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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 37 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by klezman on 5/13/2022: This was delicious. Not amazingly expressive, but what was there was complex and well balanced. Terrible value at the $50+ winery price, but good enough for $30. (1459 views) | | | Tasted by caesar77 on 3/31/2022 & rated 91 points: More cellar time (just four months shy of 5 years to be exact) has indeed improved my enjoyment of this wine. Rich, opaque garnet with fallow ruby edge. Nose of cherry cola, but tertiary notes of sweet tobacco and wet earth come through. On the palate: bing cherry, damson plum and river rocks. Mouthfeel is plush and tannins are silky smooth, perceived only slightly on the cheeks. Wine still has weight...it is on the heavy side for pinot, but getting more agreeable with age. Enduring finish of cranberry and forest floor with a glint of iron that goes on and on. (680 views) | | | Tasted by doublehorn on 1/23/2022 & rated 90 points: Long in tooth but opened up. Still thin. (735 views) | | | Tasted by flydcjets on 1/2/2021 & rated 90 points: A Beautiful bouquet of berry aroma, with no taste of oak, went well with our left over beef Wellington and elk.
Cheers! (816 views) | | | Tasted by 67WinePaul on 11/22/2019 & rated 84 points: Not as good as I had hoped. A wine I usually like, showed poorly. Thin and light. Flavor correct, just not enough, and very simple. (1041 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 7/17/2019: In a fairly nice earthy spot. This bottle was a solid example of the good way Iron Horse can age. (1935 views) | | | Tasted by merryberry on 12/1/2018 & rated 90 points: Color of old strawberry jelly. Clove spice and musky cherry nose. Light to medium bodied, cranberries, cherries, black olives, well integrated tannins, a bit of heat, and a red candy medium length finish. Smooth, fruit-forward, and tasty. (1153 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 6/12/2018: This was tasty. Very earthy, lots of mushroom. RRV cherries as well. Surprisingly low acid, contributing to a feeling that this one was a little flat. (2403 views) | | | Tasted by caesar77 on 7/18/2017 & rated 89 points: Solid Pinot Noir with some typical Russian River fleshiness. Not a classic Pinot, but in keeping with the West Coast style (extracted and fruity). This Pinot also had notes of cocoa. Paid $25 and still felt I could do better regarding QPR.
On day three and wine is still holding up, but getting raspberry and violets (day two was even more pronounced cocoa and had a very plush feeling on the palate--more like a Cab Sauv than a Pinot).
Starting to change my mind a bit regarding the QPR. This is well-made wine that could be aged for 10-20 years and develop into something very interesting. Just depends what you're looking for. (1832 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 6/18/2017: Initial sip this was rather dull, but it's picked up with 30+ minutes of air. Dark cherry, earth, a few spices here and there. More on the light and subtle side - probably a better fish wine than pork, for example. (2621 views) | | | Tasted by wicozani on 5/11/2017 & rated 86 points: Medium ruby robe extending out to clearing edges, the reticent nose features cherry, cranberry, and earth. Medium bodied, with average intensity and concentration. Acquired through the Iron Horse Wine Club, this seemed old and tired, and was not a decent pairing for large boneless grilled pork chops stuffed with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. (1627 views) | | | Tasted by Davetroup on 11/25/2016 & rated 90 points: A very good Pinot with moderate complexity. A little spice on the second day. Probably could have done better for the $$$ but it was a very enjoyable wine. (1797 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 10/30/2016: Not as complex as the last bottle, but still evolving nicely overall. (2594 views) | | | Tasted by SteveVermeer on 8/10/2016 & rated 88 points: Good but others from Iron horse have been better. Not as much flavor as some of the other vintages of this wine we have had. Good now with lite fruit flavors of red raspberry and cherry. Better with our meal than after drinking it alone. (1394 