P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt firmed by an astringency which does QUITE resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/sweetness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now with food, & through '21. My VG+/EXC-. 92 pts WS, 91 Vinous, & 90 Prince of Pinot. [This vendor's $31.95 ranks in the top quartile of wine-searcher's current postings.]
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Aged for 11 mos in FR oak barrels (29% new); Minimal or no fining & filtration
N: RIPE straws & darker fts
P: MF body; ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more? 14.5% ABV; My VG+, poss EXC-. 93 pts WE @ $38 & 90 Vinous. [This vendor's $27.95 is AS good as any of wine-searcher's postings.]
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Grapes from Kanzler Estate 60%, Mes Filles 20%, Umino 10%, Walker Station 5%, & Wind Horse 5% Vyds; Aged 14 mos in 100% FR oak (50% new), finished 1 mo in s/s; 14.5% ABV & 3.55 pH; 481 cs (sold out @ winery)
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a puckerish astringency which DOES pretty much resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *hints* of bitterness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves another yr or so, then drinking for 3 more? My VG+/EXC-. 93 pts WS & 91 Prince of Pinot. [This vendor's $43.95 is a STUNNING $11 < the only other wine-searcher entry!]
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by acidity as it fairly seamlessly morphs into quite a LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now with food, this gem DESERVES through '19, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. My EXC-/EXC, arguably more *if* one takes into consideration the QPR of this vendor's $29.95, which is an ASTOUNDING $15 < its closest wine-searcher competitor!
Aged 15 mos in FR oak barrels (33% new); 13.5% ABV, 5.6 g/L T.A., & 3.64 pH.
N: Closed, but SEEMS ripe
P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finished with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves/NEEDS another yr or so, then drinking for 3-4 more. My EXC-. "Exceptional" @ $42 from Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences. [This vendor's $29.95 is $7 < the lesser of wine-searcher 2 listings.]
South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
100% P.N., yield 3.46 tons/ha, grown in low-vigor, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soils; Aged 10 mos in 100% tight grain, 228 liter oak barrels (67% Francois Freres & 33% Mercurey), 32% Medium toast, 54% Blonde, & 14% Medium Long, and 1ST FILL: 37%, 2ND FILL: 35%, & 3RD FILL: 28%; 13.31% ABV, 1.6 g/l R.S., 5.47 g/l T.A., & 3.55 pH; 3,909 cases released February 2018.
N: Slightly closed; Attractive smoke, berries & earth, but tough to parse further; More to come!
P: LM body; LOVELY frt met by a pucker & a bit of astringency without "losing" the initial frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, very slightly spicy, very, VERY slightly bitter finish with an almost swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS through '19 (& could take more), ULTIMATELY making its 10th? I suspect speaks ADMIRABLY of its terroir, because though arguably more "Burgundian" than any non-Burg I can recollect, it still has its "o-w-n" style/character. QUITE impressive! My EXC-/EXC. 93 pts ea WS & Suckling. [This vendor's $42.95 puts it @ the very bottom of wine-searcher's current TOP 1/3 listings.]
2015 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
From princeofpinot.com : "14.3% alc., pH 3.68, TA 0.54, 9,100 cases, $40. Sourced from 13 vineyards. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 29% new."
N: Slightly closed; Smoke, berries; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt firmed by an astringency which does QUITE resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/sweetness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now with food, & through '21. My VG+/EXC-. 92 pts WS, 91 Vinous, & 90 Prince of Pinot. [This vendor's $31.95 ranks in the top quartile of wine-searcher's current postings.]
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2015 Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Aged for 11 mos in FR oak barrels (29% new); Minimal or no fining & filtration
N: RIPE straws & darker fts
P: MF body; ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more? 14.5% ABV; My VG+, poss EXC-. 93 pts WE @ $38 & 90 Vinous. [This vendor's $27.95 is AS good as any of wine-searcher's postings.]
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2015 Kanzler Vineyards Pinot Noir
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Grapes from Kanzler Estate 60%, Mes Filles 20%, Umino 10%, Walker Station 5%, & Wind Horse 5% Vyds; Aged 14 mos in 100% FR oak (50% new), finished 1 mo in s/s; 14.5% ABV & 3.55 pH; 481 cs (sold out @ winery)
N: Slightly closed; RIPE dk frt, poss choc & earth
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a puckerish astringency which DOES pretty much resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *hints* of bitterness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves another yr or so, then drinking for 3 more? My VG+/EXC-. 93 pts WS & 91 Prince of Pinot. [This vendor's $43.95 is a STUNNING $11 < the only other wine-searcher entry!]
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2016 Lucienne Pinot Noir Smith Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Berries, flowers, poss smoke; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by acidity as it fairly seamlessly morphs into quite a LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now with food, this gem DESERVES through '19, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. My EXC-/EXC, arguably more *if* one takes into consideration the QPR of this vendor's $29.95, which is an ASTOUNDING $15 < its closest wine-searcher competitor!
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2016 Cuvaison Pinot Noir Carneros
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Aged 15 mos in FR oak barrels (33% new); 13.5% ABV, 5.6 g/L T.A., & 3.64 pH.
N: Closed, but SEEMS ripe
P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finished with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves/NEEDS another yr or so, then drinking for 3-4 more. My EXC-. "Exceptional" @ $42 from Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences. [This vendor's $29.95 is $7 < the lesser of wine-searcher 2 listings.]
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2017 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir
South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
100% P.N., yield 3.46 tons/ha, grown in low-vigor, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soils; Aged 10 mos in 100% tight grain, 228 liter oak barrels (67% Francois Freres & 33% Mercurey), 32% Medium toast, 54% Blonde, & 14% Medium Long, and 1ST FILL: 37%, 2ND FILL: 35%, & 3RD FILL: 28%; 13.31% ABV, 1.6 g/l R.S., 5.47 g/l T.A., & 3.55 pH; 3,909 cases released February 2018.
N: Slightly closed; Attractive smoke, berries & earth, but tough to parse further; More to come!
P: LM body; LOVELY frt met by a pucker & a bit of astringency without "losing" the initial frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, very slightly spicy, very, VERY slightly bitter finish with an almost swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS through '19 (& could take more), ULTIMATELY making its 10th? I suspect speaks ADMIRABLY of its terroir, because though arguably more "Burgundian" than any non-Burg I can recollect, it still has its "o-w-n" style/character. QUITE impressive! My EXC-/EXC. 93 pts ea WS & Suckling. [This vendor's $42.95 puts it @ the very bottom of wine-searcher's current TOP 1/3 listings.]
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