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The Second Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir
Tasted Saturday, December 7, 2019 by The Drunken Cyclist with 450 views
Introduction
My annual tasting of American Pinot Noirs at my home with other Houston-based writers
Flight 1 - Day One (52 wines) (52 Notes)
Flight 2 - Day Two (48 Wines) (48 Notes)
2018 Siduri Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $35. Rich and fruity, almost cherry-cola on the nose. Strawberry Kool-Aid on the palate. Did I mention “fruity?” Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Ridgecrest Pinot Noir 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
Retail $45. A bit dark with dark fruit and a bit of heat and earth. Surprisingly fruity, on the verge of really fruity. This seems to be a trend. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Grand Assemblage 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $30. Tart dark fruit, a bit of menthol. Another particularly fruity wine on the palate. Delicious. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Monterey 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey
Retail $13. Lovely nose of cranberry and the palate is equally delightful. Good juice. Really good juice. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $35. Fruity and rich nose, mostly red fruit. Whoa. Tart and delicious on the palate: great fruit, a bit of depth. Fruity. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River Selection 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $45. A bit funky on the nose, but really tart and fruity on the palate. Close to a whoa. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Etude Pinot Noir Grace Benoist Ranch 88 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Retail $47. A bit extracted and overly so on the palate. I do like it, but it is not my style of pinot. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Retail $25. Oaky and dark fruit, a bit of smoke. Lovely on the palate with balance, fruit, tannins at the backend. Whoa. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Bernau Block 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $65. Shy on the nose with some nice cranberry eventually. Lovely nose once it comes around. Good fruit. Nice acidity. In fact maybe a bit too tart. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir Clone 667 Jane's Vineyard 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $55. Funky (Brett) on the nose and really fruity, dark fruit, on the palate. There’s a ton going on here, but not always in concert. Very Good. 87-89 Points.
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2017 Failla Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $30. Dusty and dirty on the nose, really mineral. Fruity on the palate but holy cow is there a ton of tannin here—drying my mouth out right away. This may need some time, maybe a lot of time. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Bricoleur Vineyards Pinot Noir Bricoleur Vineyards 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $45. Big fruit, dark and chewy. Tannin and fruit. Nice. Excellent. 91-93 Points.
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2016 King Estate Pinot Noir 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $25. Cranberry and cherry on the nose. Tart and lovely, really nice on the palate. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 King Estate Pinot Noir Inscription 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $20. Shy on the nose here tart on the palate. Nice and tasty. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Clay Court Vineyard 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $60. The first bottle was corked, which was too bad since it seems like there is a good wine there. After the reveal, I decided to open the second bottle, which was fantastic. Good fruit, balance, a hint of funk on the nose but that blew off eventually. Delicious. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Westside Blocks 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $60. Coffee, mocha. Odd. Fruity, fine, just lacking depth. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Apolloni Pinot Noir Estate 94 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $40. Good dark cherry fruit on the nose, with some earth and hints of spice. Right off the bat on Day 2, this is phenomenal. Great fruit, balance, acidity, lengthy finish. Whoa. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Angela Pinot Noir Angela Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $35. Darker and a bit fruitier on the nose a bit of vanilla and oak. A touch astringent on the palate, but this is another solid effort with dark cherry fruit, bright acidity, Yum. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Chehalem Pinot Noir Corral Creek 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $50. More candied on the nose with lovely fruit and earth wow. Bright cherry. This is definitely in my wife’s wheelhouse who likes her Pinot on the fruity side. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Cambria Pinot Noir Signature Julia's Vineyard 91 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Retail $80. Dark and brooding in the glass with more black fruit than red. With menthol and a bit of funk. Big and bold on the palate. This is a beefy one, but well done. Excellent. 90-92 Points.
