Full disclosure: my first harvest was at EW and I have loved the wines for years. These 2 bottles seemed VERY atypical for Russ or Erin’s body of work. They were as they were, but it would be good to know provenance of the wines, and also to see if we can find more data points on these bottlings.
While I found a hint of the same aromatics in the LGB as the LPS, they were very different wines on our table.
100% agree! I really did like the tasting but most of these wines seem like that will continue to evolve.
I am also wondering if there was a bit of bottle variation in the Ayres? Our table did not seem to have the same reaction to that wine.
For the EW Puits…purchased from Vinopolis August 31, 2012, possibly hand delivered there by Erin. Shipping cross country late November 2012. Trimpi wine cellar passive basement (55 - 68F, very slow temp transitions) from November 2012 - July 27, 2016. Check in luggage (styro shipper box) Philly to Portland July 27, 2016…no sign of heat stress or damage to other wines in the box. Kept in AC hotel room in Portland July 27 - July 30. Car transport to McMinnville and kept in AC bedroom July 30 - August 1st. Car Transport to Scott Paul.
No chain of custody forms…unfortunately. 
RT
Too much bagna cauda pizza. ![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
Or, in this context, a ripe, rich, full midpalate waiting to unfurl.
Agree as not very representative, I have had hundreds of EW bottles over many years and none have been anything like that LPS bottle. Although I have had far fewer since Russ retired. But, stuff happens to bottles. The LGB was much better for me.
Looking above I may agree with Marcus’ observation of bottle variation at certain tables or locations. Eg I thought the Ayres had a nice little funky reduction but was just “ok” in the mouth - nowhere near a top wine on the day. Notes from the two tables vary widely it seems, and not just on this one.
Easy. Stop racing for a week. The problem is how to get back in race shape and peel off the 4+ extra pounds. Some delicious food this trip…Little Bird, 3 private dinners, Coquine lunch, the Passport event (the quality of the restaurant fare pretty much stole the show IMHO) and Toro Bravo for a tapas binge.
RT
that Bagna Cauda sure was a hit! Glad you enjoyed it.
I was at the street side table that seems to have gotten the “great” Ayres. It was really, really fantastic. my notes were “orange peel, saline. Crushed seashells, limestone. Tart finish. Really exciting and fascinating wine.” definitely a wine to seek out and might even improve, especially on the finish. Anyone have experience with the '11?
There was quite a bit left in the bottle of Ayres set up for the post tasting photo. I tried it, and it was drinking beautifully. I can’t say if it was the additional air, or it was for some other reason.
I felt that a number of wines tasted were improving in the glass. Maybe next time I’ll bring a few extra small glasses or containers to hold a few wines for later review.
P Hickner
Drinking another 2010 EW Puits right now…same case. The hamster cage is yesterday’s news, replaced by subtle sweet wood (not overt cedar) and a typically balanced expression of estate fruit. Quite tasty. No explanation other than a different bottle and a different day.
RT
Richard what I tasted in both EW bottlings had nothing to do with handling or storage. It wasn’t a cooked, oxidized bottle…something was just off. I too love EW and have a significant amount of their wire and have never encountered a bottle quite like what I experienced.
I think the Ayres was also in my top 5. It was really unique, very enjoyable and really unexpected.
I posted a note from a lovely bottle of 2010 Cameron AR. I’ve had a few before today and those were similar. As for Ayres, I find them to get a bit flabby and murky in warmer years and to really thrive in cooler years like 2010 and especially 2011.
This is a fascinating read. I am missing a few pieces of information as I try to take it all in. First, how many attendees were there? And how many bottles of each wine were there? Were all the posters here drinking from the same bottle?
35 wines, 2 750s of most, 2 in mag the Vincent & the Brickhouse
30 attendees.
-Steve
Come join us for Season 7! Always the day after IPNC.
Thank you…I am honored by the invitation!
So if I am not pressing too hard on this, for “flawed” or “corked” wines, are there consistent notes from both bottles opened?
My absolute favorite Pinot ever is the 2011 Thomas, just to help you calibrate my personal preferences. I made my first trip to Oregon this past spring and am continuing my Pinot education. I can’t stand any
Hmmm…funky editor. Meant to say I can’t stand any funk.
OK so I’m still flaming pissed that I couldn’t attend the post-IPNC throw down this year. Yeah, it was my own stupid fault, but I’m incredibly bummed because 2010 has always been a special vintage for me. The best wines always had a sappy lavender quality and great balance. I’ve resisted drinking them for the most part because it seemed they would have a long and elegant evolution. Reading the (excellent) notes above, perhaps it is time to start cracking a few bottles.
With that in mind, and given the generally glorious reviews from the tasting, tonight we opened the 2010 Ayres Pioneer.
One thing that I’ve always found fascinating about the Pioneer is that it is 100% 667 clone. There just aren’t many top shelf Oregon Pinots that aren’t blends of multiple clones.
Sadly, tonight I don’t have 34 other wines for comparison. Furthermore, it is unfair for me to issue a tasting note on this wine (as I absolutely adore Brad, Kathleen, Don and Carol; and because we sell grapes to Ayres that go into their Perspective bottling). Thus, I will simply share a few thoughts:
The wine is gorgeous. Blood-orange, boysenberry, resolving violets and lavender up front. Exotic, asian spices but plush. Fine mid-palate tension that refreshes. Chalky bright finish with combination of fine and rustic tannin.
Again–I am more than biased, but very much enjoy this wine. Years of life ahead but my sense it will be near peak in 2-5 years.
Cheers everybody. Wish I could have seen everybody on Monday. An early vote for 2011s next year.
Ah, forgot that you brought the LPS.
I think it would be fun to sequentially number a set of bottles for Berserkers, and ship them out to an array of destinations. Then have a thread for TNs that would have the bottle number, the location of consumption, date consumed, and weather conditions posted as well.
While I know from experience that blending Pinot Noir in tank does not make it truly homogenous, it would be an interesting exploration of tasting under diverse travel conditions, seasonal and atmospheric conditions, unique tasters, and of course closure issues(all winemakers have closure issues).
Btw-Vincent, your wine showed what’s great about 2010 perfectly and I would hope you’re proud of it.
Thanks for all the notes, 2010 has been my favorite vintage accross the board. Some preoducers that I thought made too fruity wines for my taste were very good and all gone. I only have two 2010 Grochau Bjornson left which seem to need more time than the others, some still available and will pick up a few more for some extended aging. A good supply of the 2013 & 2014 thanks to Jim’s largess.