I was able to sample a couple of wines from 2009 from Jamie.
Here is a repeat of my impression of the Falstaff Road sample.
The wine has a gorgeous color. Very young pinot nose. There is significant structure here that takes some time to release the fruit. In that sense, it is more like a Burgundy than California.
I did a little glass decanting. I really like this vineyard site. Kevin Harvey’s Alesia releases were wonderful. This one has more delicate extraction
of color but there is tons of flavor when it releases. Darker pinot flavor but lots of mineral notes. Crisp. Clean. Nice length.
Yesterday, I took the McDougall sample out to share with some of the guys. Big Toe Fleming was there. Brandon Tai. Ken Katz. Several others. Here is my impression. Others will chime in I hope.
The color here is dark purple but there is great clarity to the wine. You can see your fingers through this wine if you place them on the bottom of the glass. On the nose again this is primary darker pinot fruit. Intense. Crisp. The palate is so well balanced. From beginning to end, there is a special feel to this. Great mid palate sap. This wine is very much like Burgundy to me in many ways. Fabulous length. Much better than the Falstaff on the finish. More flavor intensity too.
A wine to hold.
There is a clarity of expression of the fruit here that speaks of Burgundy in a way. The quality of the flavors is all California. I like this quite a bit.
It was a real treat to taste the Mcdougall, thanks for sharing, Don and of course, Jamie. It was very interesting how the nose was so big and strong, but the wine so much more softer. I think the comment at the table that, we are excited to see where this goes after some bottle aging, goes in line with your thought of lay it down. This wine is in it’s infancy and we are just at the tip of experiencing all that it can bring in the future. Good times yesterday. Thanks to Brandon for bringing up Credit Card Roulette
2010 WOTY (So Far)2004 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard
Thanks Don for sharing and I am glad the wines were to your liking. Your verbiage above is key and subsequently I have chosen to help people resist infancide by not releasing McDougall and Falstaff until Fall 2011. I will release the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley and Savoy Vineyard early next year as I usually would.
Jamie was kind enough to include me in the fun so here are my impressions.
Falstaff:
Roasted meat, earthiness and violets on the nose. Red fruits on the palate leaning towards the darker side of the spectrum. The wine exhibits great balance with plenty of structure in reserve. Long finish of cherry with a kiss of darker fruits.
McDougall:
Nose is similar to the Falstaff but with more spice notes and less earthiness. Red fruits with exquisite balance on the mid-palate and finish. More structure than the Falstaff. Very long structured finish with cherry/raspberry notes and sweet tannins.
These are fantastic wines that I will be thrilled to have in my cellar. The quality is stunning and shows that Jamie is really dialing things in. I love the mixture of structure and fruit as well as the fact the components meld beautifully to create wines of elegance and power. In a word WOW!!! I’ll be backing up the truck.
I have also now had the pleasure of trying a sample of the 2009 Kutch McDougall Ranch which finally made it after a delay in customs, thanks again Jamie!
Opened over two nights (which really allowed it to open and express its self), with the second half kept in the Cellar…
Night 1:
Bright mid purple red, with a touch of kirsch on the nose. On the palate, this is a wine of class and balance. Again, a touch of Krisch in the pure and juicy sour/sweet cherry fruit profile, with a touch of what Dave Kolin previously described as Pomegranite (which I think is spot on here). What I really like is the wines verve, and everything here is on lovely balance, alcohol, acid, tannins and fruit. Overall, an extremely promising, composed and expressive wine, and one that will gain further weight and complexity in the next year(s) in bottle. Classy, long finish.
Night 2:
Seems to have put on a bit of fruit weight, the Kirsch has given way to darker, sweeter fruits, and the wine has settled a bit. A beguiling wine, lovely mouth feel, and again, just a joy to drink. It is complete, and it’s components already so well meshed that it is drinking very well now for such a young wine. The more I drink, the more I’m completely loving this. Easily one of the top few New World Pinots I have ever had, even though this wine is really much closer to Burgundy than New World. I think that with some more time, this will be just stunning. A complete bargain at the price, and if I could get it here, would buy it by the (multiple) case without a second thought. Superb!
Now this, I like…as it will allow me to buy more of each wine than if I had to pick from every thing at once with my ever decreasing wine budget. Maybe this can be the trend going forward?
Thanks Paul for the feedback. I am glad the sample finally arrived after its hang-up in customs and showed what sounds to be in good shape. It certainly was a long journey for that split.
I hope to have a chance to share a finished bottle with you someday either on your side of the ocean or back here.
I wonder if it is possible to speak kindly about a California Pinot without making references to Burgundy? If we are to praise the clarity of expression, then shouldn’t that expression be that of California?
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