pine and cinnamon. Continues to build on the palate and throughout the finish. Complex and balanced. My WOTN and 2nd overall
  • 2006 Lucia Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
    Only a few notes on this one…cola, saddle leather, vanilla and orange zest. Medium finish. Seemed a bit disjointed at this stage. 6th overall. This was a bit disappointing as I expected this to show better than it did.
  • 2006 Trinity Vineyards Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
    Purple hue with nose of hay followed by raspberry, caramel, cola and mushrooms. Sweet red fruit explodes on the front of the palate leading to a sweet tart finsih. More earthy notes than the others. 4th overall
  • 2007 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
    Hazy purple appearance, meaty, licorice, plums and caramel. Nice minerality. Bright cherry on the palate on one of the best finishes of the flight. Masculine yet very balanced and smooth. My second pick and 1st overall.

Posted from CellarTracker

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whenever i have a chance to pick up Special Cuvée i do so. always light & lovely.

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Wow, I’m very surprised by the Lucia’s showing - I recall that being a very well balanced wine when we had it a couple months ago, then again a few weeks ago at the Offline.

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Yeah, there was no discernable taint on the nose that would suggest a bad bottle but definitely didn’t show as well as other bottles of this I’ve had in the past.

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Joshua Tree? Nothing like Pinot in the desert! :smiley:

Thanks for the notes Chris. The 06 Lucia’s have never been very event to me. They are getting better but I’m not sure they will really come together like some have from other wineries.