Retail $50. Under DIAM10. It has been another year and a half since we last popped a bottle of this wine and, well, holy cow. Sure, many of the notes are similar, but this bottle has more intense fruit while maintaining incredible balance and verve. Yeah. This is a fantastic wine. Full. Stop. I am bumping this up a notch. 96 Points.
Retail $50. Under DIAM10. It has been more than a minute since I popped a bottle of this wine, and I am happy to say, it is doing quite well, thank you very much. It's been more than eight years since Wes Hagen and his step-father, Steve Pepe, had a falling out and Clos Pepe Estate ceased to exist. I hear now that the Estate is up for sale? A cool $10 mil will do it. As for the wine, this is fruitier than I remember and rather remarkable given the dozen years since the harvest. Rich, luscious fruit, the SRH classic eucalyptus, and just a hint of earth. The palate follows suit: rich cherry fruit, incredible acidity, and just a hint of tannin. This continues to be my benchmark for all wines from the region. Whoa.
I would say this bottle was flawed. Burnt rubber immediately when the cork was pulled. That's volatile sulfur. The nose and palate had a strong asphalt presents which if you didn't mind didn't affect the fruit of the wine but I found it quite distracted.
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This wine just keep getting better. There is a slight browning on the edge in the glass but no other evidence that would suggest age with this wine.
Big cherry fruit, spice and minerality in the nose. Big bright Cherry liqueur and spice on the palate. Great fruit to acid balance.
Long length, creamy mouthfeel, bright acidity and fresh fruit flavors suggest that this wine will continue to age well. Although it's so good now I may not wait too long to drink the what's left of this case.
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Sadly I pushed my luck on this final bottle. Seemed somewhat blown out on day one, and five days in a half bottle put the nail in the coffin. It went fully stewed and rather prune-like.
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Year ten and it's still rockin'. Rich mouthfeel, incredibly delicious cherry fruit, warm spice, and an undimmed vibrancy. Cola and red licorice on the long finish. Remains a hedonistic vintage for this wine but it is bearing the extra weight extremely well.
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It has been a solid 18 months since I popped a bottle of this wine and back then, I opened it for a philistine who claimed she "didn't like Pinot Noir." Well, she liked this one. Fast forward to New Year's Day and yet another Pinot hater is in my house (how do they find me?). So again, Clos Pepe. And another convert. I'm starting to feel like a Pinot Evangelist or maybe a Pinot-Pusher. Eucalyptus, bright cherry, a bit of earth. Yup. Clos Pepe. Whoa. thedrunkencyclist.com
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Last of the lot for this vintage. More or less consistent with prior notes. Big and overripe, but still tasty. Beter with food. Best of luck in your new venture, Wes!
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Garnet color with rose meniscus. BIG SRH aromatics: ripe black cherry, rhubarb, blueberry and spice. Ripe and rich on the palate as well, with primary flavors carrying over from the nose. Good acidity keeps the finish from being flabby, but brace yourself for the alcohol hit - best to drink this one slowly! Wes, you out did yourself with this one! A worthy homage to your acumen!
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Three years on from last having this wine, it is still vibrant and fresh. I was hard on it last time, but that must have been an off bottle. The winery's self-proclaimed "hedonistic" vintage, it definitely has ripeness over refinement. It screams and oozes sweet raspberry on both the nose and palate, and yet has a powerful anchor of earth and wet stone. Mouthfeel is medium-full and the solid acidity carries through from start to finish. An atypical style, but still excellent.
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We had a little get-together for the 4th of July and invited a few people from the neighborhood. After tasting through a few samples, I broke out a Pinot from Chile, which was met with the following comment: "I don't drink Pinot Noir." Huh? How the heck did you get into my house with a stance like that?! Determined to sway her over from the dark side, I grabbed this bottle of perhaps my favorite Pinot (despite the fact that it is no longer being produced). Mission accomplished--she loved it (at least that is how it played out in my mind). Fairly dark color in the glass with dark berry fruit and a touch herbal. On the palate, this is pure Wes Hagen Clos Pepe: rich fruit, a touch of earth on the mid-palate, and a brilliant acidity that is present from the jump until well after the wine is gone. Bravo Wes. thedrunkencyclist.com
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Still hanging in there and fun to drink. Definitely a product of a hot late growing season and quite big for a Pinot. This was my last of several bottles and I can’t see any need to hold cellared bottles longer of this vintage. Big in a controlled way and will definitely appeal to a lot of Cali Pinot lovers.
