Nice cherry flavors. Has good acidity. Medium body and finish. A little of earthy undertones. Still had fairly strong tannins which were nicely integrated.
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Dark and nicely developed fruit. This wine is very impressive right now with concentrated flavors and aromas. This wine still has plenty of stuffing for the long haul.
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Medium bodied. In the more austere camp of California PN. Cherry and black raspberry fruit. Earth, and savory underbrush notes. Some dry tannins on the finish. Probably just past peak- drink up.
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Pop and pour and drank two glasses and reserved the remainder of the bottle for day 2. This wine is very Burgundian and reminiscent of a good Gevrey Villages. It's more on the earthy crunchy side and the fruit is somewhat reserved and playing in the background. Tannins are present but not at all troublesome. While I suspect this wine will improve there is absolutely no harm in drinking this now. I did not realize that Jamie had started making more retrained wines so long ago. Well done.
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PnP with slight chill to 65. A very pleasant nose of red cherry. A medium to plus weight pinot with lots of red and dark red fruits, along with some earth, and spice. The acidity is quite juicy, but does not outrun the fruit, making this a nicely balanced, very smooth drinking effort. Don't think it will improve, but should hold for a couple of years.
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Showing gorgeously, with properly ripe appealing fruit with tart acid underpinning it, and silky mouthfeel. Aging effortlessly, and not overly herbal or stemmy as some “New California” pinots of this style can be at this age.
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Three years since the last bottle and this is also my final 2009 Kutch from my cellar inventory. I opened tonight's bottle about 2 hrs ago and got it to the right serving temp, into a burg stem. No food with it, clean palate, just me and the glass. Couple things stand out to me. First, there is quite a bit of similarity to the bottle I drank in 2014, this one showing the same herbal element, cherry, red apple and root beer. As this warms up, the riper/warmer qualities do show, notably with some alcohol. Perhaps I could be swayed to say that some of this is a stem impact but there is clearly for me some booze in the aroma. Finally, as to the palate weight, this is like 2014's bottle, showing the zesty, juicy quality with a medium + weight. Simply a lot going on here, with several characteristics all kind of sparring together. Finally, the finish. Creamy, juicy, some oak showing (?), floral/vanilla. This wine takes me down so many sensory roads, some of them good, some of them perplexing.....re-tasting the following day, this is a big wine. It's better when cool, as it throttles down the size. As it gets warmer, it shows red fruits jam and a palate weight/texture that shows thick to me. What keeps all this from skidding away is the acidity that still remains. The aromatic is still boozy today, too. In candor, I just don't care for this wine as it lacks the Kutch balance that Jamie achieves in his more recent vintages. For those who own this wine, get a bottle open and take me to task, tell me if you disagree.
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Opened by LostVerse. Not decanted. No formal notes but I recall this being rather vibrant with a medium red color with cherry and cola notes. 91 points.
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Gourmet Group: Rick Bayless (M/M thelostverse): Courtesy of tlv, this is a wine that's not really my style. Notes of rhubarb and cola dominate and are hard for me to get past. Good balancing acidity on the palate, but there again, cola and rhubarb.
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Opened and slow-oxed for 4.5 hours before drinking. This shows dar cherries and some herbal qualities on the nose, not much in the way of secondary development to me. The palate still displays a fair amount of fruit concentration, though it's kept from being ponderous with light acidity and a subtle frame of tannins. The texture marked by some new oak gloss that puts this a bit in the modern Pinot camp (the oak influence did subside some with the air, so I'd recommend opening in advance if you can). On the whole, not a lot of complexity here, and some cellar decisions in the way of clear site expression. But very enjoyable in the style.
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First I would like to point out that McDougall is my favorite vineyard year in and year out that Jamie sources from. This is probably the least complex and interesting vintage of McDougall I have tasted yet, but that being said, it is still in my book a 90 pt. wine. Good acidity, dark color and a food friendly wine, just not the best McDougall. The nose was also very muted. My experience with Pinot Noir says that can change in its evolution and is maybe in dumb phase too.
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I agree with Anthony Lombardi's note and experience last year.
PnP and enjoyed over 3 hours. A great wine that evolved and changed throughout the evening. It showed savory and exotic spices, black raspberry, slate and black cherry. A nice weight but full of flavor. I considered giving this wine a 94.
Similar tasting note to previous bottles with dark red berries and whole cluster notes on the nose and palate with tart cherries and acidity on the moderate finish.
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Lithe and delicate, this doesn't taste like a syrah unlike many other California Pinot Noir offerings. Nice earthiness with a dash of funk make this interesting.
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A lot of wines (Raj's Birthday); 9/25/2015-9/26/2015 (Cleveland Heights): Ruby in color. The nose is feminine with pretty perfumed cherries, rhubarb and a slight funk. On the palate, this has settled into a nice layered complexity. Good texture. A balanced acidity. Not yet at peak, but not a kid either. Very pretty showing for a Cal Pinot.
