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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.2 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 78 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by lert on 5/3/2024 & rated 93 points: Oh man the nose of this wine is intoxicating. I love smelling this wine. Anyways lots of red fruit and drinking beautifully right now. Went great with Lichon and Sisig. (664 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 5/2/2024 & rated 93 points: Delicious sour red cherries, floral, and spice notes on the nose and ripe palate with hints of orange rind culminating in a long finish. Drinking beautifully! (670 views) | | | Tasted by mhauser on 4/29/2024: Very big for Sonoma Coast. Drink now. (747 views) | | | Tasted by jackstraw on 3/28/2024 & rated 94 points: Exceptional - you could wait to drink it, but not sure it gets better (1123 views) | | | Tasted by silton on 3/17/2024 & rated 93 points: Summa's trademark easygoing earthiness is centered on red cherry plus pomegranate, plum, marionberry, and tangerine, with herbal nuance -- a wine of warmth and depth and harmony, not vibrancy or precision. Entering its prime window, drink or hold. (1239 views) | | | Tasted by Al Ehrhardt on 3/2/2024: Very nice and our guests loved it. A tad big for me, but very enjoyable. Dark cherries, dark berries, evergreen, dried herbs. (1366 views) | | | Tasted by Schiffy on 10/12/2023 & rated 92 points: Old world style Pinot Noir in the heart of the Sonoma coast. Dark cherry with earth notes of forest floor and mushroom. Distinct spice and floral notes on the finish. Well made wine that is distinctive but not a bullseye on my style of Pinot Noir. (2104 views) | | | Tasted by PVJC on 12/9/2022 & rated 93 points: Medium+ body, good depth of fruit, trends a little sour (& maybe stemmy?) on the finish, J didn't like as much as I did because of that. Was still drinking well on day 2 & 3. (3200 views) | | | Tasted by cobalt2 on 11/20/2022 & rated 93 points: Smooth with nice acidity. Slight tartness which worked great with the mature cherry and berry fruit . (2827 views) | | | Tasted by SMZ on 11/19/2022 & rated 94 points: Delicious….full bodied with amazing flavors and a hint of spice. (2781 views) | | | Tasted by DrBad on 9/8/2022 & rated 94 points: Floral aromas, medium plus body, succulent red fruits with a tingling mineral finish. These R-M Pinots are hitting their stride! (3212 views) | | | Tasted by Jbird73 on 8/9/2022 & rated 94 points: Beautiful deep color and fairly opaque in the glass. Nose has a deep fruit melody and definitely some tea for a bit of "earthiness". Beautiful in the mouth with nothing out of place even in the slightest. I burned through these defending the Summa OV (favorites) and wish I would have saved one to see what it is like 5 years from now. It is delicious at present, however, so why wait all the same! (3075 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 8/7/2022 & rated 94 points: Really complex and intellectual pinot. So much going on -- complex flavors, fine yet noticeable tannins, long finish. There is spice, tea leaf, slight woodiness, earth all in moderation adding depth. This is really nice! (2509 views) | | | Tasted by JJYoyo on 5/22/2022 & rated 92 points: Can’t top William Kelley’s description which is very accurate. In addition, this has a real CA density and richness to it. However it *is* unmistakably PN unlike some of them (CA pinots )which taste like cote Rotie. So mark this as a very good example of Californian Pinot as very different from Burgundy. What you give up in transparency you gain in an almost creamy ripeness.
Score: 92-93. Relative to expectations: ++ (3079 views) | | | Tasted by EMark on 12/20/2021: Very pretty red plum color. A bit of a shy nose, some sulfur funk and some floral. Red cherry up front, but with an associated mitigating tartness that suggests citrus. Some mid-palate baking spice. Terrific hit of tart, spicy fruit under the rear palate, leads to a more than pleasant finish. (3694 views) | | | Tasted by Mbad77 on 9/25/2021 & rated 93 points: Very much sonoma on the nose. Touch of orange, very giving nose, with floral and forest notes. Rich fruit and some cream and touch of mint.
Lovely fruit with a real tangy, initially slightly sour bite that then opens into a long spice feeling.
Gave this over an hour decant
A softness and rich silky casing with a medium body. Rather good this.
Ideally a few years in bottle would be beneficial but drinking with enough ease now. (3969 views) | | | Tasted by hoservin on 9/5/2021 & rated 92 points: Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 30 minutes. Aromas of red cherry, loamy earth, toasted oak and baking spice. Black and red fruit, loamy earth, toasted oak and spice on the palate. Very pure with a long finish. Medium bodied. Served with smoked salmon. (3834 views) | | | Tasted by fdub on 8/6/2021 & rated 95 points: Super pure and expressive. Very site driven. (4049 views) | | | Tasted by kabert on 7/5/2021 & rated 92 points: This is delicious, though I think I’ll try to let my two remaining bottles age a few more years so this can pick up some more complexity. As is, this full-bodied pinot had delectable strawberry and cherry flavors, with a touch of earth becoming noticeable after the bottle was open a couple hours. My favorite RM pinots over the last 6 months have been those that are @10 years old. (3990 views) | | | Tasted by ColluraJ on 6/18/2021 & rated 93 points: Light crimson. Very aromatic with strawberry leaves, hibiscus and a touch of earth. Fuller bodied than expected. A little acidic with some structure. Flavors of dried cherries, mushroom and flowers. Pretty good. (3351 views) | | | Tasted by WineGold on 5/10/2021: Drank over two days. Was a bit shut down and stingy on day one, and opened up some more on the second day. Day two notes: pours a darker garnet, with an interesting and distinct nose of marijuana (no joke). Going deeper, this is bramble, wet forest floor of leaves and earth. This must be the cluster stems at work. On the palate, it’s still a bit muted on the second day. There is red fruit, and a strong savory earthiness. Not going to score this one, since it’s significantly different from previous bottles we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of RM Summa Pinot over the years and various vintages and this one doesn’t measure up to the standard. This is either bottle variation, or more likely, a time where the wine is shut down and much flatter than previously. Revisit in 6 months to a year. (3699 views) | | | Tasted by fdub on 5/5/2021 & rated 93 points: Great acid and lift but a bit soft in the structure. Fresh red berries. (3332 views) | | | Tasted by Djfermentation on 5/2/2021 & rated 96 points: So much going on in this Sonoma Pinot. Some earthy funk on the nose upon opening. Lots of blue and darker fruits, orange peal, and tea. There was also a bit of iron/game meat which reminded me of Cayuse Grenache (which I love). This was my first RM Pinot and it was awesome, I get why these draw a lot of attention. (3238 views) | | | Tasted by hardykevin on 4/22/2021 & rated 96 points: Beautiful pinot that really evolved over the course of 2 hours. (3161 views) | | | Tasted by tunaguy on 3/30/2021: A linebacker doing ballet. This is very impressive. Powerful nose of ripe mixed berries, spices, vanilla, pine needles, orange peel, dark rocky minerals. Dense berries, spice, and orange peel on the palate for now. Soft and round on the entry with a wave of acid following to wash everything down then leaving you wanting another sip. I see this evolving incredibly well over the next 15+ years. Drank best after 90 minutes of air (3543 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Rivers-Marie 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.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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