Community Tasting Notes 11

• The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 95 points

  March 19, 2024 - Retail $50. Responsible bottle (576g; 1lb 4.3oz). Under cork. I have had a ton of wine from this now defunct producer and I have lauded it repeatedly. And this bottle? More youthful and vibrant than the others, despite having more than three years pass since we last opened one. I only have two bottles left and if they are both as good as this one, I fear I might cry when the last drop is poured. 95 Points.
  
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• The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 points

  October 30, 2021 - Retail $50. The wine has certainly improved since the last time I tried this beauty and while most of the tasting notes still wring true, I am bumping this up to the "Outstanding" category. My only gripe? I only have three bottles left. Yeah. Woe is me.
  
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• The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 92 points

  January 23, 2019 - The story of Amelle is a bit sad: two high school friends, one a talented winemaker, the other, well, I am not sure what he does, ventured into the small production wine business with some great wines, but somewhat poor marketing skills, eventually resulting in the demise of the brand. The name is an amalgam of their wives’ names (Amanda and Michelle), and the wines were sourced from some of the more interesting vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation. This one comes from a 20 acre La Cruz Vineyard, a prominent parcel of the Keller Estate Vineyard. Incredible red berry fruit, a bit of anise, and black pepper on the nose. The palate is still light and lively with great fruit and depth. Although doing well, you should probably get to this in the next handful of years. thedrunkencyclist.com

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• The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 94 points

  June 21, 2018 - This has been the summer of samples--for the first time since I started writing about wine some six years ago, I find myself overwhelmed with samples. While you might feel the need to shed a tear, it is certainly work (insert humble brag retort here). As a result, I have not delved into my personal cellar for over a month. Until now. I made some grilled salmon and grabbed this beauty. Holy crap. I know as a (semi?) "professional" writer, I should be able to come up with new and enlightened ways to describe a wine, but my last note pretty much nailed it. This is Amaze-Balls (yes, that is a [semi?] professional wine description). thedrunkencyclist.com

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• The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 94 points

  February 3, 2018 - One of my favorite winemakers in California, Eric Buffington made this Pinot while Assistant Winemaker at Freeman Winery in Sebastopol. The La Cruz Vineyard is located just south of Petaluma in the Sonoma Coast Appellation, and is known for its cool climate and stellar Pinot Noir. This is simply gangbusters. Holy cow. Cherry, eucalyptus, forest floor, nutmeg, and clove. A near perfect potpourri of Pinot paradise. On the palate, this is close to euphoria: fruity yet restrained, earthy yet ebullient, pensive yet jovial. Whoa. thedrunkencyclist.com

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Pro Reviews 4

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2010
• Type Red
• Producer Amelle
• Varietal Pinot Noir
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard La Cruz Vineyard
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Sonoma County
• Appellation Sonoma Coast

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 8 (11%)
• Consumed 67 (89%)

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