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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2013 and 2017 (based on 8 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.2 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 7 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 9/13/2013 & rated 92 points: Retail $38. Rich raspberry and vanilla. This is my style of CA Pinot. Great fruit and acidity with balance and body. Excellent. 91-93 Points.
www.thedrunkencyclist.com (113 views) | | | Tasted by Pinotrunner on 9/6/2013: One of our largest blends (381 cases produced in this vintage),
the La Rochelle Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands wonderfully symbolizes our
goal of creating wines of complexity and balance; wines that reflect a winemaking
philosophy and the region that produces the fruit that goes into it. In the dark
cherry and raspberry fruit notes, the subtle aromas of soy and forest floor, Sarmento
and Tondre Grapefield are revealed. In the wine’s red cherry entry and persistent
finishing acidity, Paraiso Vineyard and White Sage are evident. From the intensity of the wine at entry through the silkiness
of its mid-palate to its broad and balanced tannins on the long finish, the 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands shows its
world-class pedigree. This wine will age effortlessly for 5-7 years if stored correctly. 381 cases produced (1647 views) | | | Tasted by Blauweiss on 6/16/2013 & rated 89 points: Classic cali-pinot, lots of ripe red fruits, good balancing acidity and good length, some tannin, perhaps from oak-treatment, and a long fruity aftertaste, nice! (1635 views) | | | Tasted by SonomaWilliam on 2/17/2013 & rated 90 points: Steven Kent Wines tasting; 2/17/2013-2/18/2013: One of the hardest things to do when reviewing wine is to take your personal preferences and beliefs out of the equation, and evalaute it for what it is, amongst similar, peer, wines.
This is one of those wines, for my personal palate. I will be upfront and say that I struggle with Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) Pinot Noir style. Quite popular in the market, SLH Pinot is bigger, more brooding, darker fruit, higher alcohol...I think of it as the 'butch' side of feminine Pinot Noir. So in that backdrop, I compare this wine.
Pinot Noir was only first produced in SLH starting in 2001.
Generous use of French oak: 40% new, 60% second year. 31 months in barrel.
Since the winemaker is experienced and talented, SLH must need a strong oak program,
as those #s can rival some cabs.
Color: Dark in color, more than you expect for Pinot but inline with SLH
Nose: Toasty oak, black cherry, dark raspberry
On The Palate: Full bodied but not overpowering. Bolder dark berry fruit, but not syrupy or lush.
Good structure but not excessively tannic. The finish is clean, with a hint of vanilla.
This is a well made Pinot, big but not hot, at 15.2% Alc., the sign of a well balanced wine.
Another year in the bottle should reward patience with more oak integration with the fruit, if you are the cellaring type.
At $38, 381 cases only, its a quality, Pinot Noir at a fair price, and more balanced than most SLH Pinot Noir I have had.
If you are a bigger red drinking venturing into Pinot Noir land, or just like your Pinot a bit less girly and with more oomph, this wine is for you. (2305 views) | | | Tasted by cbbrown3 on 1/26/2013 & rated 92 points: The wine is a bright ruby red color. The dark and enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, wood smoke, cola, minerals, warm baking spices, black raspberries, dark chocolate, and a touch orange zest. This has medium body, ripe, velvety tannins, and very good acidity. Earthy cherries, baking spices, and minerals grab the palate initially, slowly allowing some cola, black raspberries, and spicy oak to add considerable depth. The finish has very nice length with earthy fruit and spice slowly fading away. This is very young and deserves some cellar time to open and fill out. (1720 views) |
| La Rochelle 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 Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaSanta Lucia HighlandsAppellation: Wine Artisans of Santa Lucia Highlands | Winegeeks article
AVA Website
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