TNs: Friday night Pinots

WINE TALK
1
  • 2004 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Devil’s Gulch Ranch - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Marin County (6/5/2009)
    13.6% alcohol. Distinctive profile. Rich red color with a full profile of black cherry, forest floor, and minerals. There is a plush texture to this wine, which is obvious in the warmth of the fruit profile. A briary note comes into the fruit, with a pleasant earthiness. Strong acidity underscores the fundamentally linear structure of the wine. Excellent finish. This is quite youthful still but really beautiful and an individual wine. A-
  • 2004 Landmark Pinot Noir Kastania - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (6/5/2009)
    14.3% alcohol. Dark cherry color. Aromatic bouquet, with black cherry, blackberry, earth, and a faint touch of oak on the nose. In the mouth, a hybrid of linear and rounded in structure. Fruity up front, with the earthy complexity taking a back seat. Strong acidic backbone and a long finish. This is an impressive and serious wine. A-
  • 2005 Holdredge Pinot Noir Wren Hop - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (6/5/2009)
    14.2% alcohol. Developing nicely and drinking well, if still on the youthful side. Bright red color reflects the bright red fruit in the nose, along with a floral, spice, and earth component. In the mouth, linear and pure, with excellent red fruit and tightly wound complexity. Fantastic acidity and a long finish that provides an additional burst of fruit. At the very beginning of its drinking window. A-
  • 2005 Kutch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (6/5/2009)
    15.0% alcohol. Most likely at its peak right now. Big, ripe nose of black cherry, blackberry, baking spice, and a whiff of heat. In the mouth, plush and rounded, with jammy fruit, acidity to keep it focused, and a slightly oak-kissed finish that has a faint trace of heat. Lovely to drink. A-
  • 2005 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (6/5/2009)
    14.9% alcohol. Classic Siduri funk on the nose, with big black cherry fruit and a touch of spice backing it up. Black cherry color. Plush yet lively in the mouth, with great life behind it. Fruit leading all the way, with a great purity to the black cherry and blackberry. A nice note of earth and spice, with invigorating acidity. Long finish with no trace of heat. Lovely wine. A-

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Great point on DG … they are quite consistent and make quality wine. The 2007 Freestone sure was rocking when I tasted it a couple months ago.

3

Guys,

The annual Marin tasting is next week and DG will be pouring at the event. I would assume they will be pouring the 2007 and if so, I’ll drop a note after the tasting.

The 2004 Landmark Kastania was the last vintage for Landmark from the vineyard. Since the winery/vineyard is just a few miles from Novato, we taste their often and did so again yesterday afternoon. Hoot and Linda are terrific folks, teh type of people who make the pinot community so engaging and unique. The 2006s are coming around and showing quite well. Leslie Sisneros is the winemaker and you notice that the wines are similar to Arista in style and body.

Although the 2007s are not released yet, Hoot popped a bottle for us. These are going to be their breakthrough wines, they are that outstanding.

Hoot budded over an area that was not performing well with Rochioli cuttings a few years back and that is just beginning to produce wine. We did some barrel tastings of '08s from that lot and they are going to be very special pinots. I probably should not have been surprised but they tasted like Rochioli!

Kastania is in one of the craziest places for a vineyard but I am beginning to think it has teh potential to make legendary Ca. pinots…

Regards,
Steve