I thought this was just a terrific showing for this wine right now. I opened and had probably 5 oz. on its own then the remainder with my wife with a chicken/artichoke tagine dinner. It was superb both ways. Rich, deep fruit leads the way in a gorgeous succulence, not over extracted in any way, just a very deep and pure fashion, with black cherry and Bing cherry, a mineral texture underneath, rich topsoil, smoky charcoal embers, sweet fine tannins still providing support. My second of two seven years apart, this has very much rewarded cellaring. Had this been a magnum, I'm sure we would still have finished it in one night. 94 pt bottle at least. Yeah, it can hold just fine, but if I had another I'd be drinking it soon. If you really are truly AFWE, you'll have to wait a while.
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Enjoyed this wine-- rich black fruit nose. Black cherry, being spice, little oak, smooth, velvety. Thought it might be a little over peak, but is drinking nicely.
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Ripe, sweet cherry and cranberry fruit, baking spices and noticeable oak. The structure is easygoing and accessible. Drinks well now, and not sure about any further upside.
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Dark black fruit with baking spice and eucalyptus. The fruit is ripe and while it is larger scaled it but doesn’t seem to heavy thanks to the undercurrent of acidity. Due to its scale, can stand up to heartier dishes — fatty pork or duck would be natural pairings. Drinking well now, will hold for several years but unlikely to improve.
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July 2018 Rivers-Marie Visit (At Mending Wall winery): Poured blind, in a flight of three which all turned out to be 2009 vintage. This shows to me as the ripest of the three wines. Plush, spicy with a light menthol note. Zesty with black/darker fruit, blackberry, dark apple, some cranberry buried here that is underneath the juicy, darker palate. This is broad in tone.
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Blackberry and blueberry with baking spice throughout. New World sweetness with an elegant structure I really enjoy. Drinking well now, and this should easy hold well for at least 5 more years.
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New Year's Eve dinner tasting. Brief note. Pours a deep purple in the glass. This was heavy and brooding from the get go. Nose and palate were full of cassis, blackberry, and kirsch. Really ripe and one noted. It's begging for acidity to give it badly needed structure and freshness.
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dark/opaque. nose fruity, brambly. Palate light tannins, big fruits, light baking spice. Somewhat simplistic on day 1, but recorked and kept in fridge, and on day 2, with slight chill, much more focused and interesting, some cranberry acidity and more of a red-toned cherry flavor, orange rind. Still a bigger pinot and not for everyone, but has its place. Would drink now. 91 pts
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Full, rich nose of rich black cherry, baking spices, toastiness and some oak spice. The palate is dense and packed with rich fruit. Good fresh acidity provides balancing lift. Polished and smooth finish. Definitely a more modern styled Pinot.
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Full bodied. Well balanced with plenty of acidity to balance ripe cherry and plum fruit. A bit of orange rind on the finish. Very nice, is probably near peak drinking window.
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Surprisingly dark color. Nose - dark cherry and raspberry coupled with orange blossom notes Palate - dark cherry, tart raspberry, and spice - cumin and cinnamon Structure - medium plus bodied with low acidity but not flabby Overall, this wine is on the bigger end of the pinot spectrum with a deep mid-palate and ripe fruit. Reminded me quite a bit of some Kosta Brown wines.
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Had at a wine dinner. N of candied raspberries, florals, and spice P overripe raspberries, and other red berries, cedar and spice F average finish, big mouthfeel for a pinot
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Monday Night at Ripple (Ripple - Cleveland Park - Washington, DC): Nose of sweet plums, black cherries and red currants. Rich and creamy but refreshing as well. Juicy raspberries, cherries and some blueberry, laced with earth, floral, spice and cedar elements. Lovely, pure Sonoma Coast goodness.
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What a difference a couple of days makes. Two thirds of the bottle was left and we simply put the cork back in the bottle and left it on the counter. Now, two nights later, the wine displays notes of black cherry, black raspberry, violets and what I can only describe as a florally blueberry quality...very pretty. Cherry and raspberry flavors on the palate with a nice finish.
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Opened by TLV at euchre night. Dark fruit, black cherry and a lot of cola - bigger, darker and more ripe than the Kutch opened alongside. Good, but not in my Pinot wheelhouse.
