2010 Cowan Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Medium-dark red color. Aromas of smoke, cherry, sous bois, and a hint of hoisin. Palate has a meaty core with cherry and strawberry framing. There’s a stripe of what I perceive to be green stem notes that interrupts the red fruit and earth notes. Not as good now as it was at release (to my tastes). Not sure if it ages out of the current phase to a more positive future. Hold?
I just gave up on the 2011 Chidaine Choisilles so gonna dump that and head for the cellar to have a PN from ANYWHERE.
Depressing, isn’t it? I only bought 2 bottles of 16 Chidaine, opening one tonight. Can’t trust them to go the distance.
Actually, since this is the Pinot thread, I better open a Pinot 
Feeling you, Alan. Opened a 2013 Kutch Bohan. Enjoying with mac and cheese.
2014 Copain Pinot Noir Wendling Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (5/9/2019)
Quite dark garnet color, wonderful nose of dark crushed berries and some enticing pine forest, with interesting spice notes; the dark fruit palate is deep and intense, with an unusual flavor note, almost gamay-like, some of that same spice comes through, with excellent acidity, and some moderate but slightly gripping and mouth drying tannins. Very youthful, but a fascinating, deeply flavorful, complex and delicious wine. (93 pts.)
This is a relatively new vineyard, in the deep end of Anderson Valley, just to the west of Bearwallow and Kiser. Also fairly large. Copain lost their contract after the Jackson purchase, I wonder who is getting the fruit now, and how the wine compares.
Edit: slowly drinking through the bottle while watching nba playoffs. Man this is good. As good a California Pinot as I’ve had in a while.
2014 Enderle & Molle Liaison Spatburgunder
Enjoying this as I finger type. Transparent ruby. Earthy, dusty nose with hints of berries and sandalwood. Resolutely dry palate shows the same elements, acidity is well integrated. Medium-long finish. Herbal and (dare I say mineral, in a red wine) notes can still be smelled after swallowing the wine.
Because of recent activity in the thread about 2012 Rhys San Mateo County Pinot Noir I decided to open one of my half bottles. It is drinking very well. There is still a generous amount of primary fruit, and the edges are starting to gather some earthy nuance, and there’s a hint of mint in the mid-palate. The tannins are pretty soft, but there’s also good acidity, keeping the wine in focus.
This has plenty of runway.
This will be my final TN for the thread. I have enjoyed seeing fellow WBers post their notes and take time to share. Thanks for that joy.
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2013 Kutch Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/9/2019)
Exactly 2 years since the last bottle. 12.3% ABV. Opened about an hour or so ago, and this bottle needed air to flesh out. What the air did was fill in the middle of the wine, which was empty and hollow when first opened. The air fills in the wine, giving the dark cherry, red apple, raspberry and herb the push it needed, and adding a unique, cool rose petal note that it similar to the bottle’s note from 2017. It’s fascinating for me how a wine can transform with air, to create weight and depth. For today’s final sip, this has added some cool tension and minerality so I will revisit the other 1/2 of the bottle for tomorrow…retasting the next day, same conditions as yesterday. The wine is quite similar, however the structure from last night has softened and there is a tangy quality in the finish. This is good, distinctive. I also think it will be fine as a more near term drinker, say over the next 2-3 more years.
Posted from CellarTracker
05 St. Innocent Anden with alder wood grilled Sockeye Salmon.
Anden is the lower and older slope of what was originally called Seven Springs Vineyard.
Mature with gas in the tank. Well developed secondary leaves and shrooms on the nose and palate. Earth and acidity dance on a nice finish with good length. On the bigger side of body but never heavy, just packed with fun and flavor. A hint of dried herbs adds complexity.
An end of work week treat.
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2012 Seven of Hearts Pinot Noir Durant - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (5/11/2019)
Nice sour cherry notes on the palate. Good persistence and balance. Long finish. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
A kind person poured me some 2016 Maybach pinot noir. I didn’t know it existed!!
Lush is a good starting point. Deep red fruit, lingers on the finish and makes its way to the back of the nose.
Lovely!
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2016 Haden Fig Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (5/11/2019)
Opened 90 minutes ago. This really needs some time to show its true stuff. Very tight after opening. Very expressive cherry notes on the palate. Good crisp acidity that provides balance to the rich fruit. Very long and persistent finish. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Some of these 2017 RM Pinot Noirs are outstanding. The team at RM really nailed the Occidental and now, this Platt. Damn.
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2017 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/11/2019)
####! I had not had this bottling, and had passed on it within my last order. What was in my glass tonight after an hour of air was fantastic. I didn’t take notes but we drank this at room temp, so outside it was in the low 70s in the shade at dusk. This had beautiful depth, a mix of red and black fruit, with a superb polish and some dried red fruit in the finish to round it out. This was as good as the 2017 RM Occidental that I had a few weeks ago, and I put that wine on my WOTY list. Well, you know what, this is going on the list, too. FWIW, I wasn’t wowed by the 2017 RM Silver Eagle last weekend, but I have to say that both the 2017 Occidental and Platt are dialed in, fantastic wines. Wow.
Posted from CellarTracker
2015 Hartford Court Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: 14.5 ABV. Blackberry and kitchen spice with a medium length finish that shows some of the RRV Cola notes. No change after 30 minutes open, the acidity remains solid and is ready to challenge food. Bet it will be the same 5 years from now.
A decent $30 Burg if not quite as complete as the one I posted upstream as it is a bit more delineated and strict on the palate. All in all I’m sad the the best Burgs are way too expensive, but there is still a lot of good ones that are affordable.
My goal for this and next year, however, is to also find several Oregon producers that fit my palate.
Sorry to be late with this, forgot to post notes, but from May 8th.
2015 Kutch Bohan PN
Was keen to try one of these after not having had it since FallTacular a couple years ago. I tend to want to be patient with this vineyard, but this bottling may persuade me otherwise. There was a tremendous purity and clearness about the wine, both in nose and mouth, with fine red berry fruit and some bing cherry mixed in. Everything is balanced and good carry at the back. Enjoyed by all 4 who tasted it, and their taste preferences do vary.
I nabbed a few Lutum Pinot Noir closeouts, and they arrived last week.
Yesterday I opened the
2015 Lutum Rita’s Crown Pinot Noir
The wine is fairly dense, medium bodied, and well balanced. Perhaps too balanced. Nothing stood out except for an excessive cinnamon/nutmeg spiciness that some might enjoy more than I do. The whole impression was monolitic rather than seamless.
Perhaps with time subtleties will develop.
For some contrast I opened a
2008 Le Cadeau Rocheux
This is drinking at it’s peak. The fruit is spread out over a wide red to dark spectrum, with a better acid backbone than the Lutum.
It is not a shy wine, and will never reach greatness, but it is right on target for a tasty Mother’s day dinner wine.
My only taste of that producer was 3.5 years ago, Peter. Based on that taste, I’d probably end up agreeing with you about peak performance:
"2009 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir
Rugged scents of cherry, pine wood, underbrush and small roasted nutmeg component. Palate has good carry and acidity, with pretty pure raspberry and bright cherry fruit, but this to me is still a good deal too young. I think the secondary levels are there, but you won’t see them for about 5 years."
Really? OK, I will, 'cause that is going some! Thanks Anton. Sorry for the tanjink on the thread, but wanted to respond/note/thank.