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Dark garnet in the glass. This is a great example of Pinot Noir in a great evolutionary spot. This is a darker fruited Pinot, and has a strong acidic backbone to match the rich fruit. I really love how the power & freshness are in such harmony here. Full bodied with silky tannins. We find a layer of spiciness from ample stems & it plays brilliantly off the rich fruit.
All of this complexity is achieved with a brilliant finesse. The powerful dark fruit, spicy nuance & ample, but not dominating structure hit the right notes together. We paired with an earthy & rich chicken pot pie with butternut squash & kale. Kutch wines exemplify California Pinot for me.
A lot of Pinot Noirs (My backyard): Seemed like we needed another bottle, so I went to the cellar for this one. This was very interesting as it had some contrasting qualities. The nose has nice cherry fruit but many found it stemmy. Yet on the palate, the fruit seemed sweeter than most (not rs). It is very tasty with nice acidity. Starting to develop some layering. Still young.
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Dark. Brooding. Still slightly tannic. Masculine. Tart cherry. spice. A little heat. I love kutch wines and I think the entry level blend is one of the best ca values. 2009 seems to be halfway thru the kutch transformation from a KOSTA b style to a more restrained low alc whole Cluster. It's all good but I like the newer stuff better.
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I love Kutch wines. This 09 McD had a shot of bright, red cherry on the very first sip and then settled into more dark, red fruit in subsequent early sipping. Some spice on the nose and palate. This has a significant structure. Quite different than the Falstaff…perhaps more masculine than the Falstaff??? This has me reconsidering my decision to skip the McDougalls when it is released.
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Juicy with some heat. Jamie, I remember picking this up at your place and you stating that it was every bit as good as the 2009 KB Sonoma Coast. You were wrong my friend. Your wine is better. ;-)
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2014 Tree Lighting Party (Morrell Wine, 1 Rockefeller Plaza): The McDougall Ranch presented a finessed and fruity nose with enticing exotic notes, showing ripe red berry, spearmint, tangerine and spice. On the palate, it was silky and rich, yet balanced perfectly with spine-tingling acidity which kept the fruit lively and refreshing. Staying true to form, the finish turned slightly darker with a sweet spice note which lingered long. This a beautiful new world Pinot and really shows the potential of the Sonoma coast. Also a great price.
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PnP. Could be decanted as it gained weight and depth over the evening and next night. After a weekend of Burgundy I was struck by the darker color and fruit profile. But in its SC way this had similar verve and mineral, while featuring spices (Asian, baking), forest floor and a sweeter broader core of fruit in ways that was not found in any Burgundy last week - which in this case is a good thing. Drinking very well, but still youthful.
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Another stunner! I only have one left. This has beautiful ripe tart sweet red cherry and smashed cherry fruit perceptions. There is also lovely spicy baked bread aromas of cinnamon and ginger, fruit cake, and other baking spices. Again, this has a terrific feeling in the mouth and a fantastic finish!
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Bright fruit; cranberry, blueberry, tart cherry. Holds well in the mouth and finishes with soft tannins. Great food wine.
3/6/2016 Fruit seemed a lot more muted this time. Got as much of the secondary flavors, like spice and cedar, than the fruit. Good with our fried chicken dinner, though.
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Popped and poured. A touch of funk on the nose, which blew off fairly quickly. Dark color for a Pinot, and a mix of red and black fruits on the nose. The wine seemed to straddle the some modern Cali pinots and more restrainded AFWE wines. Great balance, mouthfeel, and finish.
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Back to previous form. Again, a really nice wine on its own, but shines with food (in this case pan-seared salmon). Ready to go right now, but I suspect it will stay at this level for a few more years.
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First of two bottles that I bought back in 2011. I feel I know Jamie's wines better now, although I am a bit more blind on the 09s. Right out of the bottle, which I did cellar temp, was a bit austere with crunchier red fruit and tight. With air, letting it warm, the wine expectedly richens but it maintains the red fruit, picking up a touch of root beer and red apple. With more air, then the red fruit takes on a distinct red cherry note and raspberry, fattens more in the palate but still retains good definition. With more air, we'll see how it goes...a day later, enjoying with some goat cheese and whole wheat bread, the wine has woke up. Not sure whether any whole cluster hit this wine but there is an herbal element in the wine that has surfaced, adding complexity to the aromatic and palate. The fruit is darker, so now more black cherry like, with an irony aspect and the same raspberry. The acidity is really quite present in the finish and adds a zesty quality to it, giving me a sense that the wine has life to go. Looking at the wine today and yesterday, it's easy to see how evolution with air occurs, and how a tasting note can be a fixed point in time, subject to variation based on when the taster decides to stop time and reflect. With that, I differ with some in CT that were not as happy with this wine as I am. I wish I had now bought the mag of it that was auctioned at Falltacular a few weeks ago--this will be a wine that can be drank now and should go another 6-8 years.
