USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind -- -- bottle had been open for 3 or 4 days prior to tasting --
I was initially worried this would show some oxidation when I heard how long the bottle had been open; those worries were quickly dashed once I got my nose in the glass. The aromas on this wine were beautiful, expressive, and not-at-all oxidized --- amazing, really. Medium bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel. Nice acidity on the palate; crystalline; zippy lemon flavor; reminds me of the amazing ’05 vintage of the same; 13.6% alc.; I actually can’t decide if I prefer this over the ’05 --- it’s that close of a call. Very excellent.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind -- -- bottle opened the day before tasting --
Intensely aromatic Nose: very floral; red fruited; hint of leathery mineral. Light bodied on the palate, with ripe red fruit flavors (but not gloppy); hint of savory garrigue; 13.7% alc.. Good to very good.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Nose on this one was darker-fruited and tighter than the Nose on the '08 SLH Pinot; hint of Moroccan spice on the Nose, too. Light bodied. Light, and very spicy on the palate; not complex; 14.0% alc.; good.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind -- -- popped and poured --
Reductive upon opening (smelled like popped popcorn, unbuttered); pronounced minerality; not as fruity as the ’05 and ’07 vintages of the same; very good to excellent, depending on your preferences.
Nose is super chalky and quite floral. Light to medium-light bodied on the palate. Very floral (violets), with aspects of leather and mineral; very elegant; fantastic Fiddlestix --- indeed, this may be my favorite Fiddlestix bottling that I’ve ever tasted from Arcadian, with only the ’06 giving it a run for its money; I usually find Fiddlestix to be too austere and tannic for my preferences, but this is not that at all. 13.8% alc.. Excellent.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
This wine spent 36 mo. in barrel, and then another 24 mo. in bottle. Moderate mineral tones. This has an overall lighter personality than the Sleepy Hollow Chard..
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Nose is very floral with lighter fruit aromas than I’ve grown accustomed to from this bottling; hint of mineral; a very elegant Pisoni, but the Nose, alone, has me a bit worried that this ’08 is going to be wildly different than previous vintages of this bottling --- a bottling that has always been my favorite of Arcadian's lineup. Medium-light bodied on the palate. Aforementioned worries disappeared with my first taste: great acidity; typical Pisoni leathery/minerally funk; I’m not sure this will be as long-lived and slow-to-evolve as previous vintages of the same, but I’ll probably buy a few to find out; a fantastic and somewhat atypical Pisoni Pinot from Arcadian.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Perfumy, floral, mineral Nose: more perfume than the ’08 Pisoni, and less mineral than the ’08 Fiddlestix. Light bodied and tight on the palate right now; nice, deep leathery funk on this; hands off these right now.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind -- -- popped and poured --
Bricking throughout. Nose is savory and slightly funky. Nice acidity; no tannin; still has a red-fruited aspect to it; funky brie-like note on the finish; this has hung-on quite nicely, but the time to drink them is now.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind -- -- popped and poured --
Nose was stinky/reductive upon opening; high-toned; tight, with a hint of mineral in the background. Light bodied. Phenomenal acidity; aged red fruit flavors, with a hint of old wood; drinking pretty well right now, especially in light of the fact that this was popped and poured. Also considering prior experiences with this wine, I think this is (finally) in its prime drinking window, but I get the sense that this will be a long-lasting window. I’d suggest opening one now, if you have more than one bottle. Drink or Hold.
2007 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- bottle had been open for 3 or 4 days prior to tasting --
I was initially worried this would show some oxidation when I heard how long the bottle had been open; those worries were quickly dashed once I got my nose in the glass. The aromas on this wine were beautiful, expressive, and not-at-all oxidized --- amazing, really. Medium bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel. Nice acidity on the palate; crystalline; zippy lemon flavor; reminds me of the amazing ’05 vintage of the same; 13.6% alc.; I actually can’t decide if I prefer this over the ’05 --- it’s that close of a call. Very excellent.
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- bottle open 2 days before tasting --
Very good; leaner than the ’07.
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- bottle opened the day before tasting --
Intensely aromatic Nose: very floral; red fruited; hint of leathery mineral. Light bodied on the palate, with ripe red fruit flavors (but not gloppy); hint of savory garrigue; 13.7% alc.. Good to very good.
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Gold Coast
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Nose on this one was darker-fruited and tighter than the Nose on the '08 SLH Pinot; hint of Moroccan spice on the Nose, too. Light bodied. Light, and very spicy on the palate; not complex; 14.0% alc.; good.
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2006 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- popped and poured --
Reductive upon opening (smelled like popped popcorn, unbuttered); pronounced minerality; not as fruity as the ’05 and ’07 vintages of the same; very good to excellent, depending on your preferences.
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Nose is super chalky and quite floral. Light to medium-light bodied on the palate. Very floral (violets), with aspects of leather and mineral; very elegant; fantastic Fiddlestix --- indeed, this may be my favorite Fiddlestix bottling that I’ve ever tasted from Arcadian, with only the ’06 giving it a run for its money; I usually find Fiddlestix to be too austere and tannic for my preferences, but this is not that at all. 13.8% alc.. Excellent.
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2009 Arcadian Chardonnay Sierra Madre Sierra Madre Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
This wine spent 36 mo. in barrel, and then another 24 mo. in bottle. Moderate mineral tones. This has an overall lighter personality than the Sleepy Hollow Chard..
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Nose is very floral with lighter fruit aromas than I’ve grown accustomed to from this bottling; hint of mineral; a very elegant Pisoni, but the Nose, alone, has me a bit worried that this ’08 is going to be wildly different than previous vintages of this bottling --- a bottling that has always been my favorite of Arcadian's lineup. Medium-light bodied on the palate. Aforementioned worries disappeared with my first taste: great acidity; typical Pisoni leathery/minerally funk; I’m not sure this will be as long-lived and slow-to-evolve as previous vintages of the same, but I’ll probably buy a few to find out; a fantastic and somewhat atypical Pisoni Pinot from Arcadian.
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2008 Arcadian Pinot Noir Francesca's Cuvée
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
Perfumy, floral, mineral Nose: more perfume than the ’08 Pisoni, and less mineral than the ’08 Fiddlestix. Light bodied and tight on the palate right now; nice, deep leathery funk on this; hands off these right now.
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2000 Arcadian Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- popped and poured --
Bricking throughout. Nose is savory and slightly funky. Nice acidity; no tannin; still has a red-fruited aspect to it; funky brie-like note on the finish; this has hung-on quite nicely, but the time to drink them is now.
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2000 Arcadian Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
-- tasted a single pour non-blind --
-- popped and poured --
Nose was stinky/reductive upon opening; high-toned; tight, with a hint of mineral in the background. Light bodied. Phenomenal acidity; aged red fruit flavors, with a hint of old wood; drinking pretty well right now, especially in light of the fact that this was popped and poured. Also considering prior experiences with this wine, I think this is (finally) in its prime drinking window, but I get the sense that this will be a long-lasting window. I’d suggest opening one now, if you have more than one bottle. Drink or Hold.
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