TN: SonomaCoast Pinots...(long/boring)

WINE TALK
#1

Tasted this week (2/9/15) w/ my SantaFe Wine Group: SFWG Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs:

  1. Ryme PinotNoir WeeksVnyd/SonomaCoast/SonomaCnty (13.3%) 2013: Med.light color; light cherry/cherry pie/
    earthy/mineral/PN light pencilly/oak attractive nose; quite tart bright/cherry/PN/earthy/dusty light
    pencilly/smokey flavor w/ light tannins; bit lean/tight/austere quite tart bright/cherry bit earthy/dusty
    finish w/ light/stiff tannins; a kinda pretty PN for the AFWE; may get better w/ age. $42.00
  1. Dehlinger PinotNoir GoldRidge/RRV (OldVines; EB; 14.8%) 2012: Med.color; strong black cherry/PN classic
    Dehlinger/oak/smokey lovely nose; softer slightly tart balanced strong black cherry/black cherry cola/PN
    strong Dehlinger/smokey/oak flavor w/ modest/smooth tannins; very long black cherry/black cherry cola/PN
    slight earthy strong Dehlinger/oak finish w/ modest/graceful tannins; pretty classic example of Dehlinger
    PN. $58.50 (vBS)
  1. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir LaNeblina/SonomaCoast (1968 cs; U/U; 13.4%) 2012: Med.dark color; some pencilly/oak/
    smokey classic black cherry/black cherry/cola/spicy slight gamey/earthy rather fragrant nose; bit tart smokey/
    pencilly/oak strong perfumed/black cherry/black cherry cola/PN/spicy balanced fairly rich flavor w/ modest/
    gentle tannins; very long lightly tart perfumed/black cherry/black cherry cola/PN light pencilly/smokey/oak
    finish w/ some smooth/graceful tannins; more expressive of PN and less oak than the Dehlinger; quite
    a lovely/fragrant PN that can use another few yrs of age. $45.00
  1. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir LaNeblina/SonomaCoast (1338 cs; U/U; 14.4%) 2008: Med.dark color w/ no bricking; rather
    complex strong pencilly/cedary/cigar box lighter black cherry/PN bit more earthy/dusty lightly perfumed bit
    pungent/licorice nose; rather softer/smoother some pencilly/cedary/oak/smoke strong black cherry/PN/
    cough syrup/spicy bit earthy/dusty/peppery some complex/aged flavor w/ light/gentle/smooth tannins; very long
    cedary/pencilly/smokey/oak some black cherry/PN/pungent/peppery smooth lighter fairly complex finish w/
    light/velvety tannins; good complexity and maturity but probably headed downhill from here. $42.00
  1. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir DierkeVnyd/RRV (48 cs; U/U; 14.1%; www.RadioCoteau.com) 2008: Med.dark color w/ slight
    bricking; rather pencilly/cedary/smokey/oak/toasty strong black cherry/PN/black cherry cola/spicy/peppery
    light earthy/dusty complex lovely perfumed nose; slightly tart strong black cherry/PN/black cherry cola/
    peppery/spicy light earthy/dusty some cedary/pencilly/smokey/oak fairly complex w/ modest/velvety tannins;
    very long/lingering some smokey/pencilly/oak/cedary strong black cherry/cola/PN/peppery rather complex
    finish w/ modest/gentle tannins; more intense & more alive than #4; probably near its peak and should
    go another few yrs. $50.00
  1. Castelli PinotNoir Estate/GreenVlly/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 13.3%; U/U; 150 cs; Hrvstd: 9/8; SaH: 23 Brix,
    pH: 3.2) 2010    : Med.dark color, lovely very perfumey/fragrant strong black cherry/black cherry cola/PN/
    boysenberry/ripe some earthy/dusty somewhat complex nose; bit tart classic RRV/black cherry/PN/black cherry
    cola some earthy/dusty quite perfumed/aromatic nose w/ light/angular tannins; very long/lingering strong
    black cherry/RRV Pinot/black cherry cola some earthy/dusty finish w/ light/sharp tannins; still needs a bit
    of age; nicely balanced and no obvious oak; my favorite of all these Pinots; very fairly priced at $30.00
  1. Castelli PinotNoir TwoDogVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 14.4%; U/U; www.CastelliVineyards.com; 100 cs;
    Hrvstd: 9/25; SaH: 24.5 Brix, pH: 3.35) Emilio&Laura Castelli/Sebastapol 2010    : Med.color w/ some bricking;
    rather musty/TCA/cardboardy nose; pretty much shot thru by the TCA.
    $26.00
  1. Castelli PinotNoir RioVidaVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 13.6%; U/U; 100 cs; Hrvstd: 9/24; SaH: 23.5 Brix,
    pH: 3.25) 2010    : Med.color w/ slight bricking; rather low-key earthy/dusty light PN/black cherry rather fragrant
    quite attractive nose; rather tart/lean/bit hard attractive black cherry/PN/floral somewhat earthy/dusty
    bit complex flavor w/ some light/bitey tannins and no obvious oak; long bit tart/hard/angular strong
    black cherry/PN somewhat earthy/dusty/forest floor bit complex finish w/ light tannic grip; less fruit
    and more earthy than the Estate w/ less resolved tannins; pretty classic RRV PN at a very good price. $26.00
  1. Siduri PinotNoir SomomaCoast (14.1%; 92% Sonatera/8% Hirsch; 486 cs) 2007: Screw top popped loudly when opened
    from some sort of pressure (?); med.dark color w/ some bricking; bit funky/earthy/pungent/metallic strong
    smokey/classic Siduri oak bit black cherry/PN/cola/cough syrup somewhat strange/complex nose; slightly funky/
    mousey/reduced/pungent some classic Siduri/oak light black cherry/PN/cola bit strange/complex flavor w/ light/
    bitey/tangy tannins; med.long bit reduced/funky/pungent some black cherry/PN/cola Siduri/pencilly/oak complex
    finish w/ light/bitey tannins; a rather interesting/strange Siduri Pinot that’s still holding on but evolved
    in a rather unusual way than expected; a great price at $23.50
  1. Siduri PinotNoir SonateraVnyd/SonomaCoast (13.2%) 2011: Med.dark color w/ light bricking; beautiful smokey/
    pencilly/oak some earthy/dusty slight ozone/pungent fairly strong/perfumed/black cherry/PN/black cherry cola
    fairly complex nose; strong soft/smooth pencilly/smokey/oak/toasty bit pungent/dusty/earthy strong black
    cherry/PN/cola/spicy quite complex flavor w/ modest/smooth tannins; very long bit pungent/dusty strong
    pencilly/smokey/Siduri oak strong black cherry/cola/PN/cough syrup/licorice complex finish w/ light/gentle
    tannins; in great shape & probably at or beyond its peak; a lovely Calif PN. $39.00

Stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:

  1. Dehlinger: I’ve followed Dehlinger from the very start. I’ve a friend who signed up early on and I always
    order my Dehlingers thru Blair. Dehlinger was one of the first to plant Syrah way back when. At the time,
    it was probably the coldest Syrah vnyd in Calif and taught us Rhone fans that you can grow Syrah in
    Pinot country.
    Their Pinots always show impeccable balance. Like Siduri, their Pinots have a very distinctive oak
    signature. Maybe too much so. The oak, I find, tends to sublimate the vnyd characteristics. Only if
    you taste several side by side can you pull out the terroir.
    Anymore, I pretty much only order their Syrahs and Zins. Which also have that Dehlinger distinguishing
    oak. But you can’t go wrong w/ any of the Dehlinger wines and their price increases over the yrs have
    been pretty modest.
  1. Ryme: Wine of Ryan & Megan Glaab. Ryan is AsstWinemaker at WindGapWnry/PaxMahle. Megan is Somm at
    FarmhouseInn/Healdsburg. They both make some very interesting wines under the Ryme label, including
    an Amphorae-aged RibollaGialla.
  1. Radio-Coteau: Wnry of EricSussman, who used to be asst winemaker for TomDehlinger. Specialist in Pinot & Syrah
    made in a more restrained/elegant style. Also make a vonWeidlichVnyd Zin that’s terrific.
  1. Castelli: Winemaker is EmilioCastelli in GreenVlly AVA just east of Occidental. Makes maybe the best Nebbiolo
    in Calif. Farms by Fukuoka method (farming by neglect). These three 2010 Pinots are Emilio’s current release.
    He tends to give his wines some age afore he releases them. This is the first time I’ve had his Pinots together.
    I was favorable impressed. Lots of purity of fruit and a very restrained use of oak. I somewhat preferred
    his Estate Pinot for its greater fruit and very good balance.
  1. Siduri: Pinot specialist Adam & Dianna Lee, in SantaRosa. Own no vnyds but takes Pinot from Oregon and
    SantaRitaHills and everywhere between. They also make Syrah under the Novy label, one of the greatest Syrah
    values in Caalif. Recently sold to JacksonFamilyWines but still run by Adam & Dianna.
    Tom
#2

Nice to read some notes on Radio Coteau. I enjoy the wines, particularly La Neblina and Alberigi, but your note on the 2008 La Neblina that it is headed downhill is worrisome. My daughter recently found a bottle of 2006 Alberigi that I left in her house a couple of years ago. I had hopes that it would hang in there until next Thanksgiving when we are together. Not so sure now.

#3

Sounds like a great tasting, Tom. Sorry I wasn’t there. My feeling about the Dehlinger pinots is that they need a lot of time. I drink mine at 10-15 years of age, they’re pretty much always in great shape, and the oak is never a dominant feature, or even noticeable, IMHO.

#4

Tom,

Fukuoka (farming by neglect). Really? Fukuoka is a lot more complex than that. I know you didn’t follow him from the very start, but you can do better…

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

#5

The Castelli Estate Pinot Noir is described on their website as being “unoaked”.

#6

But it was in old oak barrels. But no apparent oak came thru that I could pick up.
Tom

#7

Yup, Adam…I could do better. But I like to give Emilio a hard time over the appearance of his vnyd when you can look down the end
of his road and see the pristine/immaculate Korbel (I think it is) vnyd.
To tell the truth, I’ve read hardly anything on Fukuoka. But…hey…I’m a LosAlamos guy. We can talk like an expert on any subject
you choose…even if we know nothing about it.
Until SweetAlice starts ranting about Fukuoka, it’s not a legitimate farming technique.
Tom

#8

Pretty much agreed with your notes. The Castelli Green Valley was also the favorite of my wife and I. Couldn’t get into the Dehlinger, too much oak for me. You forgot to mention the dead Dehlinger as well. Radio-Coteau La Neblina was our second favorite. Both this and the Castelli are good values.