External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2006 and 2010 (based on 26 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.8 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 5 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Erik R. on 9/14/2011: Real nice, but fruit is fading ahead of the tannins. Downhill. (1536 views) | | | Tasted by bwillia on 8/12/2010 & rated 89 points: Quite nice actually. Fully resolved. Very light in color. expressive nose and nice burgundian palate. (1612 views) | | | Tasted by 5laton on 11/27/2008 & rated 82 points: Pale but bright, almost youthful appearance. Aromas of cherry pie and baking spice, with toasty oak and alcohol notes. Some fruit left but this is surprisingly hollow in the middle. The fruit is still primary but appears to be drying out, leaving a shell of toasty, slightly astringent oak. If this bottle is representative it's time to drink up. I enjoyed the 2001 regular (non Reserve, which I'd guess sees less new oak) a year ago much more than this bottle. (1748 views) | | | Tasted by cseanb1 on 9/27/2008 & rated 87 points: Opened and not decanted, but in hindsight I should have decanted. Quite an enjoable wine and would have rated higher if the finish wasn't hot. After being open for several hours the wine really finds itself and the heat dissapates off the finish. (1806 views) | | | Tasted by Erik R. on 4/4/2005 & rated 93 points: Lighter ruby color than most CA pinot I've had recently. Wow. Aroma of window sill cherry pie, with the pie crust as well as the fruit, throw in some flowers. Elegant sweet spice,more subtle florals, Dr. Pepper and touch of damp root. Complex, perfectly balanced, and and kept getting more power with air time. Light tannins and a very rightious finish. Hear the regular bottling is even better, but hard to imagine. not sure how it will age. (2304 views) |
| Fort Ross Producer website
Fort Ross wines are produced by Linda and Lester Schwartz. From their South African backgrounds in geology and farming (Lester), music and teaching (Linda) the two came to the US around 1976. In 1988, they purchased the land on which Fort Ross Vineyards are located, high above the Pacific on the ridges of the Sonoma Coast. Meticulous laying-out of the vineyards according to the prevailing winds and terrain produced a crazy-quilt of vineyards on the steep hills. One of the grapes that the the Schwartz's planted was pinotage, a rare visitor to Calfornia but an important grape in their native South Africa. Today they are producing some of the finest pinot noirs and chardonnays available, and both grape varieties are well-suited to the Sonoma Coast soil and climate. 2001 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Reserve Fort Ross VineyardThis profound wine entrances you with its intense swirling aromas of rose petals, spices and sweet, wet earth. It is an elegantly structured, deeply colored Pinot, rich in mouthfeel and bursting with juicy red and black fruit. Its perfectly balanced acidity seamlessly leads to an unusually long and satisfying finish. Still young but quite irresistible.
Wine Specs
Vintage: 2001
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Acid: 56g/100ml
Aging: 18 months
Alcohol: %14.5
Tasting Notes:
Swirling aromas of rose petals, spices and sweet, wet earth. An elegantly structured Pinot Noir with a rich mouthfeel, bursting with juicy red and black fruit. Perfectly balanced acidity seamlessly leads to a long satisfying finish. Expected to develop well for 2-8 years.
Winemaker Notes:
The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked in the cool early morning hours in small five-gallon buckets. After hand sorting, the grapes were cold soaked for several days and fermented in simple open-top fermenters. The caps were manually punched down. Shortly after pressing, the wines were barreled in a combination of new and used French oak. Throughout fermentation and aging, the clones and the different vineyard blocks were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The final blend of this Reserve Pinot Noir was selected from individual barrels chosen for their fruit concentration, complexity and balance.
Other Notes:
2001 was our first commercial vintage. A relatively cool spring preceded warm weather in May and June. In August and September, the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean allowed the grapes to reach physiological maturity without the risk of dehydration. Individual blocks were harvested on multiple occasions based upon flavor profile and ripeness of the individual vines. The yield was low and the flavors were correspondingly high.
Source: WineryPinot 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.Reserve The Wine News | Wine Country This Week | Wine Lover's PageFort Ross VineyardFort Ross Vineyard is located on a very cool, coastal ridge ~1200-1700 feet above sea level within the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, 80 miles northwest of San Francisco. The vineyard sits less than a mile inland from the Pacific Ocean and is recognized as one of the closest vineyards to the California coastline. The ocean fog at this elevation is less intrusive than in lower lying coastal vineyards, rolling in to cover the vines at night but then receding with the morning sunrise. The coastal tempering effect prevents extreme temperature swings; in fact, the lows rarely dip below fog temperature of ~55°F and rarely get above 85°F on hot, sunny days. With its rugged coastal terrain, marine sedimentary soils, long sunny days and gentle sea breezes, these coastal ridges have become one of the most highly regarded growing regions in all of California.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) |
|
