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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2008 and 2011 (based on 15 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 86.3 pts. and median of 87 pts. in 155 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Harley1199 on 4/27/2014: I brought this bottle six years ago from California to home and reading during this time those TNs I was afraid of the state of mine only one.
Brilliant cherry colour for a Pommard-like nose. Strong, firm and going straight for minerality and fruit but with a disliking plastic aroma. Little artificial for that.
Watery mouthfeel and acidic. Calling for fine food. Lovely bitterness.
Nice matching a owed lamb leg. Happy B'day James, chiquitín!
Hace seis años traje está botella a casa desde California y durante este tiempo, leyendo las notas de cata, temía por el estado de mi única botella.
De color cereza brillante para una nariz como a Pommard. Fuerte, firme y yendo directa a por la mineralidad y la fruta pero con ese desagradable aroma a plástico. Un poco artificial.
Sensación en boca acuosa y ácida. Llama a la comida. Rico amargor.
Un buen acompañamiento para una paletilla de cordero al horno. (5493 views) | | | Tasted by ChaineMatt on 5/28/2013 & rated 87 points: Typical La Crema pinot noir, creamy, but not overly so, strawberry and bing cherry, cola notes. Tannins have faded a bit but it is still drinking nicely, but won't much longer. (5936 views) | | | Tasted by Lucky313 on 3/10/2013: Too old, tasted rancid, smelled like an old shoe. Poured right down the drain. At least it was a gift found in the back of the cellar. (5952 views) | | | Tasted by Rcolella on 10/15/2012: good tannins (6402 views) | | | Tasted by soonerva on 7/21/2012: over the hill. not showing much at all now. pouring out. (6733 views) | | | Tasted by budh on 5/1/2012: This one got lost in the cellar - should have been drunk a few years ago. Raspberry jam and funky nose; light, hot, poorly balanced finish. (3056 views) | | | Tasted by Rcolella on 1/16/2012: ready to drink (2526 views) | | | Tasted by pgb67 on 11/3/2011 & rated 86 points: Has developed some interesting secondary flavors of earth and minerals, adding to a core of bing cherry and strawberry fruit. Not particularly long, and faded over time with air exposure -drink up (although this was probably not intended for cellaring necessarily - it sort of fell to the back of my cellar inadvertently (and acquired as gift in the first place)). (2882 views) | | | Tasted by jessimike on 10/15/2011 & rated 92 points: Never disappoints (2609 views) | | | Tasted by Sijan on 5/24/2011 & rated 88 points: Quite good, even a few days later. Very good QPR. (3103 views) | | | Tasted by bouchase on 1/30/2011 & rated 86 points: J'aime bien ce style de pinot noir bien poivré de Californie. Pas un vin très corsé toutefois. La couleur est translucide. (3299 views) | | | Tasted by cdpeca on 1/18/2011 & rated 90 points: Excellent as always (3616 views) | | | Tasted by formula1 on 12/1/2010 & rated 87 points: NIce modest pinot. Cranberries, strawberries on the nose. Smooth tannins and a medium finish. Not bad valuel (3647 views) | | | Tasted by bouchase on 10/17/2010 & rated 86 points: Bon pinot californien. Couleur pâle et translucide. Nez et goût poivré. Très intéressant. (3790 views) | | | Tasted by whineoh3 on 10/4/2010 & rated 88 points: Kristin, Heather (4024 views) | | | Tasted by winepups on 4/18/2010 & rated 86 points: was expecting worse given the comments, but was a very decent pinot (4220 views) | | | Tasted by kbhiggins on 4/1/2010 & rated 86 points: Very consistent offering from La Crema. Works nicely every day. (4342 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 3/31/2010 & rated 90 points: Bright raspberry red color. Medium bodied, subtle, enticing cinnamon, pepper and cherry flavors with fine tannins. Paired very well with pork tenderloin. (4295 views) | | | Tasted by WE KNOW PINOT on 3/24/2010: Garnet in color. Fair amount of ETOH on nose, somewhat candy-ish (maybe red licorice or lollipop?) and a slight funky/barnyard aroma, which is not at all unpleasant. Palate is dominated by red fruit--cranberry, cherry; a little peppery spice. Decent acidity, smooth tannins, vanilla on the finish. Overall impression: pleasant, fairly typical, not especially complex, fair value @ under 18 bucks. (4367 views) | | | Tasted by Vinpire on 2/20/2010 & rated 87 points: nose of strawberries, pleasant acidity, it was a good accompaniment to a Niman Ranch ham. (4486 views) | | | Tasted by RedLoverJim on 2/18/2010 & rated 82 points: After an hour or open bottle time, an initial funk blows off. What's left are notes of strong, peppery cherry. Nice flavors, but the finish leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth. A slightly bitter mustiness. Didn't finish the bottle. (4550 views) | | | Tasted by Greenbud on 2/16/2010: Let it get too old, I think. (1753 views) | | | Tasted by TottenCellars on 1/29/2010 & rated 85 points: This was a very average bottle of wine. I enjoyed it with home made pizza, but the wine did not stand out.
It was very smooth and had a long finish.
Would purchase again at the right price. (4770 views) | | | Tasted by lumpkins on 12/27/2009 & rated 87 points: great cranberry and strawberry flavours, earthy tones. Silky tannins - well balanced and went perfect with turkey dinner (4870 views) | | | Tasted by Bill1100 on 9/25/2009 & rated 86 points: An OK pinot noir - nothing special, even when decanted for several hours. Probably won't bother buying it again. (5680 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| La Crema Producer website2006 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma CoastRegion: California: Sonoma
Grade: B-
With a cool and soggy spring, a scorching July heat wave and a rainy October, winemakers and growers in Sonoma County witnessed everything from heat stroke to bunch rot in the vineyards this year. Despite the challenges, however, vintners report that the good ultimately outweighed the bad in 2006.
"This was the year of the vineyard manager, and you really had to be on top of your vineyard," Christine Hanna, owner of Hanna winery said.
The growing season got off to a late start, which turned out to be a good thing when temperatures rose above 100 degrees for a few days in July. The grapes were still hard and green, so sunburn was kept to a minimum. But because of the wet spring, botrytis and mildew were a threat throughout the season. Growers in cooler regions like Carneros, Sonoma Coast and Russian River dodged the bullet if they managed to ripen and harvest their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay before the October rains. Others weren't so lucky.
Fortunately, thicker-skinned grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon generally survived the early rain and managed to achieve good ripeness thanks to the temperate weather that followed. Cabernet and Merlot, particularly in Alexander Valley, are showing dark colors. "Not only are we getting the elegance you'd expect, but there's also power and weight," said Nick Goldschmidt, executive winemaker for Beam Wine Estates, which includes wineries such as Clos du Bois, Geyser Peak and Gary Farrell. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel varied widely by subregion but will generally be more crisp and elegant.
The bright spot is that vintners agreed that 2006 was a top year for Sauvignon Blanc. Consistent sun and a long, cool growing season combined to build complex flavors, whether the wines are tart and citrusy or tropical fruit bombs.
—Tim Fish, Wine SpectatorPinot 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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