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Cork crumbled but wine is fine. Dark California ruby. Gorgeous aromas of wild blackberry, forrest, and perfume. Dense cola flavors, with rhubarb pie, macerated cherry, sweet oak, and pretty little blueberries. This is unashamed California, with excellent balance and a long finish. Very nicely done.
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In a really nice place right now. Some strawberry and cranberry on the nose. Tastes just a bit heavier (but still very light on its feet) with strawberry, cherry and C picks up some blackberry jam (in a good way). Just a little bit of spice on the back end (I'm curious what we'll think of more recent vintages where the whole cluster % is higher). Layers of flavor. Really enjoyed it.
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Vinturi'd: Nose is loaded with red berries and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, beautifully balanced / smooth red berries with a touch of baking spices and soft tannins. Wonderfully elegant and the best bottle from Kutch that I've ever had. This makes me reconsider not purchasing this year. I'll have to try a 2010 prior to the next release this month.
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This is not a bad bottle of wine. It is NOT what I expect of Kutch. It is almost flat. After a couple of hours it had put on some weight, but it is Really light with a palate of light strawberry and red fruits. Finish is short. This has good flavor but it is light a whisper in the wind. Just wanted more.
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Let this decant for at least two hours. Lighter pretty pink purple color. Aromatics were a bit subdued, touches of lighter cranberry, light spice and a little bit of earth and forest floor. The palate is light as well and supple. Really nice balance. This wine is all about being elegant I suppose with fine nuances. \Still, we all wanted a little more umph overall. A nice wine, but you can find similar bottlings for a lesser price.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours before service. In the glass, clear, pure red. On the nose, a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, crushed dark fruit, and damp earth. On the palate, a beguiling blend of all of the aromatics, with secondary mineral notes and a very subtle touch of pine, all kept in balance. Definitely not an RRV fruit bomb, but this is in no way devoid of fruit, nor is it "tart and austere". Just very nicely balanced and satisfying. Quite possibly the best Kutch I've had to date. Very much looking forward to seeing how this one develops over the next few years.
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Very nice but needs a couple of hours in the decanter. A very young wine with a touch of tartness to the fruit that mellows with time in the decanter. Very complex with nice earth and spice elements as well. Once of the better wines from Kutch that I've had. Should age very nicely.
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Decanted for 3 hours prior to consumption. Still extremely young. Spice, small red berries, and a green note from the stem inclusion. Very tight and structured on the palate with minerals just hinting at its potential. Has all the components to be something special just very primary at this point.
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Very aromatic nose with cherry, spices, some vanilla, and at first hints of mint that seemed to fade with more air. Tart red cherries and red berries dominate the palate, with a mineral, earthy finish that is beautifully long. There is absolutely a Burgundian feel to this wine.
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My second time with this wine, and it's only gotten better after settling in a bit. Impressively complex aromatically for such a young wine, exploding with ripe red cherry fruit, floral notes, a hint of Vosne-like spice, and just a bit of sweet oak. On the palate, this is a beast. Ripe and intense, yet focused with fine grained tannins and a finish that goes on and on. Like a big, heavyweight boxer, that's chiseled and has speed to boot. Very, very impressive!
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Beautiful nose. Floral with darker red fruit. The palate is absolutely glorious. A mix of red and darker red fruit. Wonderful mineral notes. Great volume on the palate. The finish goes on. Considering the density there is good freshness. A little sweetness. Wonderful.
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In Pursuit of Balance (NYC): Had side by side with the 2010 - loved both of them. Nice darker style pinot, good minerality. Extra year versus the 2010 was worth it.
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Gorgeous red and black fruit nose with a hint of wet stones. Silky and soft up front, but the tannins are somewhat aggressive on the finish. A bright future ahead. Wait 3-5 years to try another bottle. Long juicy finish. 92-93 points. Open now 6 days, this is soft and lovely. The fruit is sweeter and the tannin not at all aggressive. A great sense of harmony and class. 93 points.
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Fruit, spice and mineral nose. Mediumweight mouthfeel, cherries, spice and earth on the palate. This comes together pretty well. Not a blockbuster, but excellent with food and always interesting with every mouthful. Excellent.
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My first Kutch and a beauty. First sip out of the bottle was pretty stern, but this became much friendlier with a couple hours in the decanter. Pure red fruits and spice on the nose introduce a palate of sweet cherries, minerals, and pronounced (yet refined) tannins. The best part is the satiny texture, which is lovely and reminiscent of a very well-made village Burg. Really nice, but a bit straightforward at this point. The concentration is such, however, that this should age nicely. A winner.