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2017 Domaine Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $65. Dark nose, dark palate, with cinnamon. Not my style on the palate, but it is perfectly lovely for this style: dark and brooding. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Maison Roy & Fils Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $45. Funky with Brett on the nose, but I generally like the funk. The palate is quite nice with good fruit and acidity, quite different from the nose. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Division Winemaking Company Pinot Noir Division-Villages, "Méthode Carbonique" 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $25. Fruity and a bit extracted on the nose. Decent fruit, and plenty of tannins, a perfectly fine Pinot that needs food. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Domaine Roy & Fils Pinot Noir Iron Filbert Vineyard 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $120. Another case where I needed to open the second bottle, which was quite fruity, with plenty of secondary flavors. It could have used a bit more acid, however, but I nitpick. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Coeur de Terre Pinot Noir Heritage Reserve 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $40. Cola on the nose, pleasantly sweet. Big, tart cherry fruit. Fruity, fruity, fruity. Noticeable tannins on the backend, though, could benefit from some time. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Westmount Pinot Noir 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $25. Black cherry and vanilla on the nose. And a bit of minerality, the palate is quite tart and tannic. This is a lovely wine that will certainly get better with some age. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Etude Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Retail $50. More menthol and eucalyptus here (Sta Rita?). good fruit on the palate, but in a subdued way. This is particularly good. Whoa. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Petaluma Gap 89 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Petaluma Gap
Retail $40. Dark in the glass with red fruit, vanilla, cigarette smoke. A bit too one-dimensional on the palate, with good fruit and drying tannins, but lacking depth. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Copain Pinot Noir Les Voisins 91 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Retail $42. Solid Pinot nose of cherry, cranberry and a bit of earth. Quite tart cherry on the palate, with decent depth, some spice. Really tart though. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Stoller Pinot Noir Reserve Dundee Hills 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $50. Funky on the nose but good fruit and balance on the palate. Perfectly tasty, average finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Breaking Ground 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $45. Dark fruit and a bit of smoke. Quaffable, solid. I would love to find this in my glass at my wife’s work Christmas party, but I am sure I won’t. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $32. Dark red fruit, a bit of menthol, some earth. The palate, again, is perfectly fine with good balance, ample fruit, some discernable tannin. Nice. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Retail $40. Strawberry jam a go-go on the nose and also on the palate, this is a lovely, fruity expression of Pinot. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Cambria Pinot Noir Clone 667 Barbara's 94 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Retail $80. A lovely nose of black cherry pie with a sliver of vanilla ice cream on the side. Wonderful balance, with luscious fruit, nice level of tartness, slight tannins, lovely finish. Whoa. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Ridgecrest Pinot Noir 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
Retail $45. Slightly cough syrupy on the nose, and mostly about the fruit on the palate. This is another lovely wine, with a heavy focus on the fruit. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Chemistry Pinot Noir 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $19. Meaty and cranberry on the nose, a bit thin on the palate, a little lacking in fruit, but decent acidity. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $35. Cherry vanilla with a bit of spice and earth. Big fruit and quite tannic, this is a rather healthy, muscular wine. Not really my style, but it is darn good. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir Dijon Clones 94 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $60. A bit dirtier, with minerality at the forefront on the nose along with some funk. Lovely fruit, nice acidity on the backend, good tannins. Lovely. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Basalt Block 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $48. Another slightly dirty wine with cranberry and a bit of cherry. Whoa. Three stellar wines in a row here. Great fruit, tartness, lengthy finish. Yum. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Elizabeth Chambers Cellar Pinot Noir Lazy River Vineyard 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $55. Slightly cough syrupy both on the nose and the palate, this is pleasant, though, with a lengthy finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Elizabeth Chambers Cellar Pinot Noir Winemaker's Cuvée 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $35. Slightly funky but good fruit with a bit of eucalyptus. Fruity, tasty, lovely. Initially, I thought I was not going to care too much for this, but it is quite nice. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 94 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Retail $35. A tad meaty with dark fruit and a bit of earth. Another lovely wine: great fruit, balance, spice. Yum. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Hyland Estates Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Old Vine 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $45. A bit funky and slight menthol notes on the nose. The palate is heavy: dark, a bit brooding. Good fruit, plenty of tannins. Good. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Cygnus Block 95 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $65. Stewed and certainly seems “old” the palate is fantastic. This is right up my alley. Certainly a whoa. Think “Corton with even better fruit.” Outstanding. 94-96 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Retail $35. Strawberry jam in a glass. Tons of fruit here. Tons. Rich and delicious. My wife’s wheelhouse. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Machado 94 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Retail $80. Rich and loaded with fruit. Strawberry and eucalyptus. Fantastic wine. Whoa. Outstanding. 94-96 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Stoller Pinot Noir Helen's 94 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $75. Darker fruit, a bit of funk, some red fruit. Really tasty, plenty of yum. Excellent to Outstanding. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Retail $28. Dark red fruit, a bit of earth, some lovely notes, most of them dark. Spice. Very nice. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Temperance Hill 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Retail $50. Bright with black cherry and a touch of earth. Fairly light in color. Quite tart and particularly delicious. Close to a whoa. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Byron Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Retail $50. A bit on the darker side both in color and aroma. Vanilla and red fruit. Rich and full with a nice level of tartness. On the bigger side of Pinot. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Barrel Select 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $30. Fairly light with cranberry and sweetness. Rather closed on the palate, with not a whole lot going on until the finish, which is tart and spicy. Might need more time. Very Good. 87-89 Points.