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Rich fragrant dark plummy notes with violet floral aromas. Large scale mouth filling dense velvet textures. Young extracted dark cherry fruits and floral notes dominate. Nice spicy finish.
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Deep ruby in the glass. Nose pops with dark cherry, cola and baking spices. Palate is cranberries all day long with a wave of juicy acidity and tension. Fresh and lively across the palate. Flavors are precise with fresh cut herbs adding complexity on the back end. Long red fruit finish. Really well done.
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rich, extracted style but without feeling cooked, buttery, or jammy. bold cranberry fruit with blood orange and citrus rind on the nose with a subtle spice note in the background. lots of tension on the palate with acid holding the fruit in check - leaning toward pomegranate and citrus peel. a unique cali PN which is intriguing and enjoyable. sadly, my last bottle.
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Like with the Rhys labels, I ensured I checked the vineyard dez on this before I opened it! Opened and poured, pretty dark in color, especially with just 2 ozs in the glass--looks syrah-like. The aromatics remind me of riper tones--brown spices, riper fruit notes. I typically associate 2009 with a riper vintage so this is what I was expecting. Putting those aromatics aside, the fruit has less of these markers, reflecting cranberry and orange rind, both things I tend to find in TRB's pinots, and they're zesty here. The richness in the wine is less about the fruit notes, more about the texture, which is broad and medium plus in body. Finishes with dark cherry, some vanilla/oak, red fruits and some pine needle. A cool juxtaposition of riper tones and zesty flavor. Over dinner, as the wine got air, a good measure of new oak popped through the wine and the wine showed more flamboyance and got bigger. I see this as a good drinker now, as much as I do many of the 2009s.
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Hey, a Pinot my wife liked. This is a big Pinot. Purple in color with some ruby at the edge. On the nose, black cherries mostly. Still big and primary but great texture. Juicy black cherries and black raspberries. Smooth and easy to drink. A slight root beer/herbal note on the finish which is nice. I liked it, but I can see some AFWE people not liking it.
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Pop n pour. This is right in my wheelhouse. Red and black cherry with earthy notes. Excellent acidity and balance. Not enough history here to know whether this will improve, but this is so good now I don't know if I'll wait on remaining bottle.
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I have loved every Occidental Ridge Pinot I've consumed and this bottle is no exception. Drinking great now after an hour decant but might even improve and gain some complexity over the next couple years. A beautiful wine that's for sure
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Really enjoyed this wine recently before a Savages show at 1st Av in Minneapolis! First off, thankfully, this showed NO dominating cola flavors that are so prevalent in many US PNs. This is balanced, vibrant, weightless and intriguing. A great US version of PN! Don't think much of the label design but love whats in the btl.
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Very similar experience to last bottle. Brought to a restaurant, really started to strut its stuff after about 45 minutes of being opened. Pommergranate, black raspberry, baking spices, and it gains a little weight as the night goes on. Really well balanced. Yes there is some sunshine in the glass but it is not spoofed in any way shape or form. Liked this.
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This was the best California PN I can remember having in a long time. Some dark fruit with hints of red fruit that was a bit brighter. Rich, nice balance between fruit, alcohol, etc... Pop and pour. Excellent stuff.
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Just a wonderful young rich rendition of pinot that still keeps varietal character at a reasonable 13.5% abv. Also had a great violet component on the nose.
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Dark and opaque. Fairly pronounced aroma of sweet black raspberry and oak. Concentrated full flavors, high acid, moderate tannin, high alcohol. Definitely new world style, as opposed to Burgundian. Long but hot aftertaste. Nice, but prefer a more restrained and elegant pinot noir.
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Popped and poured with spaghetti alla amatriciana. Aroma is bright red cherry. Taset is more tart cherry, and hint of cola type flavor. It does show times of moving to a blacker cherry fruit. The tartness really comes through on the finish a bit too much.
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Over two nights. Deep ruby. Rich nose with, yes, blueberry and mixed berry fruits, orange peel, iodine mineral streak, mulling spices, that Sonoma Coast freshness layer on top. Neither over-the-top nor restrained in style, it cuts its own path and to me does so successfully. Not a manufactured wine at all, but evidence of a winemaker (with a deft hand and a respectful mind) taking and shaping a terroir. I can go there.