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50% stem inclusion. Drank on day 2. Lovely nose with fantastic complexity. Spice, fruit. Palate has good fruit, slightly less complex; medium long finish. Excellent wine. 92
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Opened, decanted, and poured back into the bottle; then enjoyed over four hours with food. This has a a dark side, full of black fruits and earthy. There is a bittersweet chocolate element lurking. Needs Jim Croce(time in a bottle).
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Nice enough, but for present drinking the acidity is out in front of the fruit. This one is in "no man's land" for me right now, between "light fruit yet precise and balanced" and "big fruit and hedonistic". Right now, too much acid, not enough fruit. "Pure" from the perspective that there's not a heavy oak influence. 88 points for current drinking.
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Unfortunately, drank a 01 Lewis CS first as I arrived late with the KM. Of what I remember, pretty fruit and surprisingly well balanced for such a young bottle.
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Initially tight but opened up with time in the glass. Nose of ripe red cherry, raspberry, and allspice perfumed. Light on its feet up front with silky red fruit followed by grippy but ripe tannin on the mid palate. Gorgeous structure and something that will only improve with time.
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2009 Kutch Barrel Samples (Roy's): barrel sample nose: the fruit here was reminiscent of something candy-like from my childhood - the closest I could get was to call it 'cherry popsicle' though that is not 100% accurate. It still bugs me that I can't place it.... anyway, it was akin to a dark red jelly filling in a donut, and then elements of christmas cookie spice danced around. palate: This had the most tannin of the lineup, and was the most overtly "California" of the single-vineyards. There was no mistaking this for anything else. This wine felt less integrated than the Savoy, but with a similarly fine-textured mouthfeel and obviously stellar fruit. The tannin was so very sweet, it was like drinking ambrosia. Really, really nice wine. Barely lost to the Savoy for my palate.
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10/26/2023 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
WCC West Coast Pinot Noir (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Big, smoky, red fruit nose. Still has noticeable tannin. Long, bright, red fruit finish.
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2/28/2022 - davudvl Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice cherry flavors. Has good acidity. Medium body and finish. A little of earthy undertones. Still had fairly strong tannins which were nicely integrated.
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3/4/2021 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Wine is in a great place. Nice berries and cherries. Finishes with a bit of acidity.
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4/17/2020 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark and nicely developed fruit. This wine is very impressive right now with concentrated flavors and aromas. This wine still has plenty of stuffing for the long haul.
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12/14/2019 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied. In the more austere camp of California PN. Cherry and black raspberry fruit. Earth, and savory underbrush notes. Some dry tannins on the finish. Probably just past peak- drink up.
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7/24/2018 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine:
Pop and pour and drank two glasses and reserved the remainder of the bottle for day 2. This wine is very Burgundian and reminiscent of a good Gevrey Villages. It's more on the earthy crunchy side and the fruit is somewhat reserved and playing in the background. Tannins are present but not at all troublesome. While I suspect this wine will improve there is absolutely no harm in drinking this now. I did not realize that Jamie had started making more retrained wines so long ago. Well done.
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4/1/2018 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
PnP with slight chill to 65. A very pleasant nose of red cherry. A medium to plus weight pinot with lots of red and dark red fruits, along with some earth, and spice. The acidity is quite juicy, but does not outrun the fruit, making this a nicely balanced, very smooth drinking effort. Don't think it will improve, but should hold for a couple of years.
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2/19/2018 - theguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good acid. Nice long finish of raspberry.
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1/1/2018 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
Showing gorgeously, with properly ripe appealing fruit with tart acid underpinning it, and silky mouthfeel. Aging effortlessly, and not overly herbal or stemmy as some “New California” pinots of this style can be at this age.
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8/15/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Three years since the last bottle and this is also my final 2009 Kutch from my cellar inventory. I opened tonight's bottle about 2 hrs ago and got it to the right serving temp, into a burg stem. No food with it, clean palate, just me and the glass. Couple things stand out to me. First, there is quite a bit of similarity to the bottle I drank in 2014, this one showing the same herbal element, cherry, red apple and root beer. As this warms up, the riper/warmer qualities do show, notably with some alcohol. Perhaps I could be swayed to say that some of this is a stem impact but there is clearly for me some booze in the aroma. Finally, as to the palate weight, this is like 2014's bottle, showing the zesty, juicy quality with a medium + weight. Simply a lot going on here, with several characteristics all kind of sparring together. Finally, the finish. Creamy, juicy, some oak showing (?), floral/vanilla. This wine takes me down so many sensory roads, some of them good, some of them perplexing.....re-tasting the following day, this is a big wine. It's better when cool, as it throttles down the size. As it gets warmer, it shows red fruits jam and a palate weight/texture that shows thick to me. What keeps all this from skidding away is the acidity that still remains. The aromatic is still boozy today, too. In candor, I just don't care for this wine as it lacks the Kutch balance that Jamie achieves in his more recent vintages. For those who own this wine, get a bottle open and take me to task, tell me if you disagree.
