Important Update From the Founder
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2012 Winemakers Open House at Vinify
Vinify Wine Services in Santa Rosa, CA
Tasted May 6, 2012 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 620 views
Introduction
Flight 1 - Argot (4 notes)
Rosé
2011 Argot Grenache Couture California
90 points
Light yellow pink color; tart cherry, Rainier cherry nose; simple, juicy, tart Rainier cherry, tart strawberry palate; medium finish (11.7% alcohol)
White
2011 Argot The Articulator Sonoma County
89 points
Light yellow color; honeydew melon, grapey, honeysuckle nose; tart honeydew melon, tart pear, tart apple palate; medium-plus finish (57% Roussanne, 43% Chardonnay)
Red
2010 Argot Pinot Noir The Vagrant Bennett Valley
91 points
Medium dark cherry red color; floral, ripe cherry, cranberry nose; tasty, ripe cranberry, floral, tart cherry, orange spice palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish (10 mos in 80% new oak; Mariafeld and Pommard clones; Silverpines Vyd at 850 ft, north facing slopes)
Red
2008 Argot Syrah Opening Salvo Bennett Valley
90 points
Dark ruby color; baked plum, spice, fig jam nose; tight, tart roasted plum, tar palate with medium acidity; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (30 mos in 100% new French oak)
Flight 2 - Baker Lane (4 notes)
Rosé
2011 Baker Lane Syrah Rosé
89 points
Light orange pink color; grapefruit, lemon nose; tart lemon, tart grapefruit, tart orange palate with medium acidity; medium finish
Red
2008 Baker Lane Pinot Noir Ramondo Vineyard
86 points
Dark red violet color; light smoke, tart cherry, tart black cherry nose; tart black cherry, light smoke palate; medium finish (better than out of the 375 ml, which was showing strong VA, but still seems to be a minor victim of California's unfortunate smoke damage year)
Red
2009 Baker Lane Syrah Sonoma Coast Cuvée
92 points
Medium dark ruby color; incense, pepper, tart black fruit nose; intense pepper, tart black fruit, tar palate; medium-plus finish
Red
2008 Baker Lane Syrah Estate Vineyard
90 points
Dark ruby color; roasted plum, roasted black fruit nose; tight, tasty, tart black fruit, roasted plum. light pepper palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points
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Flight 3 - Bjornstad (5 notes)
White
2008 Bjornstad Chardonnay
92 points
Light lemon yellow color; lovely, tart apple, tart pear, saline nose; tasty, poised, tart pear, mineral, oyster jus palate; medium-plus finish (great value at about $22)
Rosé
2011 Bjornstad Pinot Noir Rosé Sonoma County
91 points
Light salmon pink color; light strawberry, floral, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart strawberry, mineral, tart Rainier cherry palate, juicy and dry; medium-plus finish 91+ points
White
2008 Bjornstad Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
93 points
Light green-tinged yellow color; tart lime, lemon, pear nose; poised, delicious, tart pear, mineral, lime palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish
Red
2009 Bjornstad Pinot Noir Van der Kamp
91 points
Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; floral, ripe strawberry, tart cherry nose; tight, tart cherry, tart strawberry, mineral palate with medium acidity; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points
Red
2008 Bjornstad Pinot Noir Hellenthal Vineyard
91 points
Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; reduction, tart cherry, floral nose; tight, ripe cherry, oak spice, ripe raspberry palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish
Flight 4 - Calluna (4 notes)
Red
2009 Calluna Vineyards Cuvée "CVC"
90 points
Dark ruby color; ripe cassis, red berry, tart cherry nose; bright, ripe raspberry, tart cherry, cassis palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish (43% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec; 14.5% alcohol)
Red
2009 Calluna Vineyards Merlot Aux Raynauds
91 points
Medium dark ruby color; ripe cherry, cassis nose; tight, tart cherry, tart cassis palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 91+ points
Red
2009 Calluna Vineyards Calluna Estate
91 points
Dark ruby color; cassis, berry, light menthol nose; tart cassis, tart cherry, menthol palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec)
Red
2009 Calluna Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon The Colonel's Vineyard
92 points
Pre-release - dark ruby color; focused, cassis, light cedar nose; tasty, tight, ripe cassis, tart cherry, light cedar palate; needs 4-5 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points
Flight 5 - Couloir (5 notes)
Red
2010 Couloir Pinot Noir Londer Vineyard
91 points
Medium dark cherry red color; floral, roses, tart cherry nose; tasty, coiled, tart cherry, mineral, floral, rosehips palate with medium acidity; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (clones Pommard and 115; 1/3 whole cluster; 1/3 new oak)
Red
2010 Couloir Pinot Noir Monument Tree
