What is the best non-Burgundian Pinot Noir you have ever tasted?

Hmm…you forgot the name of the wine which is mindboglingly good. Likie a Chambertin…???

Hopefully you remember the name of the girl [wink.gif] ?

2001 Arcadian Garys’

2007 Alysian Wines (Gary Farrell) Pinot Noir Floodgate Vineyard West Block, Russian River Valley, CA

Probably a Williams Seylem Allen from the mid 90s. My guess is it would have a competed with a good village level Burg.

I’m going on pure (and possibly faulty) memory, but a 2002 Littorai Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir was, I believe, the WOTY for me some years ago. Jamie’s 2009 Kutch McDougall Pinot was fantastic and is on my WOTY finals list for this year. I also remember very fondly a Rochioli River Block Pinot (I think it was a 2004 but would have to check). To my sorrow, I have not yet had an Alsatian, Spat or Swiss version. Have had some good to very good NZ and Oregonian, but nothing that would make me include it in this type of thread. All I can think of for now, I’m sure I’m missing some!

Mike

#1 for me is easy:

Rudolf Fürst 2005 Centgrafenberg Spätburgunder GG

After that, several from Oregon and New Zealand would probably be tied.

this is an amazing wine…I had just met Jeb Singleton a few months ago at our storage facility in Dallas and he kindly offered me a glass…thanks again Jeb!

my memory is foggy here so I will go with the 2006 Littorai Thieriot I had earlier this year

Do I get extra credit for calling it out at the time I tasted it?

  • 2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Swan Terrace Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (6/18/2012)
    Cali and Burgs Blind (FMIII in the OC): Blind - guessed burg, bzzz! Wow, is this an incredible wine. It’s not tricked up or overdone, just beautifully balanced, pure fruit, great complexity, and a terrific finish. Lord help us if this improves with age because I’m not sure why it’s not the best pinot I’ve tasted.

Rank: #1 of 4 in Third Flight

My #1 of the evening, by a mile.

Posted from CellarTracker

California: 1997 Dehlinger pinot noir (Goldridge, Estate. and the Reserve) Baking Spice heaven
Oregon: 2004 St Innocent Seven Springs (I’m still bitter he no longer has access to the fruit)

Burt Williams made the best Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy. Full stop. Pick one.

For me I would also include 2003 Littorai Summa (and other Littorais), 1994 St. Innocent 7 Springs (and other St. Innocents), and the 2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Swan Terrace Alpine.

I’ll stop there other than to say there are many Oregon producers, that for my palate, make wine that do not leave me wanting.

Jason

2007 Amalie Robert Estate (Amalie’s Cuvee also up there)
2011 Littorai Mays Canyon
2006 Whitcraft Aubaine
2012 Furst Burgstadter (need to experiment with more SB’s)

1977 Chalone Estate, tasted in 2003. One of the best wines I’ve ever tasted.

1992 Eyrie Vineyards South Block Reserve

Good question, Alex, and many interesting answers already.

To me: Markus Ruch’s single vineyard’s Pinot Noirs. Especially his 2013s.

Some Bundner Herrschaft wines (Studach, Grunenfelder, Sprecher von Bernegg, Fromm, Gantenbein) have also been very good.

This is another of my top 5 all time Pinots, along with 1982 Eyrie South Block Reserve, 1987 Williams Selyem Rochioli (?), 1993 DDO Laurene, and the 1983 South Block Reserve I mentioned earlier.

1999 Littorai Savoy (poured from mag at this year’s Littorai fall open house). Amazing rich wine with surprising secondary development.

For a much younger wine, the 2012 Wayfarer Golden Mean was pretty amazing at a tasting. My bottles will have to wait a few years before having the pleasure of opening.

Does Champagne count? :smiley:

Top 5, Alphabetical order:

1985 Arterberry Reserve (Tasted in 2011)
1993 Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vineyard (Tasted Tonight)
1983 Eyrie South Block (Tasted in 2012)
1998 Hanzell
1994 Thomas

I expect at least one Rhys bottling to move onto this list in the coming years.

2009 Marcassin Marcassin (so many layers of goodness)
2010 Walt La Brisa (light but so lovely)

What is your Top 5 list?