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8/13/2017 - CADomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over 3 nights. Dark notes of fruit and spice.
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5/1/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Opened by LostVerse. Not decanted. No formal notes but I recall this being rather vibrant with a medium red color with cherry and cola notes. 91 points.
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4/29/2017 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points
Gourmet Group: Rick Bayless (M/M thelostverse): Courtesy of tlv, this is a wine that's not really my style. Notes of rhubarb and cola dominate and are hard for me to get past. Good balancing acidity on the palate, but there again, cola and rhubarb.
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1/23/2017 - CADomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice bottle of wine. No official note, but there were cool notes of tangerine, boysenberries, and baking spices.
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11/24/2016 - jlm wrote:
Opened and slow-oxed for 4.5 hours before drinking. This shows dar cherries and some herbal qualities on the nose, not much in the way of secondary development to me. The palate still displays a fair amount of fruit concentration, though it's kept from being ponderous with light acidity and a subtle frame of tannins. The texture marked by some new oak gloss that puts this a bit in the modern Pinot camp (the oak influence did subside some with the air, so I'd recommend opening in advance if you can). On the whole, not a lot of complexity here, and some cellar decisions in the way of clear site expression. But very enjoyable in the style.
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11/11/2016 - texaswinelover wrote:
After reading my last note, I enjoyed this bottle much more. Rounder, more developed, nice nose and tingly mouthfeel.
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9/1/2016 - texaswinelover wrote:
Guess I'm spoiled because it's been awhile, a long while, since I've had a bad bottle of wine.
Enjoyed this tonight. Pnp. Very nice dark cherry red color, with similar notes on nose and palate. Very nice earthiness and mid level sediment.
Wine is slightly cloudy but not distracting. Enjoyed the rusticity.
Not super complex and finish was somewhat short but would open and drink on any night without regret.
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7/18/2016 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 90 Points
First I would like to point out that McDougall is my favorite vineyard year in and year out that Jamie sources from. This is probably the least complex and interesting vintage of McDougall I have tasted yet, but that being said, it is still in my book a 90 pt. wine. Good acidity, dark color and a food friendly wine, just not the best McDougall. The nose was also very muted. My experience with Pinot Noir says that can change in its evolution and is maybe in dumb phase too.
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7/11/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
WineFest in Toronto (Mike Grammer); 7/10/2016-7/12/2016 (Mike Grammer's (parents home) in Toronto): This was the only bottle that had been decanted. Not sure why this one over some of the others. The wine shows a bit of a turn in style here. It is very smooth and showing a nice complexity. Cherries and earthiness on the nose and palate. Good balance. Still young.
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6/17/2016 - Grape_ape Likes this wine:
drinking really well, but still youthful.
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5/25/2016 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes. Delicious.
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2/28/2016 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I agree with Anthony Lombardi's note and experience last year.
PnP and enjoyed over 3 hours. A great wine that evolved and changed throughout the evening. It showed savory and exotic spices, black raspberry, slate and black cherry. A nice weight but full of flavor. I considered giving this wine a 94.
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2/13/2016 - pjhr wrote: 91 Points
Similar tasting note to previous bottles with dark red berries and whole cluster notes on the nose and palate with tart cherries and acidity on the moderate finish.
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1/5/2016 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice pinot that is drinking well now. Why wait. A nice wine from a very nice guy who is living his dream Jamie Kutch.
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10/9/2015 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Lithe and delicate, this doesn't taste like a syrah unlike many other California Pinot Noir offerings. Nice earthiness with a dash of funk make this interesting.
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9/25/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
A lot of wines (Raj's Birthday); 9/25/2015-9/26/2015 (Cleveland Heights): Ruby in color. The nose is feminine with pretty perfumed cherries, rhubarb and a slight funk. On the palate, this has settled into a nice layered complexity. Good texture. A balanced acidity. Not yet at peak, but not a kid either. Very pretty showing for a Cal Pinot.
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8/16/2015 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 91 Points
No formal notes, but totally killer with alder wood smoked Arctic char with a honey chipotle rub. This wine was superb.
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8/4/2015 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet in the glass. This is a great example of Pinot Noir in a great evolutionary spot. This is a darker fruited Pinot, and has a strong acidic backbone to match the rich fruit. I really love how the power & freshness are in such harmony here. Full bodied with silky tannins. We find a layer of spiciness from ample stems & it plays brilliantly off the rich fruit.
