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| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.1 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 29 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by millerarner on 11/22/2018 & rated 94 points: Sometimes you feel like you opened a bottle on the exact right day. Every aspect fit well into a cohesive whole, where no single element stuck out. Really enjoyrd by both of us, so adding our tasting notes seems almost pointless (besides, GUTT22 already summarized this perfectly). (713 views) | | | Tasted by gutt22 on 12/30/2015: This is drinking beautifully. Lovely nose of black cherry and baking spice. In the mouth, elegant and quite plush, with a close knit mouth feel and gloriously juicy black cherry fruit. Sails across the palate nicely, with refined acidity and a strong finish. A- (1702 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 4/2/2015 & rated 93 points: Similar to my last 3 tastings: "flowers (mostly roses), raspberry, black cherry, some blackberry, RRV cola, violets, leather and ... vanillin (but not overbearing). As the wine opened, it seemed as if there was something anise-like in the background. Similar flavors, along with touches of chocolate. Rich, intense and full bodied fruit. Excellent balance and structure. A long and extended finish." Still in its drinking plateau - has a couple or so years left.
as a (1749 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 5/26/2014 & rated 93 points: Memorial Day tasting - similar to my last tasting of 3-16-2013. In memory of LCDR Larry Jordan, a fellow serviceman. He was returning to the USS Kitty Hawk from the Philippines when his plane, a KA3B aerial tanker, was purportedly shot down on April 12, 1966. His name is listed on The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, PANEL 6E LINE 106. (2270 views) | | | Tasted by mhauser on 5/18/2014: Dark red, clear. Restrained nose of mushroom, pencil shavings and roses. Brisk acidity and medium tannins. Broad mouthfeel, with flavors of BBQ meat, soy, black tea, strawberry, blueberry. Long finish. This wine is still going strong and seems young and fresh. Very tasty. (2163 views) | | | Tasted by wondersofwine on 4/4/2014: I took this to a NYC offline at Peking Duck House in April 2014. It was not as aromatic as a bottle opened in 2010 in Pinehurst, NC. Still, I liked it better than did some of the others with me who prefer Old World styles. I have three bottles remaining and may open another this spring. (1046 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 8/3/2013 & rated 93 points: The forth time I've tasted this wine. Quite similar to my tasting notes of 3/16/13. Good stuff. Again it paired well with grilled Atlantic salmon. (1960 views) | | | Tasted by DollarMenunaire on 7/1/2013: Tough to score at dinner, somewhat atypical Pinot Noir. Wood dominated the profile upon pouring which was off-putting, but it integrated with air. Medium-plus body on a savory profile with smoky tones. Medium finish. If this could age a lot longer, I'm sure it would evolve an expressively exotic profile, but it may not have the backbone to go that long. Like I've noticed with a lot of RRV Pinot lately, this wine is hurting for energy and thrust. (1517 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 3/16/2013 & rated 93 points: Still a medium ruby color. I last tasted this wine about 15 months ago. Each time I get something additional in the aroma. This time I got flowers (mostly roses), raspberry, black cherry, some blackberry, RRV cola, violets, leather and more noticeable vanillin (but not overbearing). As the wine opened, it seemed as if there was something anise-like in the background. Similar flavors, along with touches of chocolate. Rich, intense and full bodied fruit. Excellent balance and structure. A long and extended finish. Pairs well with baked Atlantic salmon. (1669 views) | | | Tasted by JS199 on 9/23/2012 & rated 91 points: Getting a lot of BBQ and chocolate on the palate. A dark, sweet, rich Pinot that is good, but not exactly in my wheelhouse. Port like in nature. (1886 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 1/2/2012 & rated 93 points: Bright medium ruby color in the glass. Aromas of flowers (roses), cherry, strawberry, a touch of blackberry, well integrated and restrained oak. Same flavors, along with herbs. An elegant mouth feel. Nicely balanced. A nice long smooth finish. There seems to have been an obvious transformation from my last tasting; also, the RRV cola has subsided. (2293 views) | | | Tasted by Double D on 6/1/2011 & rated 92 points: Bright and tasty lots of red fruit went well with Mexican chicken burritos. (2432 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 5/13/2011 & rated 93 points: Purple with no yellow hue development on the rim; body has a dark clear ruby color. The wine needs time to to warm up a little from 56 degree cellar temp. Similar style as the RRV Special Selection. The vanillian is more noticeable. Nuances and taste of cherry, strawberry, RRV cola, leather, earth. Good fruit concentration in the mouth. Nice finish - about 15-20 seconds. Probably needs more time to reach its full potential, but enjoyable now. I also have the "Allen-Rochioli Block" from the same producer, but am going to attempt holding off opening it for a while. (2396 views) | | | Tasted by kenthargis on 4/11/2011 & rated 91 points: Better the second day. One can see a similarity in style to this and Gary Farrell's wines made at his eponymous winery. Medium to fuller-bodied for a pinot, very nice fruit. Big pinot. (2282 views) | | | Tasted by air guitar & pinot noir on 2/6/2011 & rated 93 points: Purple tinged in color with great aromatics of lavendar, violet, dark blackberry and dark stone fruits. Flavors of purple plums, wild berry and black cherry predominate with great complexity and notes of oak and spice. Great acidity and very fine-grained tannins allow for all the best qualities of this wine to surface and leads it to a long, lingering finish that leaves the drinker wanting more. They said it could lay down a long time, but this one I couldn't keep my hands off of. Outstanding!! Gary Farrell's new venture is a resounding success!! (2060 views) | | | Tasted by beezer6 on 1/31/2011 & rated 92 points: Glunz Grand Tasting (Union League Club of Chicago): Orange zest. Really floral. Ripe fruit. (3183 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 12/11/2010 & rated 91 points: Rich ripe, full throttle Cali PN. Cherry liqueur and cola flavors with just a touch of heat on the finish. Drinking well now, not sure that this will age particularly gracefully. (2287 views) | | | Tasted by cookie7 on 11/10/2010: Very different from my previous experience. Musty nose. A bit of band-aid. Vegetably on the palate. Possibly flwaed. (2372 views) | | | Tasted by Rollerball on 8/28/2010 & rated 93 points: Nose of chocolate quick, explosive midnight flowers, and dark, exotic fruits. Surprise flavors like strawberry barbecue sauce, dried berries, dessert spices, and coffee. (2834 views) | | | Tasted by wondersofwine on 7/28/2010 & rated 94 points: This is SERIOUSLY good stuff! I had been a fan of Gary Farrell's Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs for several years and visited the winery in 2007. When I heard about his new venture, Alysian Wines, I signed up for the mailing list.
