Pinot Days

Our first Pinot Days in NYC. Was fun to meet a fellow CTer at the event and wander through a few of the places. A bit overcrowded so we actually didn't make all of the booths and I suspect we could have missed a few good ones, but we also tried some fun ones.

Really loved the Smith Vineyard here. The other two weren't as much to my taste (a bit overdone), but the Doctor's especially was still interesting.

• 2011 Hahn Pinot Noir Monterey County

  USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County

  Very funky on the nose. There's a light fruit character, not as overpowering as the nose would suggest. Wasn't my favorite of the group.

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• 2011 Lucienne Pinot Noir Smith Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  This was one of my favorites of the day. Charcoal, graphite, still get some fruit but there's a lot of secondary characteristics here as well. Nice balance and appreciate that it's not overly ripe.

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• 2011 Lucienne Pinot Noir Doctor's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  This has a funky taste as well, but get it on both the nose and the palette. There's a bit of the dirty bandaids and much less fruit. Woodland floor and wet dirt.

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We dropped by here on our way from Hahn to Sojourn. Wines were alright, but not our favorites.

• 2011 Gros Ventre Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Feels more acidic and sharp, not sure I really cared for it. Too harsh and the alcohol was overly prevalent.

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• 2008 Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir Etesian

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Very woody here, still a bit sharp here, some acid flavors. Fruit not very prevalent. Not fully pulled together yet. Preferred the Gloria Ferrer.

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• 2010 Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Still funky, some plum, dark chocolate, a bit of other dark fruits. This was more approachable than the '08 Etesian at this point in time although could see the Etesian evolving more.

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This appeared to be one of the most popular spots at the tasting. Quite a few folks were already list members and very familiar with it. Despite some suggestions from one of the list members, I think my favorite was the Sangiacomo (although there were others in the group who did appreciate the Rodgers most).

• 2012 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  It's your standard big bold Sonoma style, funky, there's some sour cherry here, a pretty intense wine.

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• 2012 Sojourn Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Vineyard Sonoma Coast

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Still very big and bold and funky. I get the deep, over ripe plum that seems to embody these wines.

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• 2012 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  More elegant than the others, this is less in your face, a bit soft, almost reminds me of a cashmere consistency, still the fig flavor. My favorite of the Sojourns.

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Have heard good things about Landmark and I would say the Pinots were generally pretty good. I liked the Grand Detour a bit less than the other two, but all nice daily drinkers.

• 2012 Landmark Pinot Noir Overlook

  USA, California

  Really nice. I get cherry, strawberry, some leather. It seems like a classic daily drinker.

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• 2011 Landmark Pinot Noir Grand Detour

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Can taste the alcohol on this, it's big and bold and a little bit more intense than I would prefer.

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• 2011 Landmark Pinot Noir Saltonstall

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Much more subtle than the Grant Detour, this is still very full-bodied but with a sharper crispness. Taste cassis and red currant and cranberry.

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This was my favorite spot in terms of all around consistency. The wines were universally very strong. I was even more impressed when I saw the pricing associated in CT. Great QPRs!

• 2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Fun, lovely, sweet, almost candied flavor. This is very smooth, drinks well, could see it making a good pre-dinner drink. Stands on its own without needing food.

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• 2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Blueberry, cherry, some earthiness to balance, feels like this would really benefit from food.

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• 2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Tart cranberry, some cinnamon, currant, really lovely wine, it's drinking very well right now - very approachable. Great stuff!

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• 2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Deep wine, back to some smokiness in the fruit, a bit of funk - but it's not overpowering and adds to the character. Great flavors.

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Good wines. A bit more on the funky side, but felt like they were well-executed and came through strongly.

• 2011 Martinelli Pinot Noir Bella Vigna

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Funky, fruity, and pretty smokey. There's a bit of fig there and the wine is pretty tasty.

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• 2012 Martinelli Pinot Noir Grace Nicole Zio Tony Ranch

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Light, elegant, candied flavor. Maybe a touch of spice. Get some fruit - raspberry with a bit of currant.

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• 2012 Martinelli Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Really great deep fruit flavor. It's crisp and clear - the flavors come across without much blurring. Good currant flavor. Nice wine.

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Wanted to make sure to not try all California and so we hit up an Oregon spot. I preferred this wine to their Estate blend which unfortunately I did not capture a note for.

• 2010 Stoller Pinot Noir Reserve Dundee Hills

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Nice and elegant, this comes across as more old world than the other wines we've had today. Less fruit flavor - more earth and dirt. Harder to pull out the nuances after the other bigger wines.

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Loring was prob our favorite place of all of the spots tasted although we very much enjoyed the Landmark, Sojourn, Siduri, and Martinelli. I'm afraid that I didn't quite make it to take notes through the entire event. This covers all but the last two places tasted (Belle Glos and Siduri).