All of this complexity is achieved with a brilliant finesse. The powerful dark fruit, spicy nuance & ample, but not dominating structure hit the right notes together. We paired with an earthy & rich chicken pot pie with butternut squash & kale. Kutch wines exemplify California Pinot for me.
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6/22/2015 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Dark red berries and whole cluster notes on the nose and palate with tart cherries and acidity on the finish. Approachable but with a long life ahead.
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5/8/2015 - jshufelt wrote:
Consistent with previous tasting note.
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5/2/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
A lot of Pinot Noirs (My backyard): Seemed like we needed another bottle, so I went to the cellar for this one. This was very interesting as it had some contrasting qualities. The nose has nice cherry fruit but many found it stemmy. Yet on the palate, the fruit seemed sweeter than most (not rs). It is very tasty with nice acidity. Starting to develop some layering. Still young.
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3/13/2015 - jfkwines wrote:
Great paired with roasted salmon
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3/12/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark. Brooding. Still slightly tannic. Masculine. Tart cherry. spice. A little heat. I love kutch wines and I think the entry level blend is one of the best ca values. 2009 seems to be halfway thru the kutch transformation from a KOSTA b style to a more restrained low alc whole Cluster. It's all good but I like the newer stuff better.
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3/12/2015 - 2loyal Likes this wine: 90 Points
Yep - something was clearly wrong with my last bottle. Still not my favorite Kutch, but I enjoyed it.
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2/28/2015 - marka wrote: 92 Points
I love Kutch wines. This 09 McD had a shot of bright, red cherry on the very first sip and then settled into more dark, red fruit in subsequent early sipping. Some spice on the nose and palate. This has a significant structure. Quite different than the Falstaff…perhaps more masculine than the Falstaff??? This has me reconsidering my decision to skip the McDougalls when it is released.
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2/19/2015 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Dark red berries and spice on the nose and palate with tart cherries and acidity on the finish. Should have a long life ahead of it.
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1/24/2015 - Murf130 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Juicy with some heat. Jamie, I remember picking this up at your place and you stating that it was every bit as good as the 2009 KB Sonoma Coast. You were wrong my friend. Your wine is better. ;-)
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12/9/2014 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
2014 Tree Lighting Party (Morrell Wine, 1 Rockefeller Plaza): The McDougall Ranch presented a finessed and fruity nose with enticing exotic notes, showing ripe red berry, spearmint, tangerine and spice. On the palate, it was silky and rich, yet balanced perfectly with spine-tingling acidity which kept the fruit lively and refreshing. Staying true to form, the finish turned slightly darker with a sweet spice note which lingered long. This a beautiful new world Pinot and really shows the potential of the Sonoma coast. Also a great price.
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11/27/2014 - thomaskeil Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Could be decanted as it gained weight and depth over the evening and next night. After a weekend of Burgundy I was struck by the darker color and fruit profile. But in its SC way this had similar verve and mineral, while featuring spices (Asian, baking), forest floor and a sweeter broader core of fruit in ways that was not found in any Burgundy last week - which in this case is a good thing. Drinking very well, but still youthful.
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9/17/2014 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another stunner! I only have one left. This has beautiful ripe tart sweet red cherry and smashed cherry fruit perceptions. There is also lovely spicy baked bread aromas of cinnamon and ginger, fruit cake, and other baking spices. Again, this has a terrific feeling in the mouth and a fantastic finish!
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7/29/2014 - CMCLR wrote: 87 Points
Fell a little flat. More green notes than I prefer
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6/18/2014 - 2loyal wrote: flawed
Yuck! I'm a huge Kutch fan, but this was nasty... and not corked. Certainly hope/assume it's a flaw with which I am not familiar.
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6/7/2014 - theRealPepe wrote:
Seemed really clunky and unbalanced. Very poor showing for a premium wine. Good to Very Good.
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5/26/2014 - underwds wrote: 90 Points
Bright fruit; cranberry, blueberry, tart cherry. Holds well in the mouth and finishes with soft tannins. Great food wine.
3/6/2016 Fruit seemed a lot more muted this time. Got as much of the secondary flavors, like spice and cedar, than the fruit. Good with our fried chicken dinner, though.
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5/7/2014 - Cow Town wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. A touch of funk on the nose, which blew off fairly quickly. Dark color for a Pinot, and a mix of red and black fruits on the nose. The wine seemed to straddle the some modern Cali pinots and more restrainded AFWE wines. Great balance, mouthfeel, and finish.
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5/2/2014 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Back to previous form. Again, a really nice wine on its own, but shines with food (in this case pan-seared salmon). Ready to go right now, but I suspect it will stay at this level for a few more years.