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Opened not decanted. I just ordered my allocation so I thought it would be a good idea to pop one. I had just finished a Freeman 08 RR PN and while I was not going to compare them I was surprised how dark this wine was. Almost like a Syrah. Tastes very young with a strong citrus attack on the entry and orange and tangerine on the mid palate. Darker fruit of black cherry on the finish. Needs some air but Very Good.
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Dark and rich in both color and palate impression. An intriguing thread of red fruit sings in a black fruit playground. An enjoyable Pinot in a distinctively modern style.
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Opened tonight with dinner, with 2/3rds bottle left for the next few days. For tonight, this starts off really great, with a big expression of blue fruit. Open knit and that kind of pinot that is sans red fruit (at least with this level of O2), but one that I could probably keep going through until I polished off the whole thing at one sitting but smartly, I put the bottle away tonight after one glass! I'll return to it tomrrow, over a salmon dinner and close the note here.......retried again tonight, at about a 65 degree temp. This is a fairly opulent pinot noir, but in the TRB style, it doesn't get off the tracks. A real boatload of pure, present blue fruit, along with a lining of raspberry, blood orange (I use this reference as I have been enjoying recently a pure organic blood orange jam made without sugar--that kind of note) and some stone in the finish. And to a comment about color....this pours like the color of syrah so in comparison to the recent 2010 Kutch McDougall, that was paler red yet stacked with terrific balance and flavor. Here, this RM pushed the opulence and would be on the other end of the color and weight spectrum, but equally satisfying. Will this wine appeal to the pinot purist? Probably not. But for the purity and heady sense this wine conveys, a winner.
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Start out with a clear nose of cranberry and cinnamon, which does not fully integrate on the palate but strikes you as a bit tart. Give it an hour and you have a smooth, yet still slightly extracted, cranberry-cola - and yes, some blue fruit - pinot.
I will wait a year before the next one. (No, no, really, i will.)
deep, extracted notes of orange peel and cranberry. flavors are bolstered by crisp acidity but still a little rough around the edges. anticipate that with a few years this will integrate a little more and round out a bit. a unique style of cali pinot that is bold and refreshing.
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It's very extracted and has a darker fruit profile than I would expect from a Pinot, even a California Pinot. Warm baking spices, oak, vanilla, black cherries, blueberries. Very ripe and with good finess. The back palate is a little hollow, however. I'd like more glycerin to go along with all that extract.
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Brought to a restaurant so didn't focus as much on the wine as the dinner conversation. After about 45 minutes of being opened it really started to strut its stuff dark raspberry / cherry over baking spices, pommergranate and a bit of orange peel. Great acids, sneaky smooth tannins. Delicious.
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Delicate Raspberry and rose water flavors but the Pinot has much more structure than the flavors hint at. I haven't had a ton of RM pinots but this was my favorite so far.
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My least favorite RM Pinot thus far. Muted fruit and kind of simple at this stage, however the citrus undertones were there as always. I have a second bottle that I will put aside for a few years and let this develop.
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Pop and pour and followed over 3 hours. This was not served with any food. Dark dark color. Explosive nose of brown spices and some pine needles, pomegranate and cherries. Lively and zesty, showing some spice, cherries, raspberries and more pomegranate. Maybe a little disjointed at this early stage. A bit angular in its presentation. Shows a little hint of oak and some heat on the back end. Checked in on the second day; used a vacu-vin and kept in a cool location. This shows a bit better. The flavors fold nicely together. Still has a great bouquet of spice, pine needles and fresh berries. It is a bit more refined on the second day after being open 24 hours.
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RM pinots to me have a common character of tangerine on the nose. This is no exception. It's accompanied by bright cherries, some baking spices and flowers. The plate is medium bodied with more of that citrusy note, more bright cherries and a distinct note of cinnamon. Long finish and great acid. Good by itself, great with food.
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Decanted about 5 hours. Lots of cherry and cranberry fruit on the nose, with small amounts of mushroom and spice. The palate is extremely soft, with the same flavor profile as the nose.
