TN: 2002 Arcadian - Pinot Noir Fiddlestix (USA, CA, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills)

WINE TALK
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  • 2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (12/13/2010)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 2 days –

NOSE: Day 1: sappy blueberry; pebbly minerality; smells sweeter than the ‘02 Pisoni; gray mud / wet clay; underbrush; a fleeting hint of sweet balsamic; incense spice; the Nose is constantly changing on this wine; moderate expressive to expressive. Day 2: blue cherry; very sappy (pine tree); moderately expressive; slightly funky minerality.

BODY: rustic black-garnet color of moderate depth (very similar in color to the ‘02 Arcadian Pisoni PN, but a touch lighter than the Pisoni); medium-grained particulate matter present, but otherwise clear; medium bodied.

TASTE: Day 1: underbrush; earthy; juicy; sappy; black cherry; hint of cola; no alcohol taste, but the 14.5% alc is felt a bit in the belly and also on the palate; shiso leaf; more red-fruited than the Nose would indicate; not over-extracted or overblown, but a bit rough with the alcohol; tannins are soft but drying; acidity is juicy; well-balanced between acidity and tannin, but this wine does seem disjointed to me; medium-long finish of moderate intensity Day 2: a bit ashy; hint of cola; some alcohol peaks through and is a bit rough; flavors otherwise the same as Day 1; tannins are soft/grippy/drying; well-balanced between acid and tannin, but somewhat disjointed (alcohol-acid-tannin); fruit is not as concentrated as the ‘02 Pisoni. An enjoyable drink now, but I really don’t know where this wine is going.

B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 7 = (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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So, Arcadian 2002 week at the Grafstrom’s, eh???

We had this at lunch a couple of months back, and I think I liked it more than you did. I found it to be pretty restrained, and I don’t get that at all from your note. I wouldn’t have pegged our bottle as CA Pinot.

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I did like it; moderately a lot, even (See 90 points). That said, it’s not my favorite of Joe’s wines.

I’m curious what you would have pegged this wine as, if not CA Pinot?

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Oregundian

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You’d just have to check with Cris and I first to let you know if you were right enough to make the claim.

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Interesting. I could certainly go in that direction with the '06 Fiddle or the '06 Dierberg; in a blind tasting, the cola notes I got on this '02 would have taken it out of Beaverland for me.

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2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/24/2016)
– cork pulled 45 minutes before initial taste; decanted immediately before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over 1.5 hours –

NOSE: deep, ripe plums — a touch pruney, perhaps; a little bit smoky/coffee; high-toned plastic note; medium+ expressiveness.

BODY: dark brick-garnet color of medium to medium-deep depth with bricking throughout; medium bodied.

TASTE: tannins are very fine, and almost completely resolved; high acidity; plum; deeply embedded note of leather or brett; paired nicely with Tuscan-herbed pork tenderloin; ripe; 14.4% alc. not noticeable; perhaps still on its upswing, but with the ripeness of the fruit, and the high acidity and the somewhat “loose” presentation, I’m not sure I’d age this much longer.

50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = (89 pts.)

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I opened a 2007 Jill’s this week that did not compel me to my glass.

A friend from the east coast came to share a glass with me yesterday, and he brought me a 2005 Francesca. Anxious to try that one.

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ooh … am quite interested to hear your thoughts on the '05 Francesca! 1/3 of my Francesca holdings are wrapped-up in that vintage, and I’ve not yet tried it! Bummer about the '07 Jill’s — haven’t tried that one yet, either.

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I’m opening a '05 tonight…I will check back in.

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Will post when I do. I just love it when someone has paid attention to my preferences and totes a bottle for me all the way from the East.