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3/7/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
First of two bottles that I bought back in 2011. I feel I know Jamie's wines better now, although I am a bit more blind on the 09s. Right out of the bottle, which I did cellar temp, was a bit austere with crunchier red fruit and tight. With air, letting it warm, the wine expectedly richens but it maintains the red fruit, picking up a touch of root beer and red apple. With more air, then the red fruit takes on a distinct red cherry note and raspberry, fattens more in the palate but still retains good definition. With more air, we'll see how it goes...a day later, enjoying with some goat cheese and whole wheat bread, the wine has woke up. Not sure whether any whole cluster hit this wine but there is an herbal element in the wine that has surfaced, adding complexity to the aromatic and palate. The fruit is darker, so now more black cherry like, with an irony aspect and the same raspberry. The acidity is really quite present in the finish and adds a zesty quality to it, giving me a sense that the wine has life to go. Looking at the wine today and yesterday, it's easy to see how evolution with air occurs, and how a tasting note can be a fixed point in time, subject to variation based on when the taster decides to stop time and reflect. With that, I differ with some in CT that were not as happy with this wine as I am. I wish I had now bought the mag of it that was auctioned at Falltacular a few weeks ago--this will be a wine that can be drank now and should go another 6-8 years.
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2/28/2014 - mzimberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork crumbled but wine is fine. Dark California ruby. Gorgeous aromas of wild blackberry, forrest, and perfume. Dense cola flavors, with rhubarb pie, macerated cherry, sweet oak, and pretty little blueberries. This is unashamed California, with excellent balance and a long finish. Very nicely done.
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1/28/2014 - domco wrote:
In a really nice place right now. Some strawberry and cranberry on the nose. Tastes just a bit heavier (but still very light on its feet) with strawberry, cherry and C picks up some blackberry jam (in a good way). Just a little bit of spice on the back end (I'm curious what we'll think of more recent vintages where the whole cluster % is higher). Layers of flavor. Really enjoyed it.
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12/25/2013 - S. Lorin wrote:
drinking at its peak - enjoy
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12/6/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
Largely consistent with previous tasting notes; perhaps a bit less aromatic than previous bottles.
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10/14/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good varietal typicity, a little light on expression and thin in the mid-palate. Not sure if more time in the bottle will help.
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9/9/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 86 Points
Subdued; too young I hope; little fruit and a bit herbaceous.
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7/12/2013 - mdaniel wrote: 93 Points
Vinturi'd: Nose is loaded with red berries and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, beautifully balanced / smooth red berries with a touch of baking spices and soft tannins. Wonderfully elegant and the best bottle from Kutch that I've ever had. This makes me reconsider not purchasing this year. I'll have to try a 2010 prior to the next release this month.
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6/25/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 89 Points
No decant.
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5/12/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous tasting note. A very nice pinot on its own, but also a great food wine.
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3/5/2013 - Rayburn wrote: 88 Points
This is not a bad bottle of wine. It is NOT what I expect of Kutch. It is almost flat. After a couple of hours it had put on some weight, but it is Really light with a palate of light strawberry and red fruits. Finish is short. This has good flavor but it is light a whisper in the wind. Just wanted more.
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10/17/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Let this decant for at least two hours. Lighter pretty pink purple color.
Aromatics were a bit subdued, touches of lighter cranberry, light spice and a little bit of earth and forest floor.
The palate is light as well and supple. Really nice balance. This wine is all about being elegant I suppose with fine nuances.
\Still, we all wanted a little more umph overall. A nice wine, but you can find similar bottlings for a lesser price.
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8/17/2012 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours before service. In the glass, clear, pure red. On the nose, a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, crushed dark fruit, and damp earth. On the palate, a beguiling blend of all of the aromatics, with secondary mineral notes and a very subtle touch of pine, all kept in balance. Definitely not an RRV fruit bomb, but this is in no way devoid of fruit, nor is it "tart and austere". Just very nicely balanced and satisfying. Quite possibly the best Kutch I've had to date. Very much looking forward to seeing how this one develops over the next few years.
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7/25/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
Very nice but needs a couple of hours in the decanter. A very young wine with a touch of tartness to the fruit that mellows with time in the decanter. Very complex with nice earth and spice elements as well. Once of the better wines from Kutch that I've had. Should age very nicely.
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6/4/2012 - fdub wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours prior to consumption. Still extremely young. Spice, small red berries, and a green note from the stem inclusion. Very tight and structured on the palate with minerals just hinting at its potential. Has all the components to be something special just very primary at this point.
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5/26/2012 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 94 Points
What a monumental wine, fresh, ginger bread aromas, red fruit, light mineral spine, full swallow, what a mouthfeel!
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5/25/2012 - WineGeneral wrote: 92 Points
Very aromatic nose with cherry, spices, some vanilla, and at first hints of mint that seemed to fade with more air. Tart red cherries and red berries dominate the palate, with a mineral, earthy finish that is beautifully long. There is absolutely a Burgundian feel to this wine.
