Has anyone else had any wines from Nichols? This is the only pinot that I have had from this producer in the Paso Robles area and good gawd is it tasty juice. I had it once about 6 months ago at a wine bar in Irvine, CA and I was able to stop in there again tonight. Really yummy stuff. Below are my notes from the two experiences.
2001 Nichols Winery & Cellars Pinot Noir Odyssey Thurlestone Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley (11/14/2008)
The nose of deep red cherries, raspberries, cranberries, cola and a touch of fresh pine and earth seems to have gone up my nostrils and soaked into my brain, as even the next day it still seemed to be there. Color is that of dark rubies that turns almost black in the shadows or in the reflection off of some of the objects in the room. Flavor is light to medium bodied, and is fantastically layered. Ripe fruits come first, followed with some earth and acid on the mid, finishing with some smoky, cola flavors and just a touch of chocolate. I absolutely loved this wine. It’s one of those that you hope the residual flavors from the finish just stay in your mouth forever, and that keep you thinking about them as you are leaving the bar, when you fall asleep at night, and when you wake up in the morning. At $33 from the winery’s online shop, it’s an absolute steal. (93 pts.)
2001 Nichols Winery & Cellars Pinot Noir Odyssey Thurlestone Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley (3/25/2009)
Had some time to kill while I chauffeured my wife to a meeting this evening, so I stopped into the local wine bar. Are you kidding me with this stuff?? Market difference since the last time I had it. I got more plum, raisin on the fruit and the color was not so bright ruby as before. I seriously doubt that this dramatic of a change could have happened over the span of six months, so I will chalk it down to bottle variation at this point. Never-the-less, still incredibly subtle, elegant and flavorful despite the variation, and the finish…just lulls you to sleep. Ridiculously tasty and well made wine, and there are very few CA pinots that can compete at that price point. I HAVE to get some of this for home. Same score as previous tasting note.
Posted from CellarTracker