TN: 2005 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard

WINE TALK
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  • 2005 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (2/11/2009)
    Since I have quite a few of these, and several folks twisted my arm to ‘take one for the team’, I decided to give one of these a go to see what magic Joe worked with a SVD from this vintage. If the SLH bottling was any indication this should be very good but I also figured it would be a couple of notches better. I decanted this for a couple of hours and then double decanted for another couple of hours. The wine upon pouring had a beautiful translucent cherry almost salmon color but became a much deeper cherry color with air. This was still wound very tight and the nose did not reveal much. The palate is more structure than fruit but there is some nice red fruit in the background with a nice sappy quality that I like in my pinots. The finish was actually the best part at this stage with delicious citrus acidity and white pepper spice that had good length. My overall impression was one of a very well made wine with plenty of structure for extended aging and great balance. There was not a rough edge to be found.

I saved half the bottle for day 2 and as expected it had further opened and gave a better idea of where this will be heading. The fruit was more pronounced and full of red cherry, strawberry and raspberry but the wine’s structure was still in control. The finish added a bit more of the red fruit profile and the acidity is perfect. At this stage it is obvious that the wine’s strength is balance and is built to age. This is going to be an excellent wine and should begin to enter it’s prime drinking window in about 4 years and continue to improve from there. Very happy to have backed up the truck on Joe’s '05s.

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Russ - Thanks for the notes. It is my favorite bottling of all Arcadian that I have tasted. I’ve been enamored with it SH since I tasted the 2001. The chardonnays are awesome too.

Cheers. [cheers.gif]

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Killin babies over here too. [berserker.gif]

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Dennis - Every once in a while, should we say a blue moon, I feel obliged to take one for the team. I hope your cellar is properly stocked with this vintage.

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Never enough my friend, but I’m working it [d_training.gif]