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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.6 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 311 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Scott Burg on 9/22/2023: Drinking great but drink now. Really enjoyed this wine (560 views) | | | Tasted by OneOfTheBasicFoodGroups on 5/27/2023 & rated 90 points: Still good, but needs to be drunk soon. (781 views) | | | Tasted by Josch48 on 12/2/2022 & rated 85 points: Completely opaque black cherry, almost squid's ink color in the glass, with matching color on the tip of the cork. This is visually the most extracted Pinot Noir I have encountered, questionable, especially since the fruit etiology is located in a fairly high elevation, with a proposed growing season average daytime high temperature just under 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The nose is redolent of thick and viscous aromas of jammy, and clumsy overripe blue-black fruit, and boysenberry syrup, with no appreciable bouquet or resemblance to Pinot Noir.
The overtly sweet, raisiny, and cloying mouthfeel is accompanied by a tart acidity and oddly woody tannins. The fruit component of the wine reveals flavors more in common with a Syrah, Merlot or a highly over ripe Cabernet Franc.
My experience with tasting the Wagner (and affiliated wine making staff) family’s Pinot Noir offerings has inexorably led me to place these wines in a categorization (or relegation) of exotic and almost unnatural expressions of this varietal. Granted, there are endearing qualities in most well made Pinot Noir regardless of the fruit sourcing area, microclimate, and stylistic proclivities of the wine maker, regardless of the price point or the level of complexity and respective resultant expression of this difficult to grow and even more difficult to vinify varietal.
I am neither an expert nor a bias laden wine snob.
My mystification with this wine is being able to identify and classify it as a Pinot Noir.
Regardless of the clone or clones used in this wine, the winemaker’s statement of “The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick skins, giving us more color concentration,” is confounding at the very least.
The skin of the Pinot Noir grape is relatively thin, and is easily broken by callous handling when harvested, and the skin’s tannins comprise only about 1.7 % of the grape’s weight. This is compared to 3% to 6% in most other red varieties, and the Pinot’s anthocyanins, the soluble pigments that impart most red wines their color, are only half that in a Syrah grape. How is this wine so heavily extracted?
I won’t belabor the elegance that can be achieved from this varietal, but elegance is not a superlative I would associate with this particular wine. If this were another varietal, say a Paso Robles Syrah, I would score this wine as 90, but my score reflecting this wine’s identity as a Pinot Noir is a generous 85.
I realize many wine drinkers appreciate this manifestation of Pinot Noir, and I am the last person to subjectively dismiss and diminish this choice. I merely state my personal disappointment and express my thanks for the thoughts and insights of my fellow wine lovers in this safe and respectful forum. (1268 views) | | | Tasted by bradfriedlander on 11/24/2022 & rated 95 points: Nose is Eucalyptus and fall woods. Slightly smoky. Taste is strawberry preserves and bramble berry. A little leather in the chew. A little tar on the finish. Sustained finish. Excellent with roast turkey and side dishes. Short bottle barely lasted through dinner.
This may be our favorite Belle Glos Pinot Noir. (1026 views) | | | Tasted by Dbabtd on 10/30/2022 & rated 95 points: Absolutely spectacular. Typical California fruit forward! (1070 views) | | | Tasted by VDLT Wine on 10/29/2022: Quite tasty but too much of the big, over-fruited, roasted Pinot qualities that don’t work for me. It did wear it’s almost 15° alcohol with ease, save for a bit of heat. (753 views) | | | Tasted by CheviotCellar on 2/20/2022 & rated 91 points: We enjoyed this bottle. Very approachable and food friendly; squarely in a nice drinking window. With that said, we are not well versed in pinot. This could have been Aussie Shiraz or a Lodi Zinfandel blend, and I wouldn't have been the wiser. The wine won't teach you about varietal or terroir but it is satisfying and very good QPR. If you're ok with that, and like your wines with some age, this is a good pickup. (1166 views) | | | Tasted by OneOfTheBasicFoodGroups on 9/22/2021 & rated 92 points: Drinking just fine. Pretty robust, but one that you can enjoy on it's own. (1139 views) | | | Tasted by bradfriedlander on 6/3/2021 & rated 89 points: Deep extraction. Soft tannins. Full mouth feel. Sustained finish. A little one note, but it's well done. (1343 views) | | | Tasted by Iam Redwood on 5/25/2021 & rated 90 points: Last one, buts not sure i will re up. Cant hold a candle to Oregonian Pinots. This wine is confused as to what it wants to be. (1367 views) | | | Tasted by Weiner on 5/15/2021: The ,13 vintage is done, unless you kept it very well, you will likely por it out. Normally a nice wine but past it’s prime. (1346 views) | | | Tasted by clarktoews on 1/12/2021 & rated 86 points: Almost looked like a Cabernet when I poured my first glass. Sappy and sweet and lacking any dimension. Not a fan (1391 views) | | | Tasted by shellylowen