91 points
Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; reduction, tart cherry, rosehips, floral nose; tart strawberry, stems, floral, rosehips, mineral palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (Dijon clones 777. 667 & 115; 1/3 whole cluster; 1/3 new oak; 13.3% alcohol)
Red
2010 Couloir Pinot Noir Chileno Valley Vineyard
91 points
Light medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; green bean, rosehips, stems nose; rosehips, green bean, tart strawberry, forest floor, mineral palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (1/2 new French oak; 1/3 whole cluster; 12.8% alcohol)
White
2010 Straight Line Sauvignon Blanc
91 points
Light lemon yellow color; lime, mineral nose; tart lime, mineral, chalk, flinty palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (barrel fermented for 7 and 1/2 mos., mainly in neutral barrels; fruit from Old Westerly Vineyard)
Red
2009 Straight Line Pinot Noir
90 points
Medium cherry red color; lifted, roses, tart cherry, cinnamon nose; tart strawberry, tart cherry, rosehips palate; medium finish (45% whole cluster; 13.9% alcohol)
Flight 6 - Frostwatch (5 notes)
White
2011 Frostwatch Kismet
92 points
Light lemon yellow color; nice, tart grapefruit, lemon grass nose; intense, focused, tasty, tart grapefruit, lemon grass, mineral, lime palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish
White
2009 Frostwatch Chardonnay
91 points
Light lemon yellow color; lemon gelee, lemon chiffon, apple nose; tasty, rich, ripe apple, pear, lemon chiffon palate with good underlying acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ points
White
2009 Frostwatch Chardonnay Ophira
92 points
Light medium lemon yellow color; rich, ripe pear, lemon cream, ripe apple nose; rich, lush, ripe pineapple, ripe pear palate; medium-plus finish
Red
2010 Frostwatch Pinot Noir
89 points
Lightly cloudy medium cherry red color; floral, tart cranberry nose; tart cranberry, oak, reduction palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish
Red
2009 Frostwatch Merlot
88 points
Medium dark red violet color; tart black fruit, tar nose; tart black fruit, tar, char palate; medium-plus finish (14.8% alcohol)
Flight 7 - Meyer (1 note)
Red
2007 Meyer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points
Dark red violet color; ripe cassis, plum, black fruit, black cherry nose; tight, rich, tart berry, blackberry, black fruit, plum, light cedar palate; needs 4 years; medium-plus finish (18 mos in French oak, 50% new; 14.6% alcohol)
Flight 8 - Olson Ogden (6 notes)
White
2008 Olson Ogden Marsanne Margaret's Mandate Stagecoach Vineyard
86 points
Very light yellow color; appealing, lifted, tart pear, tart apple nose; intense, lanolin, oak, tart apple palate; medium finish (17 mos in stainless steel and French oak, 28% new; 14.6% alcohol)
Red
2009 Olson Ogden Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge Vineyard
88 points
Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, oak spice nose; tart cherry, cinnamon, oak palate; medium-plus finish (17 mos in French oak, 50% new)
Red
2009 Olson Ogden Pinot Noir Alder Springs Vineyard
89 points
Dark cherry red color; a little VA, black cherry, berry nose; tart black cherry, tar, cherry palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish (17 mos in French oak, 65% new)
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Red
2008 Olson Ogden Syrah Unti Vineyard
88 points
Dark ruby color; ripe plum, berry, sage nose; ripe berry, tart plum palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish
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Red
2008 Olson Ogden Syrah Stagecoach Vineyard
90 points
Dark ruby color; lifted, roast plum, lavender nose; tart roasted plum, lavender, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points
Red
2008 Olson Ogden Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard
87 points
Very dark ruby color; tart blackberry, tart berry, leather nose; smoke, tart black fruit, char palate; medium-plus finish 87+ points (17 mos in French oak, 67% new)
Flight 9 - Pfendler (2 notes)
White
2010 Pfendler Vineyards Chardonnay
88 points
Light lemon yellow color; tart pineapple, ripe apple nose; soft, creamy textured, tart pineapple, apple palate with lowish acidity; medium-plus finish 88+ points
Red
2010 Pfendler Vineyards Pinot Noir
89 points
Dark cherry red color; ripe cherry, cherry syrup, raspberry syrup nose; ripe cherry, cherry syrup, raspberry syrup palate with near medium acidity, doesn't quite hang together; medium-plus finish (Swan, Calera, Pommard & 828 clones; 11 mos. in French oak, 50% new; 14.4% alcohol)
Flight 10 - Sojourn (7 notes)
Red
2010 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
91 points
Medium ruby color; ripe cherry, floral, baked raspberry, spice nose; baked cherry, tart baked raspberry, tart raspberry, tart strawberry palate with medium acidity; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points
Red