I took this bottle to a Bring Your Own Bottle night at Elliott's on Linden, Pinehurst, NC, and shared it with the wine director, my server, and two gentlemen at the next table who shared a Valtellina, italy red wine with me (a Chiavennasca or Nebbiolo clone grown in Lombardy.)
The Floodgate Vineyard Pinot Noir is from 30-year-old vines. 14.3% alcohol by volume. 50% new oak. Older vines with low yields. Light burgundy shade with some transparency. Fantastic aroma of florals and cherries. Very aromatic--the kind of wine you want to sink your nose into the glass. Inkling of sweetness yet enough acid and structure to carry the fruit handsomely. Rather lengthy finish with a peppery or spicy note. One of the gentlemen who tasted it noted some chocolate also. Fantastic now and may be even better in three or four years. The server said it was her favorite wine of the evening and the wine director said with a few more years on it it might have won the prize (a $50 kitchen store certificate) for best-tasting wine of the evening. It paired well with the soup du jour (a hearty corn chowder with andouille sausage ) but even better with the cedar plank salmon with Jack Daniels and maple glaze. The next day I ordered four more bottles which I look forward to spacing out over the next 3-4 years. (2987 views) | | | Tasted by veronica770 on 5/28/2010 & rated 91 points: made from Martini Clone 13 in French Oak. Taste: Coca-Cola on the front end, lavender on the aftertaste. Very enjoyable. (3177 views) | | | Tasted by gutt22 on 4/16/2010: This is absolutely awesome. Dark color. Vibrant bouquet grips you, with black cherry, a touch of blackberry, rich baking spice, minerals, and earth. In the mouth, stunning texture, particularly for such a youthful wine. The fruit and complexity just comes in waves. Tangy acidity and a long finish. Really, really good. A-/A (2444 views) | | | Tasted by Double D on 2/8/2010 & rated 93 points: First tasting of this new wine. A bit alcoholic on the nose but not on the palate, nice bright garnet with sweet first taste, a mid weight body. Drinkable now but should be even more interesting in a few years. Buy more. (2603 views) | | | Tasted by grtibbles on 8/3/2009 & rated 92 points: The old Martini Clone vines here have a very strong exotic signature justifying its single-vineyard status. Shows a lot of new oak now, but, again, it’s all about the purity of its apricot-tinged cherry-berry fruit and lovely cinnamon stick-iron oxide/mineral background. All it needs is time to come together. This is a must try wine….only 444 cases made. (3178 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Alysian Wines Producer website2007 Alysian Wines Pinot Noir Floodgate Vineyard West BlockVINEYARDS AND CLONES
Floodgate Vineyard - West Block
Martini clone 13
HARVEST INFORMATION
Harvest date: 9/5
Hand harvested at night under lights
Hand sorted in vineyard
Average brix: 24.3 degrees
GRAPE PROCESSING
Cold fruit processed early AM
Hand sorted prior to stem removal
Hand sorted after stem removal
FERMENTATION
Tanks: Small open tops
Cold soak: 4 days
Yeast: Wild and cultured
Mixing: 3 punch downs daily
Duration: 11 days
BARREL PROGRAM
100% French oak
Francois Freres, Rousseau
50% new
35% one year old
15% two year old
ML fermentation in barrel
13 months in barrel
FINISHED WINE
Alcohol: 14.3% by volume
Titratable acidity: 6.9 gm/L
pH: 3.40
Bottling date: Nov. 14, 2008
Production: 444 cases (9 liter equivalent)
WINEMAKER
Gary Farrell
©Alysian Wines--source TN_Floodgate07.pdfPinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyRussian River Valley Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia |
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