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5/11/2012 - troutmonster wrote:
My second time with this wine, and it's only gotten better after settling in a bit. Impressively complex aromatically for such a young wine, exploding with ripe red cherry fruit, floral notes, a hint of Vosne-like spice, and just a bit of sweet oak. On the palate, this is a beast. Ripe and intense, yet focused with fine grained tannins and a finish that goes on and on. Like a big, heavyweight boxer, that's chiseled and has speed to boot. Very, very impressive!
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4/28/2012 - DCornutt wrote:
Beautiful nose. Floral with darker red fruit. The palate is absolutely glorious. A mix of red and darker red fruit. Wonderful mineral notes. Great volume on the palate. The finish goes on. Considering the density there is good freshness. A little sweetness. Wonderful.
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4/22/2012 - cpsmith33 wrote: 92 Points
In Pursuit of Balance (NYC): Had side by side with the 2010 - loved both of them. Nice darker style pinot, good minerality. Extra year versus the 2010 was worth it.
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4/18/2012 - amateurwino wrote: 93 Points
Very pretty right now, with hints of earthiness and dirt. Aromatic, with fresh and ripe fruit. 93
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1/19/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
No decant.
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1/5/2012 - kenv wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous red and black fruit nose with a hint of wet stones. Silky and soft up front, but the tannins are somewhat aggressive on the finish. A bright future ahead. Wait 3-5 years to try another bottle. Long juicy finish. 92-93 points.
Open now 6 days, this is soft and lovely. The fruit is sweeter and the tannin not at all aggressive. A great sense of harmony and class. 93 points.
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12/15/2011 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Tart red cherry and strawberry, nice acidity and earth, good finish.
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12/10/2011 - theRealPepe wrote:
Fruit, spice and mineral nose. Mediumweight mouthfeel, cherries, spice and earth on the palate. This comes together pretty well. Not a blockbuster, but excellent with food and always interesting with every mouthful. Excellent.
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11/28/2011 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first Kutch and a beauty. First sip out of the bottle was pretty stern, but this became much friendlier with a couple hours in the decanter. Pure red fruits and spice on the nose introduce a palate of sweet cherries, minerals, and pronounced (yet refined) tannins. The best part is the satiny texture, which is lovely and reminiscent of a very well-made village Burg. Really nice, but a bit straightforward at this point. The concentration is such, however, that this should age nicely. A winner.
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11/27/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
50% stem inclusion. Drank on day 2. Lovely nose with fantastic complexity. Spice, fruit. Palate has good fruit, slightly less complex; medium long finish. Excellent wine. 92
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11/24/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 89 Points
Opened, decanted, and poured back into the bottle; then enjoyed over four hours with food. This has a a dark side, full of black fruits and earthy. There is a bittersweet chocolate element lurking. Needs Jim Croce(time in a bottle).
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11/18/2011 - vanpe003 wrote:
Nice enough, but for present drinking the acidity is out in front of the fruit. This one is in "no man's land" for me right now, between "light fruit yet precise and balanced" and "big fruit and hedonistic". Right now, too much acid, not enough fruit. "Pure" from the perspective that there's not a heavy oak influence. 88 points for current drinking.
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11/11/2011 - hkfoebee wrote:
Unfortunately, drank a 01 Lewis CS first as I arrived late with the KM. Of what I remember, pretty fruit and surprisingly well balanced for such a young bottle.
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4/10/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 91 Points
TN: California Pinot "In Pursuit of Balance" tasting (RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco): Bit sweeter, floral nose, medium dark cherry fruit, nice balance though slightly soft, with some light tannins on the finish.
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2/9/2011 - troutmonster wrote:
Initially tight but opened up with time in the glass. Nose of ripe red cherry, raspberry, and allspice perfumed. Light on its feet up front with silky red fruit followed by grippy but ripe tannin on the mid palate. Gorgeous structure and something that will only improve with time.
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11/8/2010 - tarheel17 wrote: 93 Points
2009 Kutch Barrel Samples (Roy's): barrel sample
nose: the fruit here was reminiscent of something candy-like from my childhood - the closest I could get was to call it 'cherry popsicle' though that is not 100% accurate. It still bugs me that I can't place it.... anyway, it was akin to a dark red jelly filling in a donut, and then elements of christmas cookie spice danced around.
palate: This had the most tannin of the lineup, and was the most overtly "California" of the single-vineyards. There was no mistaking this for anything else. This wine felt less integrated than the Savoy, but with a similarly fine-textured mouthfeel and obviously stellar fruit. The tannin was so very sweet, it was like drinking ambrosia. Really, really nice wine. Barely lost to the Savoy for my palate.
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