External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.9 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 105 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by devraj on 2/24/2024 & rated 92 points: Ruby with light bricking. Incredibly perfumed with lifted baking spices and mint, red raspberries and cherries and florals. A silky and medium bodied palate shows sweet crushed red fruits, good acidity, and a long perfumed finish. Some alcohol peeks through on the back throat which keeps this wine from getting a higher score. (224 views) | | | Tasted by Altonplace on 10/21/2023 flawed bottle: Not corked, just over aged. Can taste the bouquet but starting to turn. Drink or toss. (465 views) | | | Tasted by VinhoVerde on 9/10/2022 & rated 89 points: Gamy plum-like aromatic bouquet, Very complex. Good dark fruit flavor on the entry and mid-palate, but finishers unexpectedly tannic and closed. Needs a little more time. Quite a surprise. (1149 views) | | | Tasted by MindMuse on 7/9/2022: Last was corked. This was not only sound, but singing. Showing superb tertiary development. RIP Josh Jensen. (1127 views) | | | Tasted by MindMuse on 7/1/2022 flawed bottle: Corked. I think the only Calera I've experienced that with. (1116 views) | | | Tasted by devraj on 5/15/2022 & rated 94 points: Full crimson/garnet red in color. Outstanding aromas of all-spice (cinnamon/clove dominates), dark florals, lifted pine/menthol, perfumed wood and candied red fruits on the nose. Perfectly medium bodied showing silky and perfectly integrated berries, very good acidity, bitter-sour cherry pits, good mid-palate sap and a very long perfumed finish. This is rather excellent. (1186 views) | | | Tasted by Wine_Poobah on 11/20/2020 & rated 94 points: Exotic perfumed aroma, notes of red cherry, raspberry, earth, spice, dried flowers, pine needles and alcohol. Dark fruit flavors, notes of syrupy cherry, ripe red berries, and rhubarb. Very complex and interesting. Has the typical Calera character.
This has plenty of life left, drink or hold. Cork in good shape. (1944 views) | | | Tasted by jordanj on 11/14/2020 & rated 90 points: Drank younger than I expected, darker too. Fresh bright fruit with medium intensity nose of clove, mushroom, moss, smoke. However, the palate was really nice. (1430 views) | | | Tasted by nzinkgraf on 6/16/2020: Holy smokes that’s good.
Medium minus garnet
Some stem inclusion to the nose, but in a fresh and sappy way. Very burg and elegant for a Calera. Still had richness, and some oak is still showing on the palate. Light rootbeerish-ness. Lots of complexity. Lots of time left. Honestly 2030 plus. Such a treat.
If I had to score this it would be 94-97. I was expecting a lot, but this is on a different level.
Fresh, some herbal, some pepper. So not CA palate at this point. I mean has the 14.9 ABV, but not
even close to carrying that weight. Not light PN by no means...
With 2 hours open this takes on weight and fruit. Goes from peppery Beauj to a weightier, fruitier, lighter extracted Grenache. (1837 views) | | | Tasted by RusisWine on 10/11/2019 & rated 90 points: Much fuller than last time. Good berries and structure. (1929 views) | | | Tasted by PinotPaul on 4/28/2019 & rated 91 points: Lovely Pinot. Wish I had more. (1952 views) | | | Tasted by whudock on 3/31/2019 & rated 91 points: more sophisticated than powerful this wine has nuances of spice, mushroom, earth and leather that I would not expect. (1538 views) | | | Tasted by RusisWine on 3/13/2019 & rated 88 points: The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and raspberry. (1569 views) | | | Tasted by ephorn on 2/14/2019 & rated 95 points: Light color for CA Pinot. Some mint on the nose. There’s a green herbal element to the sweet fruit. Fine balance with acidity and a slightly spicy tingle. Tannins present but well integrated. Top notch. Drinking fantastic now and it should hold a few more yrs. but why wait? (1376 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 11/9/2018 & rated 93 points: A nice pinot. If served blind next to a Marcassin Marcassin Pinot, you would think that these were different vintages of the same wine. This one has a nice tart yet surprisingly sweet raspberry entry that allows for a more herbal middle and finish. For a 2009, this one is showing rather well. It doesn't have the finesse that a Marcassin would show after a few hours. The finish seemed to go for a while. Not a lot of tannin on the finish. This wine probably would have gone better with food. I definitely think this one has a few years left, although if I had some of this wine I'd probably start opening them soon! (1505 views) | | | Tasted by Rick 4 Wine on 7/17/2018 & rated 92 points: Nice bottle. My prior notes