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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 56 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by mac-eye on 8/11/2020 & rated 93 points: Very nice now... really wonderful!
Forward-leaning brightness, yet mature, integrated and balanced.
Definitely not over the hill yet. Only very slight bricking. (800 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 12/5/2016 & rated 91 points: Subsequent notes on this wine from over a couple of years ago. Medium red garnet in color with some slight clearing at the edges. Full, fragrant & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of red cherries, raspberries & plums with overtones of spices of nutmeg & earthy/dusty, some floral notes, herbs, minerals, smoky & a touch of oak in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, elegant & complex, ripe fruit flavors of sweet cherries, strawberries & blueberries with spice notes of nutmeg, herbs, a bit of earthiness, minerals & a bit of oak. Lingering elegant finish. Drinks quite well at 10 years of age & may be close to or at its peak of development. However, it has the fruit & structure to hold here for several more years if cellared properly. Tighter in profile & not as forthcoming as the South Slope offering; North Slope appears to be more mineral & earthy driven. Overall, I have found Hansel Pinots to age very well & represent an excellent QPR. (1923 views) | | | Tasted by ldorf on 1/28/2016 & rated 92 points: Really have taken a liking to this wine over the last few bottles. It is rich, elegant and delicious. (2407 views) | | | Tasted by DerAx on 11/29/2015: Very good and drinkable. Requires more than a boeuf borguignon. (2365 views) | | | Tasted by nav2u on 11/27/2014 & rated 90 points: Medium ruby, with translucent edges. This bottle came off as much more smoky than previous ones, with notes of tart red fruits and spice on the nose and palate. Still enjoyable. (2651 views) | | | Tasted by Ellenkf on 11/6/2014 & rated 88 points: bottle #1 funk city unfortunately not good #2 lovely light cherry juice ruby in color, sour cherry flavor ample tannins zippy bite very Burgundian in style no cola to be found would be terrific with a roast pork. (2365 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 4/25/2014 & rated 91 points: Medium red garnet in color with some slight clearing at the edges. Full, fragrant & attractive nose of ripe red fruits aromas of cherries, raspberries & figs with spice overtones of nutmeg & licorice, dusty, some floral notes, cherry-cola, earthy and a touch of toffee in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of smooth textured, balanced, elegant & seamless, ripe red fruit flavors of sweet cherries, strawberries & blueberries with spice notes of nutmeg, some cocoa, earthiness and a bit of toffee. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present but has limited potential for further development with additional aging. a bit leaner in style than most Hansel's, but quite elegant & polished. (1755 views) | | | Tasted by nav2u on 3/1/2014 & rated 92 points: Medium garnet with some bricking. Once initial reduction subsided, notes of red fruits, lime zest, and toffee emerged on the nose. Cherries, herbs, and caramel on the palate. This is slightly leaner than other Hansels I've tasted, but that's a good thing. Got even better as the evening wore on. Excellent. (1435 views) | | | Tasted by nav2u on 11/28/2013 & rated 90 points: Medium ruby, with slight bricking. Red fruit, figs, and spice on the nose. Medium bodied, with notes of stewed red and blue fruits, herbs, and caramel on the palate. Enjoyable. (1520 views) | | | Tasted by wdb001 on 10/9/2013 & rated 92 points: Delicious. I love how the Hansel pinots have aged. Still has a few years left in my opinion. (1632 views) | | | Tasted by thomaskeil on 1/30/2013 & rated 91 points: Had this the night following the '06 Truett Nolan and this was much more my style. It had bright red fruits, earth and spices on the nose and the palate was nicely balanced with silky fruit, acidity with a light touch of chalky/mineral, and some tannic bite. This made the Siduri seem over ripe and wanting for some real balance by comparison. Forgot how nice the Hansel pinots can be with just a few years on them. (1820 views) | | | Tasted by nicolausson on 11/1/2012 & rated 90 points: Very nice balance on both nose and tongue. Red berries with a touch of spice. Holds up very well. I will let my last bottle stay in the cellar for another year or so. (1837 views) | | | Tasted by bruce61 on 4/4/2011 & rated 91 points: I'm shocked. I bought two of these a few years ago. I opened the first and posted this note:
"Perhaps it was me, but I was disappointed. It did get better the next day though. All I tasted - even after a long decant - was cherry flavored fruit. No toast, no oak, no character. Not swill, but not what I expected from Russian River. The next day there was a bit of smoke flavor, and it was much better, but still not in the 90 range that others rated it. Maybe my buds were off!"
This bottle was completely different. Plenty of fruit, but it had tannins and character missing in the last bottle. I wonder what happened to my first bottle? (2693 views) | | | Tasted by BobS on 10/19/2010 & rated 87 points: Over ripe fruit driven CA Pinot with over the top 14.5% alcohol (2949 views) | | | Tasted by Marc McSorley on 9/27/2010: good, some sour cherry (2829 views) | | | Tasted by espesqpa@gmail.com on 9/24/2010 & rated 93 points: Drank at a American local product type byob. Great nose, with raspberry and cherry on the nose as well as the taste. The fruit on the taste was fresh and vibrant. Very pleasant wine which went well with a duck breast course. Great food wine. Very versitile. (2586 views) | | | Tasted by shaferguy91 on 8/24/2010 & rated 92 points: Wonderful QPR pinot. Nice raspberry and cherry flavors. (2480 views) | | | Tasted by johnwine on 8/7/2010 & rated 92 points: A fab Pinot that is also a rare great value. (2453 views) | | | Tasted by Mr T on 6/8/2010: served at party...got just a tiny taste that did not move me but not really fair (2637 views) | | | Tasted by Ellenkf on 5/8/2010: a little creamier than I remember, but stony and dry finish (2095 views) | | | Tasted by JPH104 on 1/8/2010: Deep ruby color. nose of earth, mushrooms, raspberry, and spice. beautifully balanced. better than expected length. (2804 views) | | | Tasted by benfri on 10/28/2009 & rated 91 points: Classic pn. (3197 views) | | | Tasted by ticktock on 8/15/2009 & rated 92 points: Nice cherry. Needs to air out. Will report after next tasting. (3331 views) | | | Tasted by tim_c on 8/14/2009 & rated 88 points: Pop and pour. As usual, WHs seem to need about an hour or so to soften up and come out to play. Bright red fruit nose with an interesting/appealing funk that is almost bret-like. Huge, juicy explosion of pomegranate and red fruit, pushing the envelope of being a fruit bomb. There is a little tartness on the shorish finish. A little too one dimensional for me and lacking and nuance. All in all a good, well made wine that I don't think will improve all that much with time. (3394 views) | | | Tasted by mreinitz on 8/2/2009 & rated 91 points: Ripe red fruit -- raspberry and cherry, with good acid and a hint of cola. Every year I'm impressed by how good this is for the money. (3339 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Walter Hansel Winery 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 CountyRussian River Valley Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia |
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