Virtual Tasting Series For Charity--Week 1 for Laura's House: Pinot Noir (11/20-11/29)

WINE TALK
61

IMG_9574
IMG_95742316×3088 2.01 MB

2005 Westrey Oracle Pinot Noir

Such a dynamite bottle of wine. This was vibrant and juicy on opening, lots of energy and jump in the mouth fruit. Lots of blackberry, hints of kitchen herb, acidity leans bright but juicy. Balance and length are exceptional. This hides the tertiary development until it’s been opened for a while, but with about 45 minutes in this shifted to a more mature (not remotely old) wine with forest floor and autumn leaves showing up.

2005s lately have been in a smashingly good spot, and this is another data point for what a great vintage 2005 was once it had enough bottle age. I wish that I had more of these.

5 Likes
62

IMG_0247
IMG_02472316×3088 1.15 MB

Scherrer RRV 2013 from a half bottle that has been sitting in the china cabinet at my MIL’s house for many years.

Give it a slight chill and this is excellent. High toned cranberry and pomegranate mixed with some fresh strawberry. Light herb and orange, then a lip smacking dry finish.

I’ve had some uneven experiences with aging these but this one was awesome.

6 Likes
63

This is the cure for many a red wine.

64

Happy Thanksgiving, Counselor. :boom::heart:

65

A gift from a friend, opened with a pork roast last night…

2021 Melville Pinot Noir Estate

Not decanted, consumed over ~1 1/2 hours. Ruby edging into garnet and medium dense in the glass for a pinot. Modest aromatically, with slightly jammy notes that reminded me of a berry pie, complete with a whiff of baking spice. The palate edges a little more towards cherry and tart plum, with a hint of cola and some slightly coffee-ish oak notes also present, and there’s a sharp acidity offsetting the jammy fruit. A decent baseline SRH pinot in a slightly riper, slightly oaky style.

20241124_202410
20241124_2024101920×2560 435 KB

2 Likes
66

2006 Au Bon Climat Pinot noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard

This was delivered yesterday as part of my order from the recent K&L library offering. Popped and poured right off the truck.

Very youthful at 18 years of age! It threw a bit of sediment, but the cork, color and taste said it was much younger. Red fruited and balanced. Just delicious.

I’m eager to see what my other various bottles deliver!

IMG_2960
IMG_29603024×4032 2.6 MB

6 Likes
67

@bretrooks snd @Pete_Lawley thank you both for participating and for sharing your photo. It’s nice to meet you both and happy holidays to you and your families.

@Blake_Brown hey Blake, look at Pete’s bottle in the photo. :tada:

2 Likes
68

Just so happens, I’ve plowed through these dN’s over the past 6 days so I feel obliged to contribute.

2019 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.184 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/20/2024)
Still an incredible value from the good ol’ days at dN. This is my 8th bottle consumed, but the first in almost 18 months. Color is fading just a little, but this bottle was in good shape. Bouquet and flavors are happier with a couple hours of air and it held up fine into day 2, though it could be that the best days for this were in the not too distant past. 5+12+17+7= 91 (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

2019 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.176 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/24/2024)
First time in 20 months to open one of these. Still delivering that wonderful cool-climate Syrah experience :wink:
Honestly, this Pinot is standing out over the N.122 and N.184 that were consumed during the same week. I don’t care what grape this is, it is a delicious drop. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

2019 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.122 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (11/21/2024)
Followed over three days open and in a rare occurrence, I found this most attractive on the first night. It steadily lost weight and flavor as it aired, though it still had a lovely profile and bouquet. It’s just missing some structure and bones for bigger impact. A “skinny” Pinot as the wife likes to say, and so she did about this. I have to agree. 5+11+14+7= 87 (87 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

Did not write a note this time, so including a prior note. Consumed 11/24
2018 San Felo Pinot Nero Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (11/23/2023)
Notes after 4 hours, but it could still use more time open. Dark, dusty crimson-ruby color with no sediment. Bold bouquet with sweet perfume and fruit salad. Cranberry and cherry flavors complimented by juicy acidity and a fair serving of tannins. Quite muscular, and there’s a lot happening in the background as this opens up and it’s all good. Still a baby and should be showing better tomorrow. Even better in two years. Killer QPR.
5+12+16+9= 92 (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

And it just wouldn’t be right to not have some bubbly:
2016 Marie-Courtin Champagne Concordance Extra Brut - France, Champagne (11/25/2024)
Notes after following 3 glasses over 3 hours. Medium gold with a vibrant and persistent mousse. Light intensity aroma of apple pie and strawberry. Bright acidity and a tight grip in the mouth is countered by ripe, sinewy fruit and a frothy richness. Medium length finish brings out a bit of toast. 5+11+17+8= 91 (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