2010 Sojourn Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Vineyard Sonoma Coast
92 points
Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; floral, strawberry, baked strawberry nose; tasty, light-medium bodied, floral, tart strawberry, ripe cranberry palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish
Red
2010 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard
93 points
Medium dark cherry red color; floral, roses, tart raspberry, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart raspberry, tart cherry, floral palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish
Red
2010 Sojourn Pinot Noir Ridgetop Vineyard
92 points
Pre-release (Fall '12 release) - medium ruby color; floral, grenadine, tart cherry nose; rich, grenadine syrup, ripe cherry, baked strawberry palate; appealing now and should go 5-7 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points
Red
2010 Sojourn Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast
92 points
Medium ruby color; baked cherry, floral, tart cranberry nose; intense, structured, tart cranberry, floral, tart cherry palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 92+ points
Red
2008 Sojourn Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietary Cuvée
93 points
Dark ruby color; lush cassis, menthol nose; tight, plush cassis, menthol, eucalyptus palate with balance; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish (50% Georges III, 40% Spring Mountain, 10% Howell Mountain)
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Red
2009 Sojourn Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District
92 points
Pre-release (Fall '12 release) - dark ruby color; appealing, tart cassis, floral, tart cherry nose; tight, tart cassis, tart cherry, light menthol palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points
Flight 11 - Super Sonoman (5 notes)
Red
2005 Super Sonoman Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points
Slightly cloudy medium dark ruby color; menthol, tart cassis, tart raspberry nose; menthol, tart cassis, tart red fruit palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 90+ points (100% new French oak for 24 mos)
Red
2006 Super Sonoman Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
87 points
Dark ruby color; baked red berry, cinnamon nose; tight, high pitched, tart currant, cranberry palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (24 mos in French oak)
Red
2007 Super Sonoman Wines
88 points
Dark red violet color; baked currant, cedar nose; tart cassis, tart currant palate with medium acidity; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot; 30 mos in new French oak)
Red
2008 Super Sonoman Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Knight's Valley
82 points
Dark red violet color; VA, petrol, cinnamon nose; tart red berry, currant, cranberry palate; medium-plus finish
Red
2008 Super Sonoman Wines Syrah
84 points
Dark ruby color; ripe berry nose; tight, tart berry, oak, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish
Flight 12 - Westherhold (4 notes)
Red
2007 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard
93 points
Very dark ruby color; tart black fruit, pepper, roasted black fruit nose; pepper, tart black fruit, tar palate with good acidity; ready now and should go 8-10 years; medium-plus finish (18 mos in new French oak)
Red
2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard
93 points
Opaque purple red violet color; tart black fruit, tar, licorice nose; tasty, intense, tart black fruit, tar, licorice palate; long finish 93+ points (22 mos in French oak)
Red
2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah White Label (extended barrel age) Westerhold Vineyard
94 points
Very dark ruby color; blackberry, berry, violets, ripe plum nose; tasty, tart berry, blackberry, ripe black fruit palate; medium-plus finish (39 mos in French oak)
Red
2009 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard
92 points
Very dark ruby color; tart plum, oak, tar, smoke nose; intense, tar, tart black fruit, pepper palate; needs 3-plus years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (16 mos in French oak)
Flight 13 - Wren Hop (3 notes)
White
2010 Wren Hop Chardonnay Gap's Crown Vineyard
91 points
Light lemon yellow color; focused, tart apple, lemon, pear nose; tight, tart apple, apple skin, tart peach palate with saline notes; medium-plus finish
Red
2010 Wren Hop Pinot Noir The Fire Messenger
90 points
Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, floral, tart black cherry nose; tight, tart black cherry, oak palate; needs 3-plus years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (100% Swan clone; 11 mos. in 100% new French oak)
Red
2009 Wren Hop Pinot Noir Siren's Lure
90 points
Very dark cherry red color; oak spice, tart raspberry, tart cherry nose; tart black cherry, tart raspberry, oak spice palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (good fruit but showing too much oak; clones 115 and 777; 12 mos in 100% new French oak)