2006 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Temperance Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (5/9/2009)
The aromatics never really woke up but what did show was very pleasant. On the palate, the acids really make everything pop. Medium high acids with lots of citrus. But not that grapefruity citrus you get from SLH. Still the ripe vintage gives this some SLH qualities. Decent overall structure. This wines screams for food … or maybe 1 refreshing glass on a warm evening. Preferred choice would be to wait a few years.
(90 pts.)
2006 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/26/2009)
Seemed like this one is known as the approachable 06. Well it is approachable although not so much pleasurable when compared to what it will be like in a few years. The aromatics were workin. Pretty fruit along with earth. The massive fruit hits hard on the attack. The finish is off. Kind of like a mouth full of stems. The wine had been open for a few hours but I then through it in the decanter. The wine started to integrate but only time will mellow the fruit out. Wait 3-5 years. (90 pts.)
Cheers,
Jason