views) | | | Tasted by ChipGreen on 5/3/2016: From a magnum, with dinner. Bright cherry nose with raspberry and loam. Smooth, silky mouthfeel - likely due to the sur lies aging with batonage. Cherry/strawberry/raspberry palate with baking spices on the medium+ finish. Moderate tannins and mild oak influence. Paired well with the entire meal; ciabatta bread, tossed salad with raspberry vinaigrette, risotto cakes stuffed with crumbled sausage, spaghetti in garlic butter sauce and chicken piccata. Similar flavor profile on day 2 but with a little more spice. Very enjoyable. (1613 views) | | | Tasted by merryberry on 4/23/2016 & rated 91 points: Dark yet still translucent dusty rose. Nice nose of bing cherry, baking spice and earth. Medium to full bodied, pomegranates, dirty cherries, white pepper, grainy tannins, a bit of heat, sage, and a long spicy finish. Very good, but try to get it at a discount. (1452 views) | | | Tasted by bbakove on 2/20/2016 & rated 89 points: Elegant, sour cherry on nose and palate, tannins coat the teeth, silky mouthfeel, medium finish (1307 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 1/19/2016: Tons of fruit, predominantly black cherry, with a ton of earth/mushroom to balance it out. A few hints of the RRV cola note that I'm not totally appreciating at the moment, but it's becoming less prevalent with air. (2522 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 12/1/2014: Delicious, earthy, raspberry, cherry, and even something I might characterize as chicory. Great balance, and while not a deal at the winery price it's good for a $30 price tag. (3736 views) | | | Tasted by Bill1100 on 11/27/2014 & rated 89 points: Bought for Thanksgiving dinner - it was quite good. Medium body, beautiful garnet color, medium finish. Very smooth, not too much alcohol. Would definitely buy again. (1943 views) | | | Tasted by bwb on 11/3/2014 & rated 93 points: pricey but very good (2190 views) | | | Tasted by La Cave d'Argent on 5/18/2014 & rated 87 points: Medium ruby in color, this wine offers nice aromas of raspberries, strawberries and cocoa. Medium-bodied, fresh and lightly tannic, it follows with red fruit, cola and cocoa flavors. The alcohol (listed as 13.8%) is fairly well-integrated. Solid in the middle, it concludes with a crisp, medium-length finish. While certainly a respectable Pinot, at this point it is somewhat one-dimensional and probably does not represent the best value. Perhaps some short-term cellaring will be helpful, but I would not purchase it with that thought. Drink 2016-2020. (2402 views) | | | Tasted by aaronl3182 on 12/8/2013 & rated 89 points: Beautiful light red color. Nose of strawberry, old raspberry and earth. Very soft and silky mouth feel. More strawberry and earth. Very round and with great acidity. This was quite enjoyable and pleasent to drink despite being so young. Paired very well with kale and Brussels sprout salad with bacon and pomegranate. (2153 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Iron Horse Vineyards Producer website
9786 Ross Station Road
Sebastopol, CA 954722012 Iron Horse Vineyards Pinot Noir Green Valley of Russian River ValleyHarvest Dates: September 12 - October 4, 2012
Date Bottled: August, 2013
Release Date: November, 2014
Total Production: 250 Cases
Appellation: Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.8% v/v
Acidity: .50 g/100ml
Residual Sugar: >0.2 g/100ml (dry)
pH: 3.66
Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
Barrels: Average age of barrels 3 years, 100% French, mainly central France, fire bent, medium plus toast.
Artisanal Winemaking: Hand picked grapes from 12 blocks, representing five clones (33% 13 Martini Selection, 33% clone 828, 16% Dijon clones, 13% Pommard 5 clone and 5% Calera clone) are de-stemmed into stainless steel tanks or half ton macro-bins, where they are cold-soaked (using dry ice) for up to seven days. Before fermentation is complete, the new wine is gently pressed from the skins and transferred to French oak barrels. Fermentation then goes to completion in the barrels, allowing us to stir the lees (batonage) as the wine ages prior to blending and bottling.Pinot 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 County |
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