on 12/18/2020 & rated 92 points: Creamy and yummy. Caymus vanilla accents (1127 views) | | | Tasted by mac-eye on 7/29/2020 & rated 88 points: Odd style of pinot - dense fruit, hot with alcohol and a bit sweet. The grapes may have been over-ripe when picked. Oddly, the label does not say the ABV content; obviously high. Beautiful color, no sign of age. Doesn't seem like a pinot; not my preferred style. Better now with 7 years of age; earlier bottles were a bit harsh. (1361 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 6/28/2020 & rated 89 points: Ripe Black berries, smoky. had alone after dinner (1378 views) | | | Tasted by brasstab on 5/25/2020 & rated 91 points: It hit different this time. Too much New World. Syrupy and overdone. Maybe I shouldn't have had it midday on a sunny afternoon with Italian sausages and chimichurri. Or maybe I didn't give it enough air. (1404 views) | | | Tasted by thetripler on 5/24/2020: We should have let it air longer than we did, but we liked it (1092 views) | | | Tasted by thetripler on 5/24/2020: Basic (1002 views) | | | Tasted by brasstab on 4/11/2020 & rated 94 points: Stunning. Most definitely New World. Make no mistake. Still. A wine that opens with earth and herbs, tastes like cherry Coke on the mid-palette, and finishes with bright Burgundian acidity. (987 views) | | | Tasted by ibglowin on 1/9/2020 & rated 92 points: Stored at 55F since purchase. Still going strong. Paired with BBQ brisket and it laughed at me. Excellent. (1287 views) | | | Tasted by taylorwfu on 1/2/2020 & rated 90 points: A little past it's prime, but still delightful. (1085 views) | | | Tasted by Gruffalius on 12/27/2019 & rated 92 points: Rich and full. (1067 views) | | | Tasted by Castle Peak on 6/21/2019 & rated 92 points: Fun drink! (1981 views) | | | Tasted by nmcandrew on 5/28/2019 & rated 94 points: Deep and dark red fruit, smooth as silk and luscious (1952 views) | | | Tasted by macliii on 4/21/2019 & rated 91 points: Very nicely balanced and juicy wine they went great with the ESter Ham dinner (1555 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Sara d'Amato
WineAlign (4/18/2015)
(Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By David Lawrason
WineAlign (4/16/2015)
(Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Michael Godel
WineAlign (4/6/2015)
(Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/16/2015)
(Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas Vineyard) Very dark ruby color; black cherry, black cherry syrup, berry syrup nose; rich, concentrated, tart berry, black cherry syrup palate with low acidity; medium-plus finish 87 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of WineAlign and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Belle Glos Producer Website
The vineyard locations can all be described as coastal, but the climate differences are significant, depending on the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site.
Each wine is crafted to distill the purest essence of the vineyard into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir.
Winemaker Joseph Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced BELL GLOSS) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards.
http://www.meiomiwines.com/'> Producer website
Meiomi, (pronounced May-oh-mee) , has a separate website.
Prince of Pinot Article on Belle Glos
Belle Glos: Caymus Genes
Belle Glos (pronounced BELL GLOS) is owned by the Wagner family of Napa Valley Caymus Vineyards fame. Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Mer Soleil Chardonnay, and Caymus Conundrum are well know wines, but the winery has a long history with Pinot Noir, producing some excellent examples from relatively warm locations of the Napa Valley (Rutherford) in the late 1970s and 1980s. They even produced a Pinot Noir Blanc wine labeled “Eye of Partridge.”
The Pinot Noir program was revived in 2001 with the release of Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir and the wines have improved every year since. The name comes from Charles J. (Chuck) Wagner’s mother, Loma Belle Glos Wagner, a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards. Joseph Wagner, a fourth generation winemaker whose family’s roots in the Napa Valley date to 1906, has been the label’s vineyardist and winemaker since 2002. Belle Glos is a separate label from Caymus Vineyards, much like Mer Soleil and Conundrum, made independently from wines Chuck Wagner makes at Caymus Vineyards, referred to as “by the Wagner Family” rather than “by Caymus”, but distributed by Caymus Vineyards.
Caymus farms Pinot Noir in three coastal regions including the Sonoma Coast, Santa Maria Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands and produces vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from the estate vineyards in each region. A fourth Pinot Noir, Meiomi, is a value-priced wine found in wide distribution and restaurants. A distinctive and excellent rosé, is also produced that revives the name, “Oeil De Perdrix,” sourced from the Yorkville Highlands of Mendocino County. The Gambit Series of Pinot Noirs debuted in 2008 at Pinot Days San Francisco. These limited production single-vineyard wines with no added sulfur were intended to offer the rich and voluptuous nature of raw Pinot Noir grapes. I have not seen or heard of these wines since, but they are briefly described on the Belle Glos website.
