TN: 2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing (USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills)

WINE TALK
1

Really can’t be a hater here, I dropped off the list in ''09 because I wasn’t seeing the value. Still think Botella is one of the pinots I’ve tasted.

  • 2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/10/2014)
    Slightly reductive funky Pinot nose which doesn’t blow off, thankfully. Pushing the darker side of Pinot. Nose leads you to believe it might be older. Good earth notes. Palate is driven by a mild sweet cherry and pine notes with very fine tannins. Slightly aggressive oak or stem finish. Tough not to enjoy this wine.

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Thanks, Brig. I recently pulled one of these for drinking in the near future. Sounds like it’s going to be good! [cheers.gif]

3

I was recently at a blind pinot tasting with 24 wines from all hot spots for pinot - 6 from Burgundy, 6 from California, 6 from Oregon and 6 from other misc. areas (Germany, Chile, etc.).
6 flights of 4 wines from each region. 4 top scored wines advanced to final tasting.
The 09 version of this wine was the clear winner and there were some heavy hitters.
#2 wine - Pierre Gelin - Chambertine Clos de Bez
#3 wine - 2010 Beaux Freres Upper Terrace
#4 wine - 2010 Carlton Yamhill - Shea Vineyard Estate Block 7

The #1 & #2 wines were neck in neck for me but inevitably I voted for the Southing. A similar tasting done 2 years prior and this same wine won that event as well!

4

Tom,

I thought this would be a good entry in a blind tasting as I wrote the note.

5

I’m a fan as well. I purchased several bottles of this wine via WineBid but unfortunately have no bottles remaining. Thanks for the TN; tempting to seek out some more.

6

The new winemaker, starting in the 2007 vintage, dialed the wines back a little (though they are still not light and delicate by any means), a little less ripeness and a little more acid.

Southing is definitely a wine that improves through its first decade or so, if you can keep your hands off of it, and I think that should be even more true for the vintages under the new winemaker. I think it tends to be a little clumsy in its first few years after release, which I think leads to some of the negative perceptions of the wine. That, and the 2006 vintage, which was below their otherwise very consistent standards, but that’s true for many California wines from that year.

7

I just had the 2009 of this on Saturday and it reinforced my views on Sea Smoke. It’s fine, it’s good, and I like it well enough. But the price has pushed out to the point where I can get better for less. I’m not a buyer anymore.

8

2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (6/19/2019)
– decanted immediately before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over 2 – 3 hours –

NOSE: high-toned (perhaps some lift from the alcohol); mostly red-fruited (ripe red berries), veering just a bit towards the purple fruit spectrum.

BODY: garnet-ruby color of medium depth with slight bricking throughout; medium-light to medium bodied.

TASTE: a bit oakier than I’d prefer, but it’s not ruined; medium acidity; not tannic; a touch alcoholic (14.5% labelled); ripe; big, but not comically huge; perhaps drying out now, so drink up; not funky. Drink Now. gut impression score: 90 – 91.

9

I bought this in 2004 and then stopped buying for reasons long forgotten, but I always liked it.

10

Love me some Sea Smoke, although the Ten is reaching the upper range of my spending limits.