TN: 2006 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Old Vines Summa

WINE TALK
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  • 2006 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Old Vines Summa - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/14/2011)
    14.2% alcohol. This took a bit of time to open up, and it was better once it had warmed from cellar temperature. Black cherry color. Complex, almost brooding nose of black cherry, clove, cinnamon, earth, and a light floral note. There is a strong mineral streak to the bouquet. In the mouth, a lush, velvety mouth feel already, which gives a generous sense of texture to the wine. The black cherry fruit fits in well here, allowing it to fan out, spreading in its wake an array of complex flavors. A very pretty, precise, detailed, and balanced Pinot that will age marvelously for another couple years. Outstanding finish. A-/A

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for the note Tom. I remember the summa and summa ov being pretty restrained and tight the last time I had it.

Sounds like it might be time to check in on one of these.

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Did you for real open that without me? :slight_smile:

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Totally opened it. I think it was the night after we had the Kutch instead?

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TG,

I am drinking through my 06s these days and leaving the 05s for next year. I might even drink my 07s before the 05s. Do you find the 06s more approachable than the 05s?

Regards,
Steve

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In the fall I attended a pinot tasting “22 in all”, where we had an 06 and 07 Rivers Marie. The 07 was fine but the 06 really showed well and was the favorite of many that night.
I agree with Steve.
Cheers

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Steve – I’m definitely drinking 06s before 05s. And even many 08s. Good questions about the 07s. As I’ve been drinking through some 05s the past few months – my original assumption back in 2006-7 was that I’d be binging on 05s by 2010-11 – it has been striking how beautifully and slowly these wines are aging. For the most part, I’m going to keep my 05s sleeping in the cellar for most of this year and test them again next fall, at age six. I think these guys have the stuff to make old bones. They are going to be developing positively for a number of years still. I don’t want to drink them up. The 07s, with the more plush character, may well be shining before some 05s. Win-win all around, but that’s my two cents on it.

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Interesting comments in this thread. I agree 2005 is aging better than 2006 for Rivers-Marie, judging from an excellent '05 Occidental Ridge I opened last week. Also had a disappointing '05 Summa, but I’m not 100% sure it was a representative bottle… may have had very low level TCA, just a hunch, and I plan to pop another soon to be sure.

After having a range of R-M pinots in recent months from 2004-05-06, usually alongside other same-vintage Sonoma Coast pinots, I feel R-M has a distinctive style that is not “in my wheelhouse” but many people love it. The wines all feature big forward fruit, often with an intriguing citrus/orange peel note, and many have a generous dollop of toasted/charred oak as well. And a very soft, pillowy texture that I frequently feel is over the line into “flabby and blowsy” territory, but others may disagree. And all of this is delivered with good acidity and modest alcohol that makes the style work better than most forward fruity wines. At their best within a year or two of release IMO in most cases.

In late December we had (single blind) '06 Alesia Green Valley, '06 R-M Summa, and '06 R-M Summa Old Vines. The two Summas were quite similar, forward, pillowy, the Old Vines with a bit more earth, the regular Summa a bit more oak char. They were both tasty wines that I found boring to drink, and they were better a year earlier. The Alesia was far better wine IMO… Earthy, spicy, floral hints at back of the mouth, good depth, powerful but no weight. Outstanding wine that evolved and changed for 10 hours in decanter.

Bottom line conclusion: R-M does it’s style better than any other winery I know. Not a style I prefer, but there are many fans.