DCWineDinners' (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dcwinedinners/) Pinot Noir Dinner at Dino

Very relaxing evening with very nice people and very interesting wines. Hope this group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dcwinedinners/) continues to gather more eBob refugees, even though I'll still pay Mr. Parker as well.

• 2007 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Big, indulgent nose of pear and butterscotch, mouth of a poached pear covered in ginger butter, very fleshy, but then a short finish without a lot of acidity to balance the fatness.

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• 2007 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Tasted next to the top-heavy 07 Hobbs Ritchie, this showed much more balance, nuance and elegance. Lightly toasted apple and lemon nose, mouth has some quince and nuts, but then a grassy/tea thing comes in on a very long finish. More Chablis in style than expected.

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• 2007 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Growers Collection Calvert Vineyard 88 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

  Nose of vanilla and Luden's Black Cherry cough drop. Cherry and vanilla on the mouth as well. Pretty but relatively primary and sappy, although I did get some more interesting spice after some more time in the glass.

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• 1999 Jean Boillot & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Gooseberry and blackberry nose with a touch of the good chicken coop - this is my style of Pinot for sure and I was confident about it being a Burgh while others assumed its size meant New World. Cherries in the mouth, but also some dirt and nutmeg and a tiny bit of dried mint in the nice, long finish, which really dries this out to balance the generous fruit on the mid-palate. By far the consensus WOTN, and definitely my Pinot of the year so far.

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• 2006 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  Nose has a bit of a dried rose thing going along with the black cherry, and then a mouth of cherry cola and oak notes. Too hot and too basic for me.

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• 2005 Gros Frère et Sœur Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Big barnyard on the otherwise blackberry and cherry nose, lots of brightness up front in the mouth, but then darker fruits and even some cocoa along a sweet backbone. Nice pursing finish with good length. What makes this wine interesting to me is that it brings a lot of secondary notes I'd associate with an aged Merlot but it still brings very clean and bright Pinot fruit.

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• 2005 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Light colored and light bodied, lots of cinnamon and cherry on the nose, bright cherries in the mouth, just a hint of clove, but pretty straightforward - the acidity and dry finish, along with that brightness might portend a more interesting wine in a few years.

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• 2004 Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard 87 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Nose brings some meat and the fruit is very clean and the finish focused, but this was a bit too oaky and basic in the cherry cola midpalate for me.

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• 2002 Jean Boillot & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Nice earthy nose with cocoa and dark berries, in the mouth, bright and ripe, a little flabby even, but then the acidity comes in and seems to crescendo late. After some more time open, nose got more barnyard and blueberries entered the palate as well.

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• 2005 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Burnt licorice and cherry nose, slightly rounded fruit seems a bit overmatched by the minerality and acidity right now, but the lushness of the mouthfeel is an interesting contrast to all the dryness.

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Was excited that my 1999 Volnay showed so well. Great time with a bunch of good guys.