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Nose is very fruity (ripe cherry, strawberry, raspberry), palate is more dull red fruit, feels a bit disjointed and a bitter note on the finish. Not sure if this is falling apart (which is my suspicion) or simply in an awkward phase. The 09 seems to be holding up better. Drink now or hold for a few more years if your daring. 86-88
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profound nose of deeply textured cherries and cool raspberries. Palate shows a deep layered and profusely fragrant red-fruited Pinot Noir with some nice pureness. While not a wall-flower, this leans toward Rambunctious with some boldness and brashness. Beautifully concentration with pretty red cherries and an almost hint of blueberry (adds real interest) Nicely balanced with fully resolved tannins that are residing in in such the perfect place, I would certainly drink and not hold much longer. Long true finish that keeps it all fresh and vibrant (still), this is just a well defined and enjoyable wine that come from one of my favorite places on earth for Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills .
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This has shifted over to the side of being stewed. Little too ripe and too hot, with the elegance of the Pinot character lost. Don't know if it's just this bottle or if the wine is past peak. Still good but has become muddled and out of focus.
Cherry and red fruits highlight an intense nose. Still a bit of heat. I think the wine has another 5 years in it. The flavor is consistent with the cherries and sweet red fruit in the nose. A lovely Pinot Noir, I will really miss Wes Hagen's great Santa Rita Hills Pinots.
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Moderately deep ruby color, out to the edge. A much better bottle than my last review, as the petrochem aspect did not sully the nose, allowing the more delicate initial floral and red berry aromas to shine through. Tannins are reduced from last tasting and the mouth feel is clean, if a bit chewy. Acids are still firm, influencing the flavor profile to a more tart impression. Flavors of sour cherry, cigar, grape stem and a bit of...butterscotch (?) still predominate. Medium long finish.
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Exploding with gorgeous raspberry about 6 inches from the glass. There's also sort of a sweet red and blue berry cobbler note on the nose--sweetness and absolutely mouthwateringly pure fruit. I also get a hint of faint fresh basil/mint with warm, dusty earth.
The raspberry shows first with the entry and transitions to delicious cranberry. Great acidity of the red fruit carries this wine that is laser focused and not at all heavy. Unfortunately, the midpalate thins out a bit too much, but comes back with a savory finish that shows this wine's first hint of oak.
This is a really, really good wine that stops just short of being great.
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Moderately deep ruby color. The nose was initially overwhelmed with butyl/petrochem odors but that blew off after an hour or so of decant, revealing that distinctive "Santa Rita Candy" aroma, along with sour cherry, saddle leather and a hint of citrus. This is still a tad tannic but I expect that will integrate within the next 2-4 years. Mouthfeel is cleansing and the flavor profile is moderately fruit forward and savory with a well balanced, medium long finish.
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Opened in prep for XMAS even dinner. Based on my note 8 months ago, figured the wine would be bold. As a side note, I continue to hang onto select vintages of CP, to let them age but don't see the '10s as a vintage I will let rest--this is my last bottle of the '10s. There is a great lushness here, lots of spicy fruit and push of bolder fruit flavor. I will also say that right out of the chute, and temp of say room (middle ish 60s), this shows the ripeness. Balanced? It is, but think of moving up the CA pinot platform from a lighter styled pinot in balance, up a rung or two so that all the other baseline things get heavier and bolder, but again, in balance. Also alongside the cherry is a jammy strawberry, even a bit of candied, caramel red apple, vanilla bean and a spicy finish, with some acidity closing it all. This will be an attention getter and for the bolder style, Wes seems to figure out how to get it all to meld. Sexy and classy and for me, ready to drink now while all that flash is singing together.
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We love Clos Pepe wines, and really enjoy SRH Pinot.