stand. (1651 views) | | | Tasted by VoVo on 6/15/2018 & rated 92 points: Another beautiful wine from Calera. It is drinking smoothly right now. We always appreciate the minerality of Calera’s wines - truly a gift the winemaker has to bring the fruit together with a mineral backbone and produce smooth, gorgeous wines. One of the true standouts among California wineries. (1590 views) | | | Tasted by vinus_operandi on 1/30/2018 & rated 92 points: decanted for 1.5 hours. this deep burgundy colored wine opens up with a beautiful nose of leather, damp earth, smoke, and sweet spices along with some cedar. on the palate, the wine has aged beautifully. the tannins are soft and fine. the wine is perfectly balanced between the acidity and the tannins. there is a luxurious mouth feel to this wine. as the wine opened up, there was a beautiful expression of dark cherries, raspberry, and some cranberry. the long finish was accompanied by flavors of sweet spice. Overall a really wonderful wine experience. the wine paired favorably with grilled salmon. (1881 views) | | | Tasted by wculpepper on 1/6/2018 & rated 92 points: Double decanted; minimal sediment. Notes on day two. Medium ruby color.. Floral nose of cherries and strawberries. Medium-bodies cherries and cracked white pepper on the palate with very lively acids. A beautiful and subtle wine, in which the medium-length finish carries on with a lovely fruit presence. (1849 views) | | | Tasted by Rick 4 Wine on 1/3/2018 & rated 92 points: Drinking much better than my last bottle about 1.5 years ago. Wine has evolved to softer rounder fruit and tannins with more layers of flavor. Shows nice CaCO3 in terroir on back palate. Finish lingers with thin red fruit and garrique. Still fairly acidic. (1629 views) | | | Tasted by levinml on 12/1/2017 & rated 93 points: This was a real pleasure, exceeding expectations. Fully mature, perfectly balanced, nice flavors. Wish I got this experience from Pinot more. (1524 views) | | | Tasted by Mr T on 11/12/2017: Drunk over 2 nights
A little tight night 1 PNP but very often and soft night 2
92-93 (1493 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 11/11/2017: Had the Jensen from 2011 a few months prior to this one. If enjoyed side by side, the Jensen would spank this one. Although this one did have a lot of raspberry and dried flower notes to the front and middle, it just didn't seem to develop much past that. Seemed a little thin to me. I would probably rate this one an 88 to be honest, but something makes me think that this one was a little beyond where it should have been and should have been consumed 1-2 years ago. (1402 views) | | | Tasted by VinoGuy932 on 3/24/2017 & rated 94 points: This wine is singing right now! Asian spice, red and dark fruit with secondary showing well. Fantastic finish. (2040 views) | | | Tasted by PinotPaul on 3/10/2016 & rated 91 points: Beautiful color. Nice nose of earthiness with cherries. Very enjoyable in the mouth. Still has some tannins but not too much. Probably last several more years. Solid fruit. Long finish. (3259 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, November/December 2012, IWC Issue #165
(Calera Wine Company Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard Mt. Harlan) Subscribe to see review text. | By Allen Meadows
Burghound, October 2012, Issue #48
(Calera Wine Company Pinot Noir - Mills Vineyard Villages Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, California's Central Coast: Better than Ever (Aug 2012)
(Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard Mt. Harlan) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Burghound. (manage subscription channels) |
| Calera Producer websitePinot 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.Mills Vineyard Calera Wines website says about the Mills Vineyard: The 14.4 acre Mills Pinot Noir vineyard was planted in 1984, nine years after the original Calera plantings. The vineyard was named for Everett Mills, a neighbor and friend who made it his business to keep an eye on Josh’s progress during the early development years, in the hills south of Hollister. This vineyard was planted on its own roots using plant material from the original vineyards. The Mills vineyard is located between 2,200 and 2,300 feet above sea level on a gentle south-facing hillside that slopes down toward Harlan Creek. Pinot noirs from the Mills Vineyard are characterized by a fragrant spicy, cedar-like aroma, with underlying cherry and red berry fruit. Flavors include plums, olives and bittersweet chocolate. The wines have a long finish showing broad round tannins.
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 Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA Wikipedia |
|
