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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 64 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by paulst on 3/16/2024 & rated 88 points: Light and lean; light berry; lean finish. (227 views) | | | Tasted by BobS on 2/12/2024 & rated 90 points: Found in cellar. Surprisingly good for 11 year old Sonoma Coast (140 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 2/13/2023 & rated 94 points: Sweet light raspberry; balanced; soft and supportive tannin; sweet elegant finish. (662 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 10/30/2022 & rated 88 points: Light; lean raspberry; soft acidity. (837 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 4/4/2022 & rated 91 points: Light earthy berry; reserved; soft lean finish. (1177 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 12/31/2021 & rated 89 points: Light Raisin and light cherry; linnear; greenish; flat finish. (1347 views) | | | Tasted by IJC on 11/26/2020: Spectacular and Delicious.
For a "village" level Pinot, surprisingly complete - 8 years old, the fruit fresh and lively (predominately bright red fruit: pomegranate, cherry, red currants), balanced by brilliant acidity. A treat.
Rated +2 on a scale of -1 to +3. (1633 views) | | | Tasted by winelover1808 on 8/7/2020 & rated 92 points: lithe but with good acidic tension. tart cranberry, raspberry, cherry. light body. really enjoyed this! (1613 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 5/14/2020 & rated 94 points: Light cedar-cherry; sweet and balanced; soft lean finish. (1663 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleMagnum on 6/3/2019 & rated 90 points: Delicate but ripe. There's no way you can confuse this with Burgundy. Someone said Chateauneuf. I wouldn't go that far but it is fruit forward with a dose of earthiness. Acidity is medium plus and tannins are medium-low and fully resolved. With a bit more backbone this could age further. Decent effort. I still prefer cooler climate pinot. (1776 views) | | | Tasted by Rieslingfan on 8/18/2018: Pop and pour for Pinot Noir Day, and it was a delicious showing.
The wine is only light to medium bodied, but it shows a lot of flavor. The focus is red berry, but there’s a touch of citrus and light earthy tones. It’s bright and refreshing, carries its light tannins well, and the finish is very long and fresh. This is an elegant Pinot Noir that seems to have several more years to reach maturity. (2306 views) | | | Tasted by ajfret01 on 4/15/2018: Delicate with a long finish. Great stuff. (2021 views) | | | Tasted by Jmb4263 on 2/24/2018 & rated 92 points: Agreed with some of the recent reviews. Drinking very well right now. Decanted for an hour and really opened up over time. Burgundian in style (1864 views) | | | Tasted by LesPaul on 12/12/2017 & rated 90 points: Has finally come into its own. The '12 appeallation blends from Littorai were very poor on release - hard for me to see how they would evolve. But finally the Sonoma Coast is all of a piece - nice dark nose, medium rich texture, very long finish. I might even mistake for it blind for a ripe vintage Burgundy. Such a pleasure. (2252 views) | | | Tasted by Scamber on 8/7/2017 & rated 93 points: Impressive complexity for their entry-level. An earlier underwhelming Littorai experience had led me astray, but all is now well. Just had to add some patience. This is high-toned yet resonant with exceptionally pure deep red berry and brambly spice flavors, light and dance-y on the palate but a long finish that gained weight. Day one very light, day two cloudier, weightier. Lovely evolution, we dug it both nights. (2301 views) | | | Tasted by CieloVista on 4/30/2017 & rated 90 points: Deep rich red fruit with some floral notes (2402 views) | | | Tasted by Boatdrinker on 3/7/2017: Big Teddy can splash the pot whenever the fack he wants. Silky red deliciousness. Special. (2252 views) | | | Tasted by MartyL on 2/6/2017 & rated 92 points: This is exactly the kind of California Pinot I can get behind. Very light red in color, it looks almost like a Jura Trousseau in the glass. The dominant aromas are red fruits with a floral character to them. On the palate it has a lovely medium bodied weight and there is just enough body and intensity to the fruit that it can stand up well to reasonably hearty food. My first Littorai and I will be buying more. (2432 views) | | | Tasted by brminz on 9/18/2016 & rated 90 points: light color with full flavor. ready to drink now. (2674 views) | | | Tasted by aaronfeigin on 8/25/2016 & rated 92 points: My second bottle of this. What great balance in this Pinot. The light color is still a little surprising, but the wine easily makes up for it with great red fruits and soft tannins. If you have never checked out Littorai, Ted Lemon is making Pinot the right way! (2409 views) | | | Tasted by rosenst1 on 8/6/2016 & rated 93 points: PnP. Light red - quite pale in fact. Airy red fruited nose - cherry, strawberry blood orange. Lush red fruited palate w sweet red berries. Nice finish w enough acid to be beautifully balanced. This is really lovely - echoes a 2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot from Littorai which also played well above its weight class. (2175 views) | | | Tasted by aaronfeigin on 7/6/2016 & rated 92 points: Very light in color but excellent body and mouth feel. Lots of red fruit and a hint of earth, this wine is all about balance. Lithe tannins gentle in the mouth and not too fruity. Very enjoyable. Still seems like it will age for another few years. Not cheap but very much worth it. (2289 views) | | | Tasted by Double D on 12/15/2015 & rated 93 points: The lightest Littorai I ever remember both in color and body, none the less it has a nice mouthfeel and good with a meal. Red fruits dominate but this is no fruit bomb elegant treatment and not complex layers of flavors. Simple straight forward pinot. (2890 views) | | | Tasted by ajfret01 on 9/26/2015: Cloudy and bright cherry red. Pleasant aroma. Pleasant forest floor, mushroom, and spice. Very spicy on the palette. Medium finish. (2752 views) | | | Tasted by BobS on 5/26/2015 & rated 91 points: Glad I bought a case. looking forward to the rest of the bottles over the next several years (3267 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Littorai Producer Website2012 Littorai Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast73% Sonoma Coast Vineyard designate lots,
13% Platt Vineyard,
14% Hirsch VineyardPinot 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 CountySonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast AVA (Wikipedia)
* Sonoma Coast AVA (Wine Institue) |
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