2011 Peter Michael Clos du Ciel Pinot. . . . 15.8% alc?!

WINE TALK
1

I just happened across a bottle of this wine at a local shop this weekend and was somewhat flabbergasted at the alcohol level of this Pinot Noir. . . 15.8%! Not to mention the price tag of $120/750ml! I’ve never had a Peter Michael Pinot before, but am trying to figure out the reasoning behind this kind of wine being produced. I’m certainly not preachy about alcohol level when it comes to just about any wine, and actually enjoy both 13% and 14.7% Cali/Oregon pinots, but I can’t come up with a logical series of decisions that would result in this kind of wine from Sonoma Coast. The website tasting notes also use the terms “European” and “elegance” to describe this wine. In fairness, they also use “intense nose of. . . strawberry liqueur,” “heavy notes of fruit,” and “full-bodied mouthfeel.” No kidding.

Has anyone tried this or similar wines and what were your experiences?

As a side-note, I wonder if 15.8% is the actual number or if they are already fudging it downward as law allows. If they haven’t, why not?

2

[bleh.gif] [bleh.gif] [bleh.gif]

TTT

3

Dusty,

I’ve never tried their Pinot but my most recent tries with a couple of their Chardonnays left me underwhelmed (oak and alcohol).

4

Nobody mentions heat in the notes.

Curious how they got the brix to create the booze in the '11 vintage from Sonoma coast.

Edit: as John pointed out below, I linked to the '09, oops. No '11 yet in ct.

5

I had three Peter Michael pinots at our Christmas tasting, blind. They came in dead last. All hot and cough syrupy.

6

Dusty,

This is odd. By my records, PM has not yet released the 2011 Clos du Ciel Pinot. And at $120, that is lower than mailing list release price.

Frank

7

I can’t give an explanation for that, other than to say that Jungle Jim’s Market in Cincinnati is the largest wine retailer in Ohio and has some significant pull with regard to getting these types of wines.

We usually get boned in Ohio with lots of booze taxes though, and our average bottle price are well over what national publications tend to list for pricing.

I guess I could’ve read the label wrong. The 2010 was also listed as 15.8% alc on the website. I spoke with their wine director about it and he said he got “a couple bottles” just recently and hadn’t tried it yet.

8

That link is for the 2009.

9

I have had the Peter Michael pinot a number of times both in a casual setting as well as blind comparative tastings. In the blind setting it did not show very well at all. In the casual setting I did not prefer it either because of the overt sense of heat on the nose and palate.

Now truth be told I do like much richer wines when dealing with Cab, Syrah, Merlot, etc. however for Pinot I want something a little less overt than what PM pinots have shown me.

10

I could just tell from the comments here that Bob Parker would love this wine.

11

Parker does show them love but not like Mr. Laube.

Peter Michael Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Clos Du Ciel; 2010; 95; $125

Peter Michael Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Clos du Ciel; 2009; 95; $125

12

[welldone.gif]

Another critic whose Pinot Noir recommendations I devour like rat poison.

If one could label a 2007 Fonseca as Pinot Noir, it would be an easy Parker/Laube 100/100.

13

Was it Laube who gave Rhys pinots mid low 80’s?

14

I happen to really like PM pinots. If anyone has any 09 Le Caprice they are thinking of pouring down the drain, please PM me!

15

15.8?
That’s just so wrong

16

Why? There are plenty of admirers of plenty of 15.8% ponots.

17

The 2010 ‘Ma Danseuse’ clocks in at the same ABV. The cynic in me suspects that they’re just being more honest than some other wineries.

18

Whenever we do comp tastings we always run the numbers and you my friend are exactly on point with this comment!

[winner.gif]

19

I still don’t think that makes it right [wink.gif]

20

I don’t think there are very many 15.8% pinots being made in recent years at all. Can anyone else name one, say from 2007 vintage onward? I think I saw an Aubert that was into the mid 15s, but that was the closest I’ve seen.