Prince of Pinot for All

WINE TALK
1

As recently rumored, the Prince is available with free access for everyone again. Here are his 2009 Cali Pinot Picks and 2009 Oregon Picks. He includes value offerings for each category as well. His archived articles are excellent including some podcasts.

Enjoy.

RT

2

I thought YOU were the Prince of Pinot? Or do I have my royalty mixed up, and you are merely the Baron of Beaune?

3

I saw the Price’s 2009 Picks and was interested to see Buena Vista at the top of the list. I knew they had made really good strides with the Ramal Rd. vineyard, but when I tasted the lineup a year ago, it was the syrah from that vineyard that was most impressive.

4

FWIW the lists are alphabetical (First Team, 2nd Team, etc.). Rusty’s preferred 13.8 - 14.5% abv range is a bit higher than mine, but he’s someone who admittedly appreciates “see-through red lingerie” Pinots as well as “Jimi Hendrix purple”. Jeff Stewart’s pursuit of balance over the past several years seems to be paying off.

RT

5

It appears that Rusty likes the 2006 Oregon’s a heck of a lot more than I do. I actually prefer the 2nd Team to the 1st.

6

Have you tried many of them Phillip? A number of new names/bottlings to me. Personally, I don’t see how the 07 Scott Paul Audrey and 2007 Shea Pommard didn’t make the first cut.

RT

7

The Count of Corton, perhaps? [wink.gif]

8

My dear Patrizi di Piemonte, you do flatter me.[cheers.gif]

RT

9

IMO, much better than being the garcon of grenache!

10

I didn’t think Coelho posted over here.

RT

11

Very interesting. I think the “first team” is pretty well rounded. Check out that Et Fille. Rusty’s right on. I smelled this and was blown away. Great stuff. Not big wine, but very beautiful. Same too with the “second team.” That Kelly Fox wine is super elegant and very long. You could taste it quick and miss it because it’s light and ethereal. That’s high quality pinot to me. Bravo for Rusty for representing this side of things, along with the more usual suspects and/or bigger, richer wines.

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13

Very interesting. Thanks for posting, Richard. There are several on the lists that I have never heard of – not surprising. Time to do some hunting. I’m sure that each of our personal lists would be different. There are several that I can think of off the top of my head that I have prefered even over the '07 Shea Pommard.

14

Greg, the OR PNs I don’t try much of include: Anne Amie, Et Fille, JK Carriere, Lenne and Prive (you’d think my Burgophilia would prompt me to seek out the french sounding names). Never been wowed by Dobbes. I know nothing about:

Brandborg
Kelley Fox
Laura Volkman
Le Nez
Styring
Verve

The Buena Vista, Rhys and Wesmar appear to be his top Cali QPRs and probably the first I’d go for (unless offered some Littorai).

RT

15

Richard, sorry for the delay in responding. Wall-to-wall meetings on Tuesday and spent all day yesterday trying to travel from Allentown back to St. Louis.

I’m with you on the seldom and never tasted list. Some of the never tasted are totally new names to me. However, I have read a few other interesting comments about the Volkman and Styring. Maybe time for me to track these down. I did purchase a couple others that I had never heard of (and not on this list) on my last trip to Oregon that will most likely make it into a blind Pinot tasting one of these days.