And then, on Thanksgiving Thursday:
2020 Sandler Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains (11/28/2024)
Very pretty - more rose’ than rouge, this bottle displays light intensity florals and cherries in the bouquet with a light mouthfeel, framed by good acidity and nary a tannin. Alcohol is practically invisible, making it very easy to drink, though a tad simple. In the two years that I’ve been drinking these, it seems to be losing some depth with each passing bottle. 5+9+16+8= 88 (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

20241125_151159
20241125_1511591920×2560 374 KB

2 Likes
69

Excellent. Yes, sediment is to be expected as is the youthfulness. May all your bottles be stellar. One warning. Jim had some bad corks in the early 2000s that I’m now using a Durand to remove just in case. The have a tendency to split in half.

2 Likes
70

Happy holidays to you too, @Frank_Murray_III - and thanks for putting this together. Pinot (especially from CA) isn’t a go-to for us, so it’s extra fun to have a prompt to open one for a good cause.

71

IMG_6042
IMG_60423024×4032 2.28 MB

Crappy photo, both I and the label look much better in person :roll_eyes:. I do not drink much pinot, but had this- 2018 Occidental Running Fence Cuvee Catherine. Deep color. Aromatics are huge black and red raspberries framed by some oak, subtle spices. On the palate, the red raspberries stand out more. A bit of tannins that frame everything kind of run down the sides of the tongue along with some minerality. PNP.

1 Like
72

Another Pinot today, and this time it’s from Enfield Wine Co. The 2022 Merk Vineyard Pinot Noir smells fantastic. There’s deep red cherry fruit and a really interesting dried herb note alongside some warm, dusty earth tones. I am not so wild about how it comes across on the palate, but not because of flavors. It has that acid structure thing that bugs me with so many California Pinot Noirs. Don’t get me wrong, I like the wines to have acidity, but I want there to be some tannic structure as well. It’s the reason I dislike so many Anderson Valley Pinots (though this one is from Carmel Valley). It’s why I love a lot of Oregon Pinots from Ribbon Ridge and California wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Chalone. The combined structural form of acid and tannin hits my palate better.

Anyway, this is in fact a darned good wine, but not up my stylistic alley.

IMG_2026
IMG_20262316×3088 1.61 MB

73

@Jim_F , thanks for being a part of the work here. Had that wine before, can’t recall the vintage but I enjoyed it. Happy holidays to you!

@David_Bu3ker welcome back. You get repeat credits for your work here! Thanks for checking in again.

I’ve got a bubbly open tonight with the family.

  • 2020 Laherte Frères Champagne Les Rouges Maisons Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut - France, Champagne (11/26/2024)
    Disgorged December 2023. 100% Pinot Noir from Chavot, 2gms of dosage. First time with this cuvee. Pours with a light rose tinge, my wife called it rose gold colored. There is a pastry note in the aromatic and to an extent, in the wine too. In the palate, some berry tart with a good poke of acid through it. Tangly red apple and spicy blueberry. There is a refreshing light layer of chalk that finishes the wine, joined by a tangy lime. This is best when the chill disappeared, as the fruit and the spicy quality of it is bright and present. Enjoy this.

Posted from CellarTracker

IMG_3241
IMG_32411920×1440 165 KB

74

Happy to be part of the solution @Frank_Murray_III

I will chip in a supplemental donation after the thread closes.

3 Likes
75

IMG_0261
IMG_02612316×3088 1.35 MB

Louis Latour Nuits St Georges 2005. A dumpster dive out of the “clear out old inventory at the country club” sale last year.

Hey, this is good. It doesn’t taste aged particularly, maybe a hint of furniture and brown sugar more towards the last glass from the bottle, and still very mild.

Medium red berry fruit, little sprinkling of cinnamon and brown sugar, bit of bay leaf.

Not showy but a very nice wine in kind of middle maturity.

3 Likes
76

Another Pinot Noir champer:

1 Like
77

Any relation to Elise Dechannes? We have the Elise wines in market and they are quite tasty.

78

IMG_9572
IMG_95722316×3088 1.76 MB

Marie-Courtin Efflorescence 2015 Extra Brut

Super tasty, nice delicate mousse, round texture and fairly rich. Lots of ripe Rainier Cherry and rhubarb compote, brown souces, and a bit of pastry dough. Turned a bit caramel/butterscotch after an hour or so, but overall a very nice wine.

5 Likes
79

Indeed:

1 Like
80

That is an energetic and pretty glass of Champagne!
(Your wife nailed the color)