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Pinots and Few More

Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)

Tasted November 14, 2015 by rocknroller with 416 views

Flight 1 (1 note)

White - Sparkling
N.V. Charles Ellner Champagne Grande Réserve Brut France, Champagne
92 points
Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. Very enjoyable again and sadly my last bottle. Nice yeastiness, apple, citrus, mineral. The palate is medium bodied with apple, pear, clean minerality, bread dough, hints of almond, light toast and a delicious citrus infused finish.

Flight 2 (2 notes)

White
2010 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
94 points
Medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Wow, very nice indeed. A fantastic and complex nose of pineapple, peach, lemon, and pear, vanilla, moderate oak, lightly floral. The nose is somewhat tropical but not in a blousy way. The palate is poised, complex, rich but again in context wonderfully balanced by bright acidity. The fruit is consistent with the nose, lemon, lemon oil, nice texture with more a sense of lemon oil and a bit of lemon cream, pear, peach, pineapple, mineral notes, tangy and very long. Impressive showing. My #1 and group #2 overall WOTN. 93+ to 94pts.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2010 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
92 points
Light medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 40 minutes. This was good as usual, not the powerhouse that it was 12 to 24 months ago. Still delivers well with tropical fruit, oak, apple, pineapple, peach, butter toffee. It is not quite as vibrant, and my sense though is that this has crested and is now on a slow decline. I'd drink these sooner rather that later, but I think they will satisfy for another 2 years.

Flight 3 (5 notes)

Red
2008 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
93 points
Medium dark red color. Decanted for 2 hours with another 2 hours of slow-O prior. Clearly my favorite of the pinots tonight, by some distance. This just kept getting better in the glass and showing more shades of itself despite a good decant. Cherry and black cherry up front with dried earthy elements emerging gradually, spices, dried flowers, rose hips, strawberry on the nose. The palate captures the balance of fruit, texture, acid, and tannin. Tart and tangy black cherry, strawberry, spices, pepper, rose hips, earth, and medium grained tannins on a long finish. Drink now with a decant or hold. My and group #1 POTH and #1 overall WOTN.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2008 Inman Family Pinot Noir Thorn Ridge Ranch USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
89 points
Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. Big, dark fruit, brambly, random hits of alcohol, oak, spicy, sweet berry finish, candied finish. Fairly big for my taste, and a bit too sweet, but a nice wine in general.
Red
2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
90 points
Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This was ripe, but more even, ripe berry, strawberry, red currants on the nose, vanillin on the nose. The palate has medium body, ripe, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, sweet fruit, fine tannins, medium finish. 90+pts.
Red
2009 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan
92 points
Medium dark red color. Decanted for 45 minutes with 3 hours slow O prior. Drank 1 glass over an hour. I liked this even more than I thought, its more restrained and elegant, with lighter medium body and a good acid spine, appealing complex spiciness, bright with cherry fruit, tart raspberry, a bit briary, nice evident tannins and a long finish. Very well made, balanced and enhanced in every way by the benefit of whole clusters. My and group #2 POTN.
Red
2012 Martinelli Pinot Noir Bella Vigna USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
91 points
Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Well the nose is the star here for me. The deeply earthy, dampness and porcini character was captivating, ripe strawberries, dried earth. The palate while more ripe and clearly Cali benefits from the earth and mineral depth, candied fruit as this evolves. I'm happy to sit and smell this one. Would have been even better if there was any of the mushroom tart left to pair with it!
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 4 (1 note)

White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Nairac France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
91 points
Medium dark gold color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. Fairly consistent with the last time I had this a little over a year ago. Lovely with tangerine, peach preserves, pineapple, citrus zest nice spice, fresh, well balanced. Very tasty with the peach tart.

Closing

Voting was done for pinot of the night and for overall WOTN.

WOTN:
#1 - '08 St. Innocent Shea PN (17pts)
#2 - '10 Rhys Alpine Chard (14pts)
#3 - Ellner Grande Reserve Champagne (8pts)

POTN:
#1 - '08 St. Innocent Shea PN (20pts)
#2 - '09 Calera Mills PN (13pts)
#3 - three way tie all with 5 pts, '12 Martinelli, '08 Inman, '09 Sojourn

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