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2016 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Blue Wing Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Retail $30. The best nose of the flight, rich and deep with multiple yummy aromas. The palate is not quite as expressive with subtle fruit but also some depth. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 King Estate Pinot Noir Domaine 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $70. Medium color. Rich nose of candied cherry, even chocolate. The palate is fantastic: rich, tart, lengthy finish. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Willamette Valley 86 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $24. A bit extracted it seems and is a bit thin and overly tart. It does not seem off in any way, just a bit basic. In a pretty strong field, this seems a bit out of place. Good to Very Good. 85-87 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Westwood Pinot Noir Calera Clone Annadel Gap Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
Retail $65. The nose seems a bit corked but the others did not seem to think so, a bit of fruit, but not much. The palate is rather flat, but some fruit inches its way in on the mid-palate. I might need to revisit. Very Good. 87-89 Points. After the reveal, I decided that we should open the second bottle, knowing that this wine should have shown better. I was right: not corked on the nose, but rather shy, on the palate, this second bottle was completely different. Subtle, yet good fruit, earthy. The palate is spicy, reserved, and balanced. Much, much better. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $35. Medium-light in color. Lovely nose: fruit, earthy, a bit of spice. Very nice. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Wente Vineyards Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Riva Ranch 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Seco
Retail $30. A really tart nose of pronounced cranberry. Really fruity. Really, really fruity. A bit on the flabby side, but this is still quite tasty. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2014 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Estate 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $50. Dark and earthy with very little fruit on the nose. The palate has some nice fruit, though, with plenty of minerality and some chalky tannins. I am thinking this needs some time. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Wine By Joe Pinot Noir 87 Points
USA, Oregon
Retail $19. Dark color with a really dirty nose: it smells like topsoil. The palate tastes just like the nose: There is some fruit, but way too heavy on the earth. Good to Very Good. 86-88 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $26. Bright cherry, and quite lovely on the nose, which continues onto the palate. Quite a pleasant quaff. No argument here. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Maggy Hawk Pinot Noir Jolie 95 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Retail $66. Great dark, cherry, a touch of vanilla, and a hint of pine. On the palate, this is a legitimate whoa: fruit? Check. Depth? Intrigue? Check. Check. Whoa. Outstanding. 94-96 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Lucky Rock Wine Co. Pinot Noir Country Cuvee 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
Retail $20. Tart, maybe unripe cranberry on the nose. The palate is tart and spicy—Really yummy. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencycllist.com
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2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Retail $35. Dirty and rustic nose with wild cherry, spice, and chalk. Fruity and lovely, this is also fabulous. Just short of a whoa. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Carmel Road Pinot Noir 91 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey
Retail $25. Minty, pine, and dark cherry. Fruity, rich, another winner here. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Nielson by Byron Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 87 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Retail $29. Under screwcap. Cherry cola and sweet on the nose. Others said this was downright stinky. I could not find that initially but did after a repour. The palate, however, was a bit different: Fruity, but there is a bit of astringency on the finish. Not sure what to think. Did not have a second bottle so I tried what we had again yep, same. Good to Very Good. 86-88 Points.
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2016 Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir Spectrum 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $60. Fruity and a bit jammy on the nose with some vegetal notes. Fruity and delicious on the palate, with all the elements including a bit of tannin on the back end. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $40. Pretty light in the glass, with aromas of coffee and red fruit. Fruity, almost sweet, but lacking a touch of depth. Good acidity and finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $25. Spice (clove) with dark fruit. The palate was fine: good fruit, plenty of spice. And the finish is particularly noteworthy. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Hyland Estates Pinot Noir Old Vine Coury Clone 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $64. A bit on the funky side with noticeable Brett (but I like a little funk). Really fruity on the palate, really fruity. A bit chalky with plenty of spice. This is a big boy, not particularly my style, but I could get used to it fairly quickly. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Chehalem Pinot Noir Reserve 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
Retail $60. Almost soda-pop sweet on the nose: cranberry Sprite. Big-ish, but pleasant with tons of cranberry on the palate. Noticeable tannins here as well. Could benefit from a bit of time in the cellar. Now? Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir La Bohème 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $60. Another one from the dark side, but perfectly enjoyable. Depth, breadth, it’s all there. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Orchard Block 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $70. Seems a bit over-extracted on the nose. Almost Wagner-esque. The palate is on the thin side and rather non-descript, which makes me wonder if it is in a bit of a dumb phase right now. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Failla Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard Eola - Amity Hills 95 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Retail $45. Lovely nose, clove, cherry. Whoa. This is another winner in my book: fruit, depth, acid, Whoa. Outstanding. 94-96 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Left Coast Estate Pinot Noir Latitude 45 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $40. A bit closed on the nose with only a bit of heat coming through. Not much fruit on the palate either, but this one also might just be in a dumb phase as there is plenty of tartness and a lengthy finish. Still, Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Maggy Hawk Pinot Noir Afleet 93 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Retail $66. Baking spice and cooked cherry. Juicy fruit and great balance this is clearly another winner. Excellent. 92-94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Homestead Block 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $60. Darker fruit here, with some spice as is the palate, could use a dash of acid, but this is very nice. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Domaine Roy & Fils Pinot Noir Incline Dundee Hills 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $75. A bit funky on the nose with mushroom, meaty, and dried cranberry. Fruity and minty on the palate. This is a winter Pinot—spicy, meaty, brooding. Very Good. 87-89 Points.