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8/2/2020 - dbermanmd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious.
Drinking so we'll.
Agree with the profile from the previous reviews.
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4/12/2020 - MindMuse Likes this wine: 94 Points
I thought this was just a terrific showing for this wine right now. I opened and had probably 5 oz. on its own then the remainder with my wife with a chicken/artichoke tagine dinner. It was superb both ways. Rich, deep fruit leads the way in a gorgeous succulence, not over extracted in any way, just a very deep and pure fashion, with black cherry and Bing cherry, a mineral texture underneath, rich topsoil, smoky charcoal embers, sweet fine tannins still providing support. My second of two seven years apart, this has very much rewarded cellaring. Had this been a magnum, I'm sure we would still have finished it in one night. 94 pt bottle at least. Yeah, it can hold just fine, but if I had another I'd be drinking it soon. If you really are truly AFWE, you'll have to wait a while.
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12/21/2019 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed this wine-- rich black fruit nose. Black cherry, being spice, little oak, smooth, velvety. Thought it might be a little over peak, but is drinking nicely.
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8/25/2019 - oaxaca90049 wrote:
WOTN drinking beautifully and at a perfect place. No notes.
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3/27/2019 - jwebtx wrote:
No detailed notes, but I will say this wine was singing on a pop and pour.
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8/30/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Ripe, sweet cherry and cranberry fruit, baking spices and noticeable oak. The structure is easygoing and accessible. Drinks well now, and not sure about any further upside.
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7/29/2018 - CMN wrote: 91 Points
Dark black fruit with baking spice and eucalyptus. The fruit is ripe and while it is larger scaled it but doesn’t seem to heavy thanks to the undercurrent of acidity. Due to its scale, can stand up to heartier dishes — fatty pork or duck would be natural pairings. Drinking well now, will hold for several years but unlikely to improve.
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7/26/2018 - Frank Murray III wrote:
July 2018 Rivers-Marie Visit (At Mending Wall winery): Poured blind, in a flight of three which all turned out to be 2009 vintage. This shows to me as the ripest of the three wines. Plush, spicy with a light menthol note. Zesty with black/darker fruit, blackberry, dark apple, some cranberry buried here that is underneath the juicy, darker palate. This is broad in tone.
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4/23/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry and blueberry with baking spice throughout. New World sweetness with an elegant structure I really enjoy. Drinking well now, and this should easy hold well for at least 5 more years.
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1/4/2018 - EMichels wrote: 87 Points
Rich; Suffered from being served too warm; Very new world
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1/1/2018 - ESTEELE90 Does not like this wine:
New Year's Eve dinner tasting. Brief note. Pours a deep purple in the glass. This was heavy and brooding from the get go. Nose and palate were full of cassis, blackberry, and kirsch. Really ripe and one noted. It's begging for acidity to give it badly needed structure and freshness.
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12/31/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
dark/opaque. nose fruity, brambly. Palate light tannins, big fruits, light baking spice. Somewhat simplistic on day 1, but recorked and kept in fridge, and on day 2, with slight chill, much more focused and interesting, some cranberry acidity and more of a red-toned cherry flavor, orange rind. Still a bigger pinot and not for everyone, but has its place. Would drink now. 91 pts
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10/17/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Cranberry and tangerine notes. Very high toned and lively- juicy, ripe fruit balanced by zingy acidity. Drinking really nicely tonight.
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9/12/2017 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Full, rich nose of rich black cherry, baking spices, toastiness and some oak spice. The palate is dense and packed with rich fruit. Good fresh acidity provides balancing lift. Polished and smooth finish. Definitely a more modern styled Pinot.
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1/16/2017 - Edclr wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous spice on both nose and palate, great mid palate and finish. Hard to distinguish from GC Burg.
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12/25/2016 - Edclr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Starting to come around. No hurry on this baby, but delicious now.
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11/27/2016 - mhewitt wrote: 94 Points
Exotic nose of bright fruit. Tons of life yet and disappointed this is my last one.
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4/17/2016 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied. Well balanced with plenty of acidity to balance ripe cherry and plum fruit. A bit of orange rind on the finish. Very nice, is probably near peak drinking window.