Popped and poured, and then drank over the next 4 days - while vacuum pumping and keeping the bottle cool.
Upon popping, the wine is aromatically effusive with bright red cherries, some black cherries, a touch of earthiness, and some spices. It smelled sweeter than it tasted. Initially the flavors were a bit monolithic, with tart red cherries, some spice, and it finished a bit hot (it did not hide the 14.5% alc). It tasted a bit disjointed, if only because the nose led us to expect sweetness, but the flavors actually were more tart.
On day two, the nose picked up some darker fruit. Not much change to the nose after that. The flavors picked up more spices. Still some heat on the finish.
Day three was the best day, as some of the heat dissipated.
We did not have this with food.
We enjoyed the 2009 better, and prefer a more reserved style of Pinot. Will hold our next bottle for at least 1 year. We don't see it improving much beyond that.
Would have rated it at least 92 if it had less heat on the finish, and will do so if our next bottle blows of the heat faster.
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Excellent, especially after a mid-range Burgundy on Thanksgiving. Big fruit on the nose and palate - black cherry, strawberry, cranberry and even a little plum. Almost jammy. Concentrated but balanced. Medium finish.
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Best upon opening. Did not enjoy as much the next day or the following week after stored in fridge with vacu vin, but still very good. Very concentrated and aromatic.
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Classic Santa Barbara County Pinot with rich jammy flavors (we love both kinds of Pinot). Lots of strawberry, black cherry, blackberry, cranberry and blueberry, excellent concentration and intensity. Very balanced fruit and acidity. This wine is drinking nicely now, will benefit from 1-4 years of cellaring if you like young wines, and 4-10 years for full maturity.
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Clos Pepe is located in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County 12 Miles from the Pacific Ocean. Wine maker is Wes Hagen. This wine was rich, full bodied, and had a good balance of spice and fruit. RP 93, WS 92, HD 91
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Good start for this wine right out of the chute. Riper toned than what I usually reach for these days, but within that frame, a good dollop of pure red cherry fruit, some pine and earth on a slick, fatter texture. This is just without any air so for a pop and pour view, this can work. With air, after about 2 hours, this starts to show a lot of brown spice, clove and 5 spice and darker fruit. There is cherry still here, it sweetens up some, and what joins is some of that richer, darker fruit. I get no heat here but the fruit is bigger, for sure. Yet, to the credit of Wes, still some of the red fruits in the background--cranberry and some zesty acid sitting in the riper frame. For those running in the AFWE set, I'd simply chill this down more than normal and that leans out some of the richer qualities. I have one bottle left, I will drink it over the next 1-2 years, as I don't see any benefit in aging this wine--enjoy it now, bigger but balanced.
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Central Coast Trip; 3/30/2014-4/1/2014: Tasted at winery with Wes as part of 2009-2011 pinot noir vertical. Much bigger than the 2011. Powerful ripe aromas of brambly berries and spice. Cherry and pomegranate on palate. Smooth and velvety/polished in texture, with firm tannins and a long finish. This was our 2nd favorite of the vertical -- just a little too much over the top at this stage in its evolution, although I can see why the professional critics loved it. I enjoyed this far more than my wife did. Pair with fatty steak or strong cheese.
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Garnet ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Terroir driven nose of SRH "locker room", cinnamon, black cherry, raspberry and secondary black fruit. Medium body with pleasantly extracted red and dark fruit, polished raspberry and fine, silicate-soft tannin. Spicy complexity. Long finish with balanced persistency. Superb hand.
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Wine & Fire - Sta. Rita Hills Sat 8/17; 8/18/2013-8/23/2013: Bright aromas of tobacco, mineral, cherry and dried herb. Nice rich balance on the palate with savory spice, black cherry and chalky mineral notes. Finely structure and elegant with a persistent finish. Excellent.
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An hour decent. Ripe red fruit, tea, a hefty dose of forest floor with a touch of mineral zing. Very transparent with finesse and SIZE. Medium wt, integrated tannins. Rounding out nicely, literally with great mouth feel. Persistent finish.
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What I love about this producer is