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2016 Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir Heritage Clones 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $52. Fruity and sweet with a bit of cardamom. Big and fruity on the palate with good acidity and depth. Very nice. Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Five Mountain 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $60. A bit funky here again, with fruit hiding behind it. The palate is fruity and fun, but with a serious side, particularly on the finish. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir Hallberg Ranch 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $70. Fruity and sweet. The palate is super-fruity. Jammy, but lacking in depth. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Gap's Crown Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Petaluma Gap
Retail $70. Lovely nose of fresh cherry and just a hint of earth. Whoa on the nose. Fruity and tasty on the palate—particularly lovely. Excellent. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Failla Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Retail $65. Flinty and dirty on the nose, but fruity and rather delicious on the palate. Fruit, acid. Nice. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Domaine Bousquet Pinot Noir Reserve 90 Points
Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
Retail $21. A bit of extraction here, with cherry coughdrop. More depth than the other ones with this characteristic. Mineral and a great finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Big Tree Block 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $70. A bit stewed tomato, a bit medicinal. A bit meaty with good acid, lingering finish, and a touch of tannin. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $40. Good fruit with a bit of funk. But lovely red fruit. Fruity and fun on the palate but not incredibly deep. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Grochau Cellars Pinot Noir Commuter Cuvee 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $18. Solid cranberry nose medium color. Good fruit, fine acidity, admirable finish. Solid top to bottom but no real “wow” factor. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points.
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2017 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Anderson Valley 92 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Retail $40. Darker in color and in aromas with a touch medicinal. More good fruit and secondary flavors (leather). Excellent. 91-93 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Retail $25. Lovely nose with subtle fruit, solid palate, juicy and perfectly fine. Yum, even. Excellent. 90-92 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Cline Cellars Pinot Noir 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
Retail $20. A touch of funk here. Brett? But otherwise good fruit. The palate is dark and a bit brooding, but good acid and a solid finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2015 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Gestalt Block 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
Retail $60. Cherry cola even Doctor Pepper on the nose of this fairly dark Pinot. Fruity and acidic. A solid effort with a solid finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir Vintner's Reserve California 94 Points
USA, California
Retail $20. Rich and lovely both on the nose and the palate this is another winner. Whoa. Excellent. 93-95 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Cast Wines Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyard 89 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Retail $60. Dark, on the verge of meaty. Solid, mostly, tons of fruit, but comes off as a bit flabby, needing a dash of acid. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Domaine Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $65. The first bottle was a bit odd, so after the tasting, I popped the second that was decidedly better with good fruit, balance, and an admirable finish. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Chehalem Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
Retail $30. Classic nose: balanced fruit and earth. Good fruit, lacking a bit of depth but finishes tart and fine. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2018 Division Winemaking Company Pinot Noir Deux Eola Springs Vineyard 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Retail $39. Dirty and flinty. With strawberry, albeit faint, on the nose. Good fruit, a bit funky still on the palate, but this seems like a great food wine. Some healthy tannins on the finish. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Retail $60. Oaky and vanilla. Fruity, oaky, big. Needs beef, probably a lot. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2016 Coeur de Terre Pinot Noir Sarah Jane's Block Reserve 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Retail $65. Medium color, dark red fruit, a bit of heat on the nose. Cough syrupy, medicinal on the palate. Very Good. 87-89 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2012 Ribbon Ridge Winery Pinot Noir Ridgecrest Vineyards 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
Retail $69. Dirty and flinty nose. Plenty of fruit with a bit of effervescence on the palate. A serviceable Pinot. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Stoller Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Retail $35. Smoky and gamey. Meaty and flinty on the palate. This is the winner of the flight of four. Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
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2017 Nielson by Byron Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 89 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Retail $50. Funky and fruity on the nose. Big, rich, extracted to a certain extent. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com
This is mislabeled here in Cellar Tracker. When I tried to create a new wine, it kept reverting to this one. Frustrating--not the same wine. It should by Byron Nielson Vineyard.
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