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3/12/2016 - DuaneT wrote: 94 Points
A big dark fruited wine that is really well balanced and a complex nose. Just a little bit of air needed to get this one going. Really impressive.
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3/11/2016 - theharve wrote: 94 Points
beautiful big pinot at peak. Too bad only one left.
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11/30/2015 - toddjerry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, ruby color. Balanced, with more power than expected. Still has plenty of life. Red fruits, forest floor, cola. Will last for a while.
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10/9/2015 - Meerlust wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly dark color.
Nose - dark cherry and raspberry coupled with orange blossom notes
Palate - dark cherry, tart raspberry, and spice - cumin and cinnamon
Structure - medium plus bodied with low acidity but not flabby
Overall, this wine is on the bigger end of the pinot spectrum with a deep mid-palate and ripe fruit. Reminded me quite a bit of some Kosta Brown wines.
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2/23/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
As delicious as the last bottle with similar tasting notes.
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12/15/2014 - manonthemoon wrote: 89 Points
Had at a wine dinner.
N of candied raspberries, florals, and spice
P overripe raspberries, and other red berries, cedar and spice
F average finish, big mouthfeel for a pinot
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12/15/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Monday Night at Ripple (Ripple - Cleveland Park - Washington, DC): Nose of sweet plums, black cherries and red currants. Rich and creamy but refreshing as well. Juicy raspberries, cherries and some blueberry, laced with earth, floral, spice and cedar elements. Lovely, pure Sonoma Coast goodness.
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10/3/2014 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty but quite ripe dark cherry and spice on the nose and palate. Lovely acidity and floral notes on the finish make this simply delicious!
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8/11/2014 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
What a difference a couple of days makes. Two thirds of the bottle was left and we simply put the cork back in the bottle and left it on the counter. Now, two nights later, the wine displays notes of black cherry, black raspberry, violets and what I can only describe as a florally blueberry quality...very pretty. Cherry and raspberry flavors on the palate with a nice finish.
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8/9/2014 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Opened by TLV at euchre night. Dark fruit, black cherry and a lot of cola - bigger, darker and more ripe than the Kutch opened alongside. Good, but not in my Pinot wheelhouse.
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2/16/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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1/22/2014 - KenK Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich fragrant dark plummy notes with violet floral aromas. Large scale mouth filling dense velvet textures. Young extracted dark cherry fruits and floral notes dominate. Nice spicy finish.
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1/22/2014 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not sure I'd pick this as a pinot blind but very good none the less. My last bottle.
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12/27/2013 - Lessthanzero wrote:
A little too acidic and not offering up enough complexity right now.
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12/24/2013 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby in the glass. Nose pops with dark cherry, cola and baking spices. Palate is cranberries all day long with a wave of juicy acidity and tension. Fresh and lively across the palate. Flavors are precise with fresh cut herbs adding complexity on the back end. Long red fruit finish. Really well done.
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11/24/2013 - kthornton78 wrote:
rich, extracted style but without feeling cooked, buttery, or jammy. bold cranberry fruit with blood orange and citrus rind on the nose with a subtle spice note in the background. lots of tension on the palate with acid holding the fruit in check - leaning toward pomegranate and citrus peel. a unique cali PN which is intriguing and enjoyable. sadly, my last bottle.
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10/19/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Like with the Rhys labels, I ensured I checked the vineyard dez on this before I opened it! Opened and poured, pretty dark in color, especially with just 2 ozs in the glass--looks syrah-like. The aromatics remind me of riper tones--brown spices, riper fruit notes. I typically associate 2009 with a riper vintage so this is what I was expecting. Putting those aromatics aside, the fruit has less of these markers, reflecting cranberry and orange rind, both things I tend to find in TRB's pinots, and they're zesty here. The richness in the wine is less about the fruit notes, more about the texture, which is broad and medium plus in body. Finishes with dark cherry, some vanilla/oak, red fruits and some pine needle. A cool juxtaposition of riper tones and zesty flavor. Over dinner, as the wine got air, a good measure of new oak popped through the wine and the wine showed more flamboyance and got bigger. I see this as a good drinker now, as much as I do many of the 2009s.
