TN: 2012 Arnot-Roberts Trousseau North Coast (USA, California, North Coast)

[Brian_Tuite]

• 2012 Arnot-Roberts Trousseau North Coast - USA, California, North Coast (1/24/2014)
  I went Cyber-Group Goose-Stepping this week with an AR Trousseau. You know what, wine does not need to be opaque, rich, ripe, powerful, alcoholic and unctuous to be enjoyable.

Close your eyes, do a sniffy sniff, take a taste, spit and repeat. A refreshing wine but with much more structure than the color would lead you to believe. Different is not evil. Different is not status quo. Different is different. Take a chance, be different, because your tastes vary from day to day. One day you want steak, the next chicken, the next a salad. I’ll have mine withe a Trousseau. Well done Duncan/Nate!

Posted from CellarTracker

[M_Dildine]

A-R is one of planet earth’s most fascinating wineries, IMO.

[maureen_nelson]

Had this recently at Ripple. A CA wine i was most happy to drink.

[David_Bu3ker]

Waiting for slightly more temperate conditions before I open any of mine. Thanks for the early insight.

[Brian_Tuite]

@David M. Bueker

Waiting for slightly more temperate conditions before I open any of mine. Thanks for the early insight.

I hear you. See that 71 on the far left? That’s me!

[Beau_Carufel]

Why spit?

[Brian_Tuite]

@Beau Carufel

Why spit?

That’s what she said!

[Scott_Brunson]

nice goosestepping B
We took a bottle to south Florida for vacation over New Year’s week. Just wonderful–I love this wine. Brother Dildane is absolutely right!

[Dale_McClaran]

Really can’t thank you enough for throwing this in the box Brian, I’ve heard nothing but good things about AR.

I’ll try it soon enough, maybe after the victory parade a week from Wednesday!

[doug_johnson]

excellent wine!
2012 Arnot-Roberts Trousseau North Coast - USA, California, North Coast (1/5/2014)
Transparent but more reddish than the '11 Luchsinger. The nose smells similar to Beaujolais but the palate is less juicy, more nervy and powerful, and tastes of strawberries. Really good wine (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Stan_Y]

This is a sort of dumb question, doesn’t this wine cost >= benchmark Jura Trousseau like Puffeney and Gahier, so is it a relevant wine? I’d be much more excited if it was just over 20 bucks.

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

Fair point Stan, although wines like Puffeney’s Trousseau are $30+. This A-R is kind of a benchmark…a unique expression of the grape and a particularly tasty restrained Californian that addresses preconceptions about high alcohol, heat and oak. Worth a few extra clams IMHO.

RT

[Brian_Tuite]

@Stan Y.

This is a sort of dumb question, doesn’t this wine cost >= benchmark Jura Trousseau like Puffeney and Gahier, so is it a relevant wine? I’d be much more excited if it was just over 20 bucks.

It’s relevant to me since I live in Sonoma County, know the winemakers, know exactly where the fruit comes from, how it’s fermented and treated along the way. Being the wine noob that I am I could go to the wine store, look at 500 bottles of European wines and not know what variety any are made from lest how they were made. I’ll leave that up to you guys. I’m too old and lazy to decipher wine labels. Therefor I buy local, support local winemakers I trust and know what is in the bottle before I buy it.

[M_Dildine]

@Brian Tuite

… I buy local, support local winemakers I trust and know what is in the bottle before I buy it.

A fellow locavinovore!

[Dave_McIsaac]

How does this compare to Copain’s? Has anyone had both?

[Brian_Tuite]

I have not.

[Pierre-Yves]

I drank it side by side of the Gahier’s trousseau 2012 Grand Vergers, and although from the same grape, they are very distinct IMHO. You have what I call the ‘California Fruit’, and more forward lush fruit, easy drinking in A-R, as the Gahier was more reserved, concentrated ( for a Trousseau standpoint), a touch bretty, took time to come around, and deserved its own food.
2 different animals, both I liked, but I would not say I would want to substitute one by the other, like Cali Pinot vs Burgundy.

[Al_Ehrhardt]

@Pierre-Yves

I drank it side by side of the Gahier’s trousseau 2012 Grand Vergers, and although from the same grape, they are very distinct IMHO. You have what I call the ‘California Fruit’, and more forward lush fruit, easy drinking in A-R, as the Gahier was more reserved, concentrated ( for a Trousseau standpoint), a touch bretty, took time to come around, and deserved its own food.
2 different animals, both I liked, but I would not say I would want to substitute one by the other, like Cali Pinot vs Burgundy.

I did not drink one side by side with a Jura trousseau, but I agree with Pierre, it is just different. Not better or worse, just a different style. I really enjoyed this wine and glad to have more.

[doug_johnson]

@Stan Y.

This is a sort of dumb question, doesn’t this wine cost >= benchmark Jura Trousseau like Puffeney and Gahier, so is it a relevant wine? I’d be much more excited if it was just over 20 bucks.

It’s quite relevant to me because a) it’s an extremely enjoyable wine that b) I like better than any Jura I’ve had and c) costs about the same.

[Larry_P]

@Stan Y.

This is a sort of dumb question, doesn’t this wine cost >= benchmark Jura Trousseau like Puffeney and Gahier, so is it a relevant wine? I’d be much more excited if it was just over 20 bucks.

I think it’s a fair question, and while “buy local” certainly holds some sway with me, the local wines still need to compete. When it comes down to it, you’ll pretty much never buy an Arnot-Roberts bottle by comparison shopping on price. However, they are always unique and captivating wines, and for that reason they have a loyal following and command usually higher than average prices.