Burgundy Schmurgundy--2011 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

[Frank_Murray_III]

Glad you had a good meal there with Sabha. Now, you are only 27 meals behind Charlie, as he carries the Playground flag. I need to get back there in the next few weeks, noodling on an idea.

I’ve tasted that Rhys only once, when at the winery in 2012. I enjoyed it then, at least how CT note reads from the visit (at 47, I try and remember but CT saves me!).

See you in a few weeks man, glad you are feeling better and drinking pinot again, too.

[Paul_H_Galli]

@Andrew Christiansen

@Frank Murray III

Andrew, with all you endured the past several months, you go enjoy that Rhys with that terrific wife of yours and have a great dinner at Playground. Funny, the chef/owner there was on Chopped this past week, a new episode, and he placed second. The guy who won, while very talented, had a lack of modesty and was so full of himself that it was hard to watch. I dig that place.

Anyway, celebrate buddy and drink some CA pinot tonight–you earned it.

So not to break my promise…loved, loved, loved Playground. Although we’ve tried multiple times to get there, we hadn’t been back since last summer, since this isn’t exactly a good place for an active, two year-old boy. We definitely made up for lost time! Although we enjoyed our last visit, it didn’t quite blow us away. Tonight made up for it as everything seemed to click. Like with wine, there are no great restaurants (wines), only great meals (bottles).

Remember the 2006 Rhys Hillside Pinot? Oh, yeah. We were so enraptured by our meal that we had to remind ourselves to come up for air and wine. First time with this bottle, but third 2006 Rhys from the Alpine vineyard. Spicy (ah, the 2006 Rhys vintage stems) dark fruits that weren’t as full as others have noted, with moderate acidity and a bit of latent heat that was noticeable but didn’t detract.

Before opening, I was concerned the stems might be in a tug-of-war with the fruit, but these elements were playing nice. My concern moving forward would be that the stems might eventually outlast the fruit, particularly for relatively young vines, although the stems were more resolved than anticipated. A thoroughly enjoyable pinot that provides an old world subtlety and sense of place, which is undoubtedly California. I am glad to have sat on my Hillside bottles for several years. I plan to drink a second bottle sooner rather than later, since I would rather sell high than guess that these would improve rather than simply evolve. I might save my third bottle as an experiment, as I’ve done with the 2006 Alpine.

Thanks for the update on the 2006 Hillside.
Will pop one in the near future!

TTT

[andy_velebil]

@Andrew Christiansen

Only had one glass of CA pinot in the past few months, a 2010 Cabot AV which was reliably tasty. A nice medium-weight AV Pinot with a equal bits of fruit, funk, and spice, and a small dash of heat that did not annoy. A steal at $24 from Hi time, at least until Velebil HAD to out the stash and it disappeared immediately.

Oh and Best Wines Online down the freeway has it in stock for a few bucks more.

[Andrew_Christiansen]

@andy velebil

@Andrew Christiansen

Only had one glass of CA pinot in the past few months, a 2010 Cabot AV which was reliably tasty. A nice medium-weight AV Pinot with a equal bits of fruit, funk, and spice, and a small dash of heat that did not annoy. A steal at $24 from Hi time, at least until Velebil HAD to out the stash and it disappeared immediately.

Oh and Best Wines Online down the freeway has it in stock for a few bucks more.

Hi Time got in a few more cases, but I already hit my quota for the month! I whined because I was in the store the afternoon of your post, picked up a couple bottles and put them back in favor of some Pinon! Got a call from Veronica about the restock, but will need to try to fit it in later, hopefully.

[Michael_Davidson]

My brother, who is not into wine at all, is visiting, and I opened this last night.

I didn’t take formal notes. He really loved it. I found it a touch too ripe, although not veering into cola territory. Surprising given the listed alcohol, but it was pretty full bodied.

A very enjoyable wine to drink without too much thought, though. I prefer the Wind Gap syrahs, but I’ll still keep getting a few pinots.

Michael