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10/15/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Hey, a Pinot my wife liked. This is a big Pinot. Purple in color with some ruby at the edge. On the nose, black cherries mostly. Still big and primary but great texture. Juicy black cherries and black raspberries. Smooth and easy to drink. A slight root beer/herbal note on the finish which is nice. I liked it, but I can see some AFWE people not liking it.
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10/7/2013 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Pop n pour. This is right in my wheelhouse. Red and black cherry with earthy notes. Excellent acidity and balance. Not enough history here to know whether this will improve, but this is so good now I don't know if I'll wait on remaining bottle.
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10/3/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have loved every Occidental Ridge Pinot I've consumed and this bottle is no exception. Drinking great now after an hour decant but might even improve and gain some complexity over the next couple years. A beautiful wine that's for sure
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9/17/2013 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this wine recently before a Savages show at 1st Av in Minneapolis! First off, thankfully, this showed NO dominating cola flavors that are so prevalent in many US PNs. This is balanced, vibrant, weightless and intriguing. A great US version of PN! Don't think much of the label design but love whats in the btl.
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9/17/2013 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Very similar experience to last bottle. Brought to a restaurant, really started to strut its stuff after about 45 minutes of being opened. Pommergranate, black raspberry, baking spices, and it gains a little weight as the night goes on. Really well balanced. Yes there is some sunshine in the glass but it is not spoofed in any way shape or form. Liked this.
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8/4/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 88 Points
Dense and rich red and black fruit. Very sweet and forward. Bitter on the finish.
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7/29/2013 - marka wrote: 93 Points
This was the best California PN I can remember having in a long time. Some dark fruit with hints of red fruit that was a bit brighter. Rich, nice balance between fruit, alcohol, etc... Pop and pour. Excellent stuff.
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3/27/2013 - Acohen wrote: 92 Points
Great red fruit with slight orange peel and citrus note and a strong finish
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3/19/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
A delicious wine in a rich, lush style.
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3/13/2013 - Wop wrote: 93 Points
Just a wonderful young rich rendition of pinot that still keeps varietal character at a reasonable 13.5% abv. Also had a great violet component on the nose.
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2/13/2013 - Ex-Ray wrote: 92 Points
Dark and opaque. Fairly pronounced aroma of sweet black raspberry and oak. Concentrated full flavors, high acid, moderate tannin, high alcohol. Definitely new world style, as opposed to Burgundian. Long but hot aftertaste. Nice, but prefer a more restrained and elegant pinot noir.
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2/13/2013 - Wine Sparty wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured with spaghetti alla amatriciana. Aroma is bright red cherry. Taset is more tart cherry, and hint of cola type flavor. It does show times of moving to a blacker cherry fruit. The tartness really comes through on the finish a bit too much.
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2/6/2013 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points
Over two nights. Deep ruby. Rich nose with, yes, blueberry and mixed berry fruits, orange peel, iodine mineral streak, mulling spices, that Sonoma Coast freshness layer on top. Neither over-the-top nor restrained in style, it cuts its own path and to me does so successfully. Not a manufactured wine at all, but evidence of a winemaker (with a deft hand and a respectful mind) taking and shaping a terroir. I can go there.
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1/23/2013 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. I just ordered my allocation so I thought it would be a good idea to pop one. I had just finished a Freeman 08 RR PN and while I was not going to compare them I was surprised how dark this wine was. Almost like a Syrah. Tastes very young with a strong citrus attack on the entry and orange and tangerine on the mid palate. Darker fruit of black cherry on the finish. Needs some air but Very Good.
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1/23/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark and rich in both color and palate impression. An intriguing thread of red fruit sings in a black fruit playground. An enjoyable Pinot in a distinctively modern style.
