External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.9 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 425 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by hanasowner on 10/8/2022 & rated 90 points: Broken cork...still a dark red with decent fruit...integrated tannins...on the decline for sure with perhaps another 1-2 years...time to drink up. (789 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 5/17/2019 & rated 90 points: Still a rich pinot after all these years. Probably not guessed pinot if tasted blind as its heavier and richer than most even at 15 years old. It's coming dangerously close to becoming the Caymus cab of pinot. (2678 views) | | | Tasted by Neecies on 4/30/2019: From a passive cellar, this wine's mostly tertiary now and a good window into what cooler cellars will show in 4-5 years. Where I'm not such a fan of young Sea Smokes, aged bottles from J & A's cellar have been revelatory. Loved this one--fantastic old burg aromas of pot pourri, mushroom, sweet caramelized tomato, sour cherry and a long finish. Excellent. (2465 views) | | | Tasted by scott davis on 4/21/2019 & rated 92 points: Slightly-bricking purple in color, with a nose of dusty raspberry and blackberry fruit. The palate shows black cherry, plum, and root beer notes, with hints of lavender and vanilla, having a medium-long finish. Paired beautifully with Easter dinner; this still has plenty of life remaining.
Though I remain a buyer of Sea Smoke wines, I find that I am slightly preferring the Kris Curran vintages over time. (2486 views) | | | Tasted by jsebiri on 5/17/2018: Very nice, 14 years old, not as bright as it once was but in good shape. 2004 has turned out to be very nice for my Cali cabs and pinots after all these years. Drink up. (3241 views) | | | Tasted by hanasowner on 11/8/2017 & rated 91 points: Popped and poured...nice shade of ruby...perhaps a few more years still left, but drinking very well now. (2961 views) | | | Tasted by itsnotbob on 10/15/2017 & rated 91 points: Well-balanced with plenty of life left; surprising for such a warm vintage. Could safely lie down a couple more years. Nice work by Chris Curran and Victor Gallegos. (2029 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 11/12/2016 & rated 95 points: Continues to drink beautifully! Last of the 2004's! What a stellar vintage for Sea Smoke! (4023 views) | | | Tasted by rama on 7/24/2016: holding up fine (4738 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 5/12/2016 & rated 91 points: Very similar to my last bottle roughly one year ago. Pop and four. Drank over two hours. The fruit in this bottle seemed a bit past its prime as cola flavor has changed to root beer. Wine also had a slight brown tinge on the rim. (4655 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 3/20/2016 & rated 92 points: Second notes on this wine. Deep, dark garnet in color with no signs of aging. Full, forward and attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of earthy & spice notes, minerals, anise, cola, mocha, herbs, vanilla, some cedar & a hint of heat (Alc. @ 14.7%) in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, rich, lush, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blueberries & plums, with spices, cola/sassafras, mocha/coffee, minerals & some earthiness. Silky smooth lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present & appears to be at or close to its peak of development although given fruit & structure, it should easily last longer but any further development may be minimal. Showing quite well at 12 years of age! (4741 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 5/22/2015 & rated 91 points: Heavier, extracted style of pinot in 2004. Cherry color with a lighter to watery rim. Nose is strong with cherry, spices and a hint of cream. Body is fairly viscous. Attacks the palate right away with cherry fruit and heavy spice but finishes with a touch of cherry cola and honey. Very interesting and improved its integration and balance on 2nd day. Not for burgundian purists! Still going strong but I'd say it's slightly past peak as freshness is waning. (5616 views) | | | Tasted by cjsavino on 11/22/2014 & rated 92 points: Darkened color in the glass for a pinot. The nose is filled with spice and dried citrus fruits. The taste profile closely follows the nose, with a greater emphasis on the dried citrus. (4553 views) | | | Tasted by tederf on 6/16/2014 & rated 90 points: Fruit still showing well. Strawberry and bright red cherry. (4597 views) | | | Tasted by Cow Town on 5/4/2014: Not sure if my bottle was over the hill or somehow bad, but it followed. Botella of the same vintage, and the Botella was better in every respect. (4258 views) | | | Tasted by SeaSmoke on 12/28/2013 & rated 91 points: Similar comments to April 2011. Large format bottle so the wine has aged so well. (4565 views) | | | Tasted by vinolovers on 11/2/2013 & rated 96 points: A nice garnet coloring with still a hint of youthful purple. This was wonderful with the tannins having faded, although still lurking in the background. Lots of red fruit notes, particularly raspberries and cherry accompanied by a hint of earthiness. A well integrated wine that is probably approaching its peak, but no rush to drink. (3794 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 11/2/2013 & rated 92 points: Deep, dark garnet in color. Full, forward and attractive nose of ripe red fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries, raspberries & plums with lovely secondary notes of earthy & herbal overtones, minerals, a touch of anise, cola, some spices, vanilla and a hint of cedar. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of developed & well-integrated, smooth, rich, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries, blueberries & plums, with spices, cola/sassafras, minerals, cedar and some earthiness. Smooth lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present but has the depth, fruit & structure to last longer and may even develop further. (3096 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 8/24/2013 & rated 95 points: Continues to drink beautifully! Lovely aromas and flavors of raspberry, cherry, earth, and cedar with soft tannins on a long finish. (2763 views) | | | Tasted by old tractor on 7/9/2013 & rated 95 points: At its peak now. A great wine from former winemaker Chris Curran. (3028 views) | | | Tasted by Blake Brown on 6/14/2013 & rated 91 points: I would have liked to taste this one blind because I had some preconceived ideas as to how this would show having had many previously; it bettered my preconception with some elegance and softness I rarely find in SS and the absence of heat belied its 14.7% alc., in this case, I`ll say it was atypically good. (2534 views) | | | Tasted by cjsavino on 4/27/2013 & rated 93 points: This wine is in a very good place right now. Color is still a deep ruby, on the nose a bid of earthiness, on the palate a bit of pine needle, raspberry, and a finish that extends for a minute. (2707 views) | | | Tasted by lewrose@gmail.com on 3/28/2013: Drinking beautifully (2875 views) | | | Tasted by TheBigD52 on 1/3/2013: Dark ruby color. Still outstanding. (2473 views) | | | Tasted by TheBigD52 on 12/25/2012: Great nose. Very fruity. excellent wine. (2562 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, September/October 2006, IWC Issue #128
(Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing Santa Rita Hills) Subscribe to see review text. | By Allen Meadows
Burghound, 3rd Quarter, 2006, Issue #23
(Sea Smoke Cellars Pinot Noir Southing Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/19/2008)
(Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing) From magnum - Bright cherry red color; lovely floral, raspberry and cherry nose; raspberry, tart cherry, black cherry and sour cream palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. 91 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Burghound and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Sea Smoke Producer website.
At Sea Smoke we believe that the vineyard is the wine. For this reason, we produce Pinot Noir grown exclusively on our estate vineyard in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, California. We focus on the meticulous management of each vine to achieve ideal vine balance and very low yields, while incorporating sustainable, environmentally sound farming practices. Each of our ten clones of Pinot Noir is hand harvested, and individual vineyard block/clone combinations are kept in separate lots throughout the winemaking process, enabling us to develop an intimate knowledge of the way Sea Smoke vineyard expresses itself. These individual lots form the basis of a complex flavor palette from which final blending decisions are made. This results in wines of exceptional complexity and grace - each one, we believe, a reflection of the unique terroir of our estate vineyard. We hope you agree, and we welcome your comments.
2004 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir SouthingFrom the Sea Smoke website -
WINEMAKING: Grapes were hand-sorted and gently de-stemmed with no crushing; ‘jack stems’ were removed by hand. The must was cold-soaked in open-top fermenters for one to four days (depending upon the lot), then inoculated with a cultured yeast to begin a slow fermentation. Each tank was manually punched down one to three times per day over a period of 14 to 18 days. Upon completion of primary fermentation, and the desired number of maceration days, all free-run wine was transferred to tank for settling. Pressing was done at extremely low pressure (0.08 bars) to avoid extracting bitterness from the seeds. After settling overnight, both the free-run and the press wines were racked cleanly to separate barrel lots. The final blend includes lots that showed elegant fruit, rich middles and developed tannins. The wine was aged for 18 months in 65 percent new French oak barrels and was bottled without filtration.
TASTING NOTES: Dark garnet in color, the 2004 Southing is elegantly styled. Aromas of wild blueberries and black cherries mingle with violets and subtle dustiness. This wine has ample body and firm, ripe tannins that integrate well with its cool climate acidity. We recommend decanting this wine thirty to sixty minutes prior to drinking, particularly if consumed before 2008.
TECHNICAL NOTES: Alcohol: 14.5% by volume; pH: 3.54; Total Acidity: 0.61g/100ml; Brix at Harvest: 25.4
RELEASE DATE: May 2006Pinot 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 Wikipedia |
|
