This is not your normal California fruity Pinot Noir. This wine actually has a little more character and a lot less fruit. It honestly seems to taste closer to an Oregon Pinot Noir and has more flavors and layers. On sight, garnet in the center and more ruby colored along the edges. The nose has aromas of ripe cherry, herb, cinnamon, mushroom, and oak. All the characteristics that normally lead to a more earthy style wine. On the palate, lush black cherry, raspberry notes, earth, and clove. Medium to full bodied with a soft, elegant mouthfeel. A nice long finish that brings out more sweet cherry, cinnamon, plum pit, and a toasty vanilla oak finish. Lots of layers and good balance of fruit and rustic flavors. Pair this medium smoked cheeses, wild game, smoked duck, pork, and tomato based pasta's.
On our SiNoTas scale, we give the 2009 Michael Pozzan Annabella Carneros Pinot Noir an A-. This wine came under the radar for us since it was not your normal fruit bomb California Pinot Noir. It had more character and style. More layers and more earthiness. If you have a 2009, it should hold well through 2014. WineSplashing!
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Very tasty, much better than most Pinots in this price range. Lots of fruit, well balanced, just a touch of earth/dust to deepen things a bit. Had this at a restaurant, and sure hope to find some for my cellar
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I enjoyed this Pinot, had a lot of flavor and was interesting to me (especially at the price!). However, my two guests did not like it much at all, thought it was too hot with alcohol.
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This wine is money and if you don't like it your opinion is false. Just kidding, but kind of not kidding. I drink Pinot Noir more than any other variety and I'm convinced this wine would fool a lot of people blind, hanging with $30-$50 Pinot Noir. Noticeably better than the 08. On par with the 07. Highly recommended.
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No formal TN, from memory. A VERY easy-drinking pinot, new world fruit-forward as one would expect, with a great, ripe bouquet and juicy mouthfuls of red juice. I'll definitely be trying this again to see what I forgot.
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I had 2 bottles of this. The first I found to be pretty delicious, probably a 90. The second seemed over-ripe. Some serious bottle variation, but recommended nonetheless.
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After an ever-so-slight step backwards in 2008, I think this 2009 Annabella is back on track as a solid 90 point Pinot Noir. Combine that with its wide availability in the $12 range and I think this deserves a slot in the rotation of anyone who likes fruit-forward domestic Pinot Noir.
Medium-dark in color and ready to go immediately upon opening. Aromas of pomegranates, cranberries, dark cherries, and dusty fresh blackberries in a briar patch. The initial attack is straight fruit. Silky tannins and it finishes clean with a hint of earth and slight tartness which balances out its otherwise fruity nature.
Highly recommended. One of the best Pinot Noirs I've found in this price range the past year.
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8/21/2012 - WineSplash wrote: 91 Points
This is not your normal California fruity Pinot Noir. This wine actually has a little more character and a lot less fruit. It honestly seems to taste closer to an Oregon Pinot Noir and has more flavors and layers. On sight, garnet in the center and more ruby colored along the edges. The nose has aromas of ripe cherry, herb, cinnamon, mushroom, and oak. All the characteristics that normally lead to a more earthy style wine. On the palate, lush black cherry, raspberry notes, earth, and clove. Medium to full bodied with a soft, elegant mouthfeel. A nice long finish that brings out more sweet cherry, cinnamon, plum pit, and a toasty vanilla oak finish. Lots of layers and good balance of fruit and rustic flavors. Pair this medium smoked cheeses, wild game, smoked duck, pork, and tomato based pasta's.
On our SiNoTas scale, we give the 2009 Michael Pozzan Annabella Carneros Pinot Noir an A-. This wine came under the radar for us since it was not your normal fruit bomb California Pinot Noir. It had more character and style. More layers and more earthiness. If you have a 2009, it should hold well through 2014. WineSplashing!
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8/12/2011 - Adventr.us Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very tasty, much better than most Pinots in this price range. Lots of fruit, well balanced, just a touch of earth/dust to deepen things a bit. Had this at a restaurant, and sure hope to find some for my cellar
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8/1/2011 - OTTnMIA wrote: 87 Points
I enjoyed this Pinot, had a lot of flavor and was interesting to me (especially at the price!). However, my two guests did not like it much at all, thought it was too hot with alcohol.
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6/4/2011 - RobertDwyer wrote: 90 Points
This wine is money and if you don't like it your opinion is false. Just kidding, but kind of not kidding. I drink Pinot Noir more than any other variety and I'm convinced this wine would fool a lot of people blind, hanging with $30-$50 Pinot Noir. Noticeably better than the 08. On par with the 07. Highly recommended.
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3/10/2011 - mguglielmo Likes this wine: 88 Points
No formal TN, from memory. A VERY easy-drinking pinot, new world fruit-forward as one would expect, with a great, ripe bouquet and juicy mouthfuls of red juice. I'll definitely be trying this again to see what I forgot.
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2/19/2011 - defnefferson wrote: 88 Points
I had 2 bottles of this. The first I found to be pretty delicious, probably a 90. The second seemed over-ripe. Some serious bottle variation, but recommended nonetheless.
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12/1/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 90 Points
After an ever-so-slight step backwards in 2008, I think this 2009 Annabella is back on track as a solid 90 point Pinot Noir. Combine that with its wide availability in the $12 range and I think this deserves a slot in the rotation of anyone who likes fruit-forward domestic Pinot Noir.
Medium-dark in color and ready to go immediately upon opening. Aromas of pomegranates, cranberries, dark cherries, and dusty fresh blackberries in a briar patch. The initial attack is straight fruit. Silky tannins and it finishes clean with a hint of earth and slight tartness which balances out its otherwise fruity nature.
Highly recommended. One of the best Pinot Noirs I've found in this price range the past year.
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