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1/14/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Opened tonight with dinner, with 2/3rds bottle left for the next few days. For tonight, this starts off really great, with a big expression of blue fruit. Open knit and that kind of pinot that is sans red fruit (at least with this level of O2), but one that I could probably keep going through until I polished off the whole thing at one sitting but smartly, I put the bottle away tonight after one glass! I'll return to it tomrrow, over a salmon dinner and close the note here.......retried again tonight, at about a 65 degree temp. This is a fairly opulent pinot noir, but in the TRB style, it doesn't get off the tracks. A real boatload of pure, present blue fruit, along with a lining of raspberry, blood orange (I use this reference as I have been enjoying recently a pure organic blood orange jam made without sugar--that kind of note) and some stone in the finish. And to a comment about color....this pours like the color of syrah so in comparison to the recent 2010 Kutch McDougall, that was paler red yet stacked with terrific balance and flavor. Here, this RM pushed the opulence and would be on the other end of the color and weight spectrum, but equally satisfying. Will this wine appeal to the pinot purist? Probably not. But for the purity and heady sense this wine conveys, a winner.
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1/12/2013 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Start out with a clear nose of cranberry and cinnamon, which does not fully integrate on the palate but strikes you as a bit tart. Give it an hour and you have a smooth, yet still slightly extracted, cranberry-cola - and yes, some blue fruit - pinot.
I will wait a year before the next one. (No, no, really, i will.)
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12/21/2012 - kthornton78 Likes this wine: 91 Points
deep, extracted notes of orange peel and cranberry. flavors are bolstered by crisp acidity but still a little rough around the edges. anticipate that with a few years this will integrate a little more and round out a bit. a unique style of cali pinot that is bold and refreshing.
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12/19/2012 - Colia Likes this wine: 91 Points
It's very extracted and has a darker fruit profile than I would expect from a Pinot, even a California Pinot. Warm baking spices, oak, vanilla, black cherries, blueberries. Very ripe and with good finess. The back palate is a little hollow, however. I'd like more glycerin to go along with all that extract.
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11/21/2012 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
Big rich and very dark fruit flavor
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10/30/2012 - Bellissimo wrote:
Brought to a restaurant so didn't focus as much on the wine as the dinner conversation. After about 45 minutes of being opened it really started to strut its stuff dark raspberry / cherry over baking spices, pommergranate and a bit of orange peel. Great acids, sneaky smooth tannins. Delicious.
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9/7/2012 - haldolugr wrote: 90 Points
Delicate Raspberry and rose water flavors but the Pinot has much more structure than the flavors hint at. I haven't had a ton of RM pinots but this was my favorite so far.
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8/28/2012 - pakabear wrote: 91 Points
Loads of strawberry, sweet cherry and raspberry. My wife really liked this one, so it's a shame this is my last bottle.
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7/26/2012 - pakabear wrote: flawed
Corked unfortunately...
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4/13/2012 - pkbackman wrote:
My least favorite RM Pinot thus far. Muted fruit and kind of simple at this stage, however the citrus undertones were there as always. I have a second bottle that I will put aside for a few years and let this develop.
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4/9/2012 - t_moderne wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour and followed over 3 hours. This was not served with any food. Dark dark color. Explosive nose of brown spices and some pine needles, pomegranate and cherries. Lively and zesty, showing some spice, cherries, raspberries and more pomegranate. Maybe a little disjointed at this early stage. A bit angular in its presentation. Shows a little hint of oak and some heat on the back end.
Checked in on the second day; used a vacu-vin and kept in a cool location. This shows a bit better. The flavors fold nicely together. Still has a great bouquet of spice, pine needles and fresh berries. It is a bit more refined on the second day after being open 24 hours.
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3/10/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
RM pinots to me have a common character of tangerine on the nose. This is no exception. It's accompanied by bright cherries, some baking spices and flowers. The plate is medium bodied with more of that citrusy note, more bright cherries and a distinct note of cinnamon. Long finish and great acid. Good by itself, great with food.
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10/30/2011 - williamswhine wrote: 91 Points
Very nice full bodied pinot. Dark cherry with a little strawberry palate. Nice wine.
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10/27/2011 - jwsmith wrote: 88 Points
Very tough rustic not great
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3/12/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted about 5 hours. Lots of cherry and cranberry fruit on the nose, with small amounts of mushroom and spice. The palate is extremely soft, with the same flavor profile as the nose.
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3/1/2011 - herberto wrote: 90 Points
This was nice. Ripe, but not ruined by oak, and quite drinkable.
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