03 Clos Pepe, 06 Edi Kante, 05 Arcadian Syrah & 04 St Innocent Anden

WINE TALK
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  • 2003 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir Vigneron Select - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (1/14/2010)
    The wine is still young and aggressive. Ripe cherries and plums on the nose. Also a bit of tea. The wine is a bit disjointed but seems like a little more time will bring it together. Lots of pure red fruit.
  • 2006 Edi Kante Carso Sauvignon Blanc - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso (1/8/2010)
    Aromatically there is lots of fruit (apples and pears) along with a bit of grass. The wine is very juicy. High acid but it is surrounded by ripe rich fruit. (89 pts.)
  • 2005 Arcadian Syrah Sleepy Hollow Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/7/2010)
    Had over two days. Stemmy, N. Rhonish nose with some weird vegetable smell. There is also some rhubarb, plum and pepper. I enjoyed the weight and texture of the wine. Mainly showing a citrus front right now. The darker fruits are covered by the acid. On the second day there was a very nice balance. Finish is a bit sour but it is long. (89 pts.)
  • 2004 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Anden - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (1/6/2010)
    Had over two days. The aromatics went from scorched earth, oak and spice, to a spicy brambly mix of red and black fruit. This is on the dark side. Brooding. The aromatics are almost too bold. On the first night the finish is blah. The fruit is ripe but not candied. This is not a fragile flower. The wine has a lot going on but right now it needs rich food to stand up to the tannin and acid. (90-91) (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Nice notes all around, Jason … fun stuff. The St. Innocent sounds really tasty. Those are terrific wines. Thanks for educating me on them.

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Thanks for the note Jason. Had the Arcadian over 2 days and your note is spot on. As I posted in the CC I liked the PB Hein Trailblazer Syrah better than the Arcadian.

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Hmm, I was thinking the St Innocent sounded big and brash and distinctly inelegant. I haven’t opened an '04 for a number of years, but maybe it’s time to check in on one. I have doubts about whether these wines will always be a little too big and bold for my palate.

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The Andens are bold wines. Not sure I would call this big in consideration of ripeness but Anden does seem to produce dark brooding wines that need lots of time. I just don’t think it produces pretty, delicate wines. Although the Evesham Wood 7 Springs (which I believe is actually Anden) does have more finesse than the SI.

Jason

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Agree about Anden PNs. Don’t think I’ve ever had one that was feminine or subtle, but if anyone could’ve pulled it off…

RT

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Yeah, the Evesham Woods Seven Springs “En Dessous” is considerably more finessed in style that St. Innocent. Which reminds me that I had always planned on tasting those two bottles side by side sometime. Maybe it’s time to make that happen.

Maybe my worry about the St. Innocent Andens is that they’ll always be a little, what’s the word, foursquare? I opened an '02 about a year ago and it was still pretty primary and pretty chunky. I’m hoping that in the next few years, the '02s will enter a new phase where more refinement begins to peek out.

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I’m not generally a big fan of 04 WVPN. I find the wines kind of heavy and lacking the pretty aromas and flavors from recent vintages like 05,07,08. The Anden vineyard seems to produce some clunky wines(at least in their youth). I don’t have much older Anden Pinots, but have had them from a few different producers and they seam to be more about the big fruit than the finnese and elegance many other vineyards produce. Most of my experience is with Patty and Jim’s wines. This vineyard is on volcanic soils, IIRC.??

Thanks for the notes/reference point, Jason. Trying so hard to lay off my Or Pinots at let them age. headbang

You were missed at Paul’s, last month.

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I know Mark V. loves the 02 Anden but he also thinks it needs 5 more years. I would keep your hands off. I have a bunch so I may be brave and crack one this year. Hope to have some free time in Chi town this year. You still there? Maybe I’ll bring a bottle.

Jason

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I have enjoyed most of the 04s. The St Innocents and Evesham Woods have been great.

Sorry if you were already aware but just to make sure, the Anden is half of 7 Springs. The were given separate names after a family split (iirc). The Anden is the older/original part of the vineyard and is on jory soil.

You were missed at Paul’s, last month.

Yeah I was bummed to miss out. Eventually the stars will align and we’ll connect.

J

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I didn’t know that. Interesting. I’m a little behind the curve as I’ve not tasted many St. Innocents and Evesham Woods until last year. headbang -One of the many reasons to be participating on boards like this- not to mention getting to become friends with you knuckleheads. grouphug

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The Knuckleheads (maybe this should be our new name, Jason??) are meeting at Jason’s Vineyard office this Friday the 19th for lunch and blind Pinot, John. You should pop in!!! There is always at least one eye-opening wine served among the many popped, sometimes more than one. Just expense it out as a biz trip.

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I’ll plan on it. [thumbs-up.gif]

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I heard that was a fail. I think you should make the trip.

Jason

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I’m working on it, though the cards are stacked against me, being down with the wife and kids. pileon

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All are welcome! Get over here.

J

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BTW I am drinking the 07 St Innocent Justice right now [winner.gif]

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Jason,

Been traveling the past few days and just saw this. Unfortunately I’m not going to be in Chicago again regularly until Sept. 1 or thereabouts, so maybe it’ll work out for sometime after that. Or who knows, maybe I’ll be passing through CA at some point.

Jamie