TN: 2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix

• 2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (3/22/2012)
  Popped and poured. Medium ruby color. Nose was fresh and invigorating from the start with smells of mulberry, violets, schist, and anise. Concentrated core of ringing black raspberry and bing cherry fruit on the palate with tea notes, iodine, and minerals layered in. Still refreshed by notable acidity balancing firm but moderated tannins. Long, grippy finish marked by iron and spicy red raspberry fruit. Great showing for this wine, wonderfully alive at year 10. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the note, Doug. I had an opportunity to taste this with Joe Davis at the winery last month, along with a bunch of his other pinots and chards. Your note is spot on IMO. I thought this was a standout. However, given Joe’s comments about his 2005s being his best ever (“a perfect storm” for him is how I think he put it) I opted to buy those instead of any of the 2002 library wines.

Jeff,

I’m glad you got to experience Joe in his home territory. We’ve visited Joe at the winery on 2 occasions and had a great experience both times. Tasting the wines where they are made with the winemaker makes a difference to be sure.

The 2001, 2002, and 2005 pinots have all been very impressive indeed. This bottle indicated to me how well they can age. Bags of life as Clive Coates would say.

Cheers,
Doug

I had/drunk 6 bottles of the Fiddlehead version of this wine and it was a great wine while it lasted. Drank last one in 07! Looking on CT for current tasting notes, appears to have fallen apart recently. Goes to show you Joe makes em to last.
I also have Joes 03 version of this vineyard and have loved the first 3 bottles I have consumed with 3 more resting soundly.

I’ll also add that this one still has a few years of upside based on a bottle I had earlier this month.

Tom,

I’ll have to try the 03 if I can source a few. Sounds like the heat of the vintage has not affected the wine profoundly.


Tyler,

I completely agree; this could age beautifully for years yet.


Cheers,
Doug

The 03 vintage was not particularly hot. 2004 was the heat spike year.

Robert,

Good to know. I actually have some 04 Fiddlestix somewhere in the cellar; having trouble finding it…

May be worth trying to source some 03 now.

Cheers,
Doug

Doug,

Another thought, seeing as you’re thinking about sourcing 2003 Arcadian: the 2003 Arcadian Pisoni is available directly from Arcadian - an absolutely lovely wine, IMO, but one which RMP described as “a wine for masochists.” You might pair it with a bottle of the 2004 Pisoni, also available from the Arcadian wine library - a stylistic departure from the Arcadian norm because of that year’s incredible heat spike, but described by RMP as “a wine for hedonists.” Makes a fascinating side-by-side comparison.

Full Disclosure: I have a commercial interest in Arcadian Winery.

Cheers,

Bob

Bob,

Great suggestion, since I am a member of the Grand Cru club. I really hadn’t thought about 03/04 Arcadians much but this thread has peaked my interest. Pisoni is of course such a storied vineyard and Joe certainly lets the terroir speak for itself year in and year out.

In this particlar case I have a feeling I would be more favorable towards the “wine for masochists”.

Regards,
Doug

IMO, those two Pisonis are a perfect example of how far “out to lunch” Parker is regarding CA pinot noir. That '04 is awfully hard to like, hot and unbalanced IMO. Joe bottled very little wine from '04 as Arcadian, as I understand, but did bottle small amounts of Pisoni and Fiddlestix.

While it is a clear departure form the Arcadian paradigm, I am not nearly so negative on it as you are. IMO, Joe did a remarkable job with what mother Nature handed him. But then, I am hardly an unbiased observer.

Bob, I meant no disrespect to Joe. I give every CA winemaker a free pass in '04, because I have not liked very many of the wines. Same as '04 Burgs, the triumph of an angry Mother Nature over all else. Just my 2 cents, and YMMV.

Didn’t think you did. Don’t believe Joe would think so either.

Just had the 02 Fiddlestix last weekend and agree it is an excellent wine. Has anyone tried the 05 or 07? I have both of those but have let them sleep. I bought the 07 on release in mid 2010 but haven’t seen any later vintages of any of the pinots offered since then. What has happened to the later vintages? Is Joe waiting to release them until they have a little more bottle age?

Cheers!

Tim,

I’ve tried only a few 05 Arcadians and I believe only from half-bottles. IMHO they really require some time in the cellar to bloom. I usually wait 8 to 10 years from the vintage.

Cheers,
Doug

Joe always releases 2 to 3 years behind everyone else due to the nature of his wines. We’ll probably see some '08s later this year.

Please note the respective tasting dates for these TN’s.

• 2007 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (12/4/2010)
  – popped and poured –
  – tasted non-blind over 20 minutes on Day 1, then again on Day 3 –

NOSE: Day 1: a tad fumey upon opening; tight; red berries and noticeable minerality. Day 3: minerally; kirsch; hint of oak; very tight.

BODY: dark red color of medium-light depth; medium bodied.

TASTE: Day 1: tight/closed; leather; smooth/lush mouthfeel; no alcohol taste; round tannin with noticeable acidity = well-balanced wine; no alcohol taste or sensation; medium length finish of moderate-great intensity. Day 3: very minerally; a bit spicy (perhaps some stem inclusion?); elegant and cool blueberry fruits – reminds me a lot of an Oregon pinot; soft tannins are slightly grippy; acid is noticeable and a bit juicy; slight warmth in the belly; medium length finish of moderate-great intensity; plush, and well-balanced with good structure.

• 2005 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (3/14/2009)
  – popped and poured –
  – tasted non-blind at the winery –

NOSE: very tight; underbrush; light red fruits.
BODY: magenta garnet color of shallow-moderate depth; clear; light-medium bodied.
TASTE: underbrush; sour cherries; fruity; a bit on the acidic side of well-balanced; medium length finish; 13.5% alc… For drinking today, this was the least impressive of the tasting, IMO. For a different point of view, this was my wife’s favorite of the tasting. This definitely needs time. Hold

Posted from CellarTracker

-------- and, for reference, my TN on the '02:

• 2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (12/13/2010)
  – popped and poured –
  – tasted non-blind over 2 days –

NOSE: Day 1: sappy blueberry; pebbly minerality; smells sweeter than the ‘02 Pisoni; gray mud / wet clay; underbrush; a fleeting hint of sweet balsamic; incense spice; the Nose is constantly changing on this wine; moderate expressive to expressive. Day 2: blue cherry; very sappy (pine tree); moderately expressive; slightly funky minerality.

BODY: rustic black-garnet color of moderate depth (very similar in color to the ‘02 Arcadian Pisoni PN, but a touch lighter than the Pisoni); medium-grained particulate matter present, but otherwise clear; medium bodied.

TASTE: Day 1: underbrush; earthy; juicy; sappy; black cherry; hint of cola; no alcohol taste, but the 14.5% alc is felt a bit in the belly and also on the palate; shiso leaf; more red-fruited than the Nose would indicate; not over-extracted or overblown, but a bit rough with the alcohol; tannins are soft but drying; acidity is juicy; well-balanced between acidity and tannin, but this wine does seem disjointed to me; medium-long finish of moderate intensity Day 2: a bit ashy; hint of cola; some alcohol peaks through and is a bit rough; flavors otherwise the same as Day 1; tannins are soft/grippy/drying; well-balanced between acid and tannin, but somewhat disjointed (alcohol-acid-tannin); fruit is not as concentrated as the ‘02 Pisoni. An enjoyable drink now, but I really don’t know where this wine is going.

B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 7 = 90 (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Nice, Brian. Glad you can source Arcadians on the other side of the pond.

Cheers,
Doug

I can’t. I (temporarily) moved over here a year ago.