Suggestions for big, full-throttle Pinot Noirs

[Frank_Murray_III]

@Joe Mendez

@Frank Murray III

Belle Glos is what came to mind for me, too.

I think there are some residual sugars left in this wine because its too jammy sweet, at least the bottles I have had.

Joe, and what you write here is precisely why I don’t care for Belle Glos. It’s everything for me that great pinot noir is not. FWIW, for those who do like BG, there is quite a bit of it over on Winebid this week.

[Robert_Page]

This may bring some guffaws, but I’m going to suggest Buena Vista’s Private Reserve Pinot Noir. There were a number of years when I absolutely avoided anything out of BV, but I’ve enjoyed much of what I’ve tried from them recently. In any case, if you desire “full throttle” anything, this winery likely has a good representation of it.

[Wes_Barton]

The one Belle Glos I had was in a single blind lineup last year. I expected I’d hate it, but it was quite good. Of course a single data point doesn’t indicate what is typical, but this was very full and expressive, with no heat or rs.

Siduri vary quite a bit depending on vineyard. The Willamette Valley and several others aren’t big. I’d assume that is still the case with Loring, too. His Graham and Aubaine bottlings I had back when where my faves and quite moderate ripeness.

Furthermore makes a range of full, expressive, balanced Pinots. Lush and silky, but no heat. (A friend was the winemaker until they moved up north to their own facility recently.)

Big ones from the Santa Cruz Mountains are Burrell School, and anything from Muns Vyd (Muns, Sonnet, Left Bank, etc.).

[adam_landa]

Don’t think anyone has mentioned Walter Hansel…the North Slope is fantastic.

[rsmithjr]

Clearly the Belle Glos Los Alturas and Clark & Telephone are big wines. David Bruce from Santa Cruz, and some of the Stemmler wines…

[Bdklein]

@rsmithjr

Clearly the Belle Glos Los Alturas and Clark & Telephone are big wines. David Bruce from Santa Cruz, and some of the Stemmler wines…

Just curious which Stemmler wines do you consider to be big??

[Eric_Keating]

Wren Hop would be my #1 choice. I typically try to avoid (what I consider to be) overripe wines, but I love these PNs even though they are massive.

En Garde
Rochioli (some are big, some are medium bodied)
Sea Smoke

[Wes_Barton]

Sea Smoke ranges quite a bit. We had 3 in a horizontal of eight '06s last year. One, a goopy mess, finished last, while another finished first. Large group agreement on both.

[lleichtman]

@Jim Anderson

Maybe posting 1.5 Manhattans in results in stuff like the above. Yeah, no, Marcus makes wines that are nowhere near this profile. Really, Oregon is out other than a winery or two here.

Jim, I think the Domaine Serene wines and many of the Drouhin lineup fit this description of big and bold.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@Jay Miller

Martinelli and Aubert come to mind immediately. Not my cup of tea but I know people who love them.

Aubert. I have served Aubert pinot to “The Good Jay Miller” blind twice and both times he guessed Cali Syrah. . . And I am one of the people he knows.