Caymus acquired a portion of the historic Santa Maria Hills Vineyard in the 1990s. The land, on a west-facing slope of the Santa Maria Valley foothills, had been planted to Pinot Noir from 1972 to 1974, so the vines were almost ancient by California Pinot Noir standards. The vines were own rooted and the clone uncertain, but probably Martini, an heirloom clone that was one of the first Pinot Noir selections to grace California coast lands. I first reviewed the 2001 Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir in the July 7, 2003 issue of the PinotFile, and the wine was generally well received by the wine press. At the time, little was known of the label. Bob Hosmon of the Miami Sun Sentinel wrote, “To say that this is one of the best United States produced Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted is not an overstatement... if you’re looking for something truly special, you won’t be disappointed. Unfortunately no website, mail, e-mail or phone orders.” The website is still very basic and offers no opportunity to purchase the wines. With the 2002 vintage, winemakers Joseph Wagner and Jon Bolta (Conundrum) took what was already a low-yielding 76-acre vineyard and reduced the crop even more radically by regular thinning to increase the flavor concentration of the berries. When the grapes were hand harvested, they ended up with just over one ton per acre. The quality was so high and the flavors so distinctive they felt the wine deserved to be named for the vineyard that produced it which was located at the intersection of Clark & Telephone roads.
The 10-acre Sonoma Coast Taylor Lane Vineyard was planted near the town of Occidental in 1995. While Joseph Wagner was in middle school he helped develop this vineyard, clearing trees and rocks from this previously unplanted land, and laying out and planting the vine rows. To get the grapes to ripen in this cool seaside climate, the trellis system was converted to “Trentina,” named after the region in Italy where it originated, which maximizes sun exposure on the leaves. There is a very consistent diurnal temperature variation at this vineyard site which insures a good balance between ripeness and acidity. The first Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir was in 2002.
The Las Alturas Vineyard is located in one of the highest plantable sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County, at altitudes of 540 to 1,210 feet. The site has warmer afternoons and tamer winds than the northern portion of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. This 15-acre vineyard was planted to match various Pinot Noir Dijon clones to different soils and slopes of the vineyard. Yields are kept deliberately low. The inaugural vintage from this vineyard was 2004.Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas VineyardMy goal with each of the Belle Glos single-vineyard Pinot Noirs is to express the uniqueness of each vineyard site and to craft a genuine style of California Pinot Noir that is layered, complex, fruit-forward and rich. Our Las Alturas Vineyard is an ideal location for growing such a robust, opulent and full-flavored style of Pinot Noir.
The Vineyard: The Spanish term “Las Alturas” means “the heights,” which is a fitting name for this vineyard because it’s located on one of the highest grape-growing benches within the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine with the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive and full-bodied, balanced by a firm acidity. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and the western side of Salinas Valley, Las Alturas benefits from the cooling effect of the early morning fog that rolls in most days from Monterey Bay, burning off within a few hours once the sun heats up. Gusty winds also funnel in from the bay throughout the afternoon, moderating the overall temperature and contributing to one of the longest growing seasons in California. The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick skins, giving us more color concentration. Another attractive characteristic of this particular site is the low-vigor, free-draining subsoil, made up of a calcareous base underneath a layer of sandy loam. This compliments our farming techniques to further reduce our yields per vine to augment the fruit’s intensity.
The Cellar: We harvested early morning to bring the fruit into the winery while the grapes were still cool so we could de-stem, but not crush the berries. Each tank then underwent a cold-soak to soften the skins, allowing for adequate extraction during fermentation, which in some cases was up to two weeks. The maceration process took
place during fermentation in both closed and open-top, stainless steel fermenters that are fully jacketed, using punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and tannins, but also to control the temperatures and maximize flavors. We only barreled the free-run, discarding the press, in 100% French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) for up to nine months. We racked the wine twice, once after malolactic fermentation, and then again when it came time to make the final blend.
Tasting Notes
Intense ruby red in color, it is an intriguing aromatic mix of sunbaked blackberry, bright cranberry, ripe plum, black licorice and hints of candy apple. Complex red and black fruits unfold on the palate; blackberries, raspberries and warm cherry pie filling, with a wonderful dark chocolate characteristic. Cedary oak and soft vanilla undertones on the mid-palate further enhance the wine. The overall impression is rich and silky with a firm acidity, refined tannins and explosive layers of ripe fruit.
- Joseph Wagner, Owner and Winemaker
2013 Las Alturas
Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County
Belle Glos Pinot Noir | www.belleglos.com
VINTAGE DETAILS
Soil: Gloria sandy loam
Climate: Cool, very sunny
Growing Season (bloom to
harvest): 5/20/13 – 10/10/13
Avg. high temp: 78.9°F
Elevation: 540 – 1210 ft.
2013 Growing Season: Santa Lucia Highlands is known for its arid climate and windy conditions, with the Pacific Ocean’s influence cooling the desert-like environment. 2013 exemplified this climate in an extreme way with very little rain. Overall, it was a very even, warm growing season, free of any heat spikes. The dry winter stressed the vines early on, which also helped with the wonderfully intense flavor development in the fruit.
This wine is named in honor of my grandmother,
Lorna Belle Glos Wagner.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 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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