2010 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (1/3/2014)
I can’t figure out what to make of this. It’s light bodied, very structured with lots of fine, ripe tannin, but delicate and a touch dilute. Curiously, it smells and tastes like the juice from an exquisitely ripe ruby red grapefruit (complete with a grapefruit-pith like bitterness that is surprisingly prominent, and tart acids) with maybe a whiff of pinot bramble fruit. While I’m not sure I like it, its very distinctive, and at least its interesting.
Perhaps either shutting down or just going through a dumb phase. I’ve tasted this twice, since release a little over a year ago (the last time was about 4 months ago), and both times it showed well, allbeit young.
I have found Thomas Pinots need lots of time, ten yrs for my taste. Have not had the '10 but it needs time no doubt
I’ve had two bottles in the last month…one we (three people) consumed in about 30 minutes…the other was consumed half on day one and half on day two. It was glorious on day two. I’ve got one mag and two bottles left for 2010 and I couldn’t be happier. I think having the mags will keep me from drinking them until they’re 10+ years old. Or I hope that’s the case…
There are no bad wines from good producers, only bad bottles.
No disrespect, but that’s just silly. The very best artists will stumble periodically in the pursuit of excellence, bottle variation aside. I agree that good producers can trump mediocre vintages but to say they never make bad wines is just not true.
Bingo.
Light bodied and dilute, are unusual descriptors for Thomas Pinots. Citrus/Grapefruit is not an uncommon characteristic for Dundee PNs, I’ve picked it up several times in Cameron wines. That bitterness can fold in to the wine over time IMHO. I usually pick up mild smoked meats and darker Gevrey LSJ or CSJ character in young Thomas PNs. I’ve got high hopes for what both the '10 and '11 will become in 10 years.
RT
Sounds like this bottle was blended 2/3 Oregon Pinot and 1/3 Overnoy Poulsard. Sounds delicious to me.
As I was drinking it, I was thinking that it was right in your wheelhouse.
I got that in the much riper 2009, but the 2010 was a dramatically different wine. Huge swing in vintage character.
Richard, I thought your magic number for Thomas was 14 years? ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Peeking is condoned starting around age 10. Glad Greg Malcolm did with a 2002 last year. Wow. Still just getting up to its pinnacle. 14 years sounds just about perfect.
Exceptions can be considered for riper vintages. Popped a 2006 a few weeks ago that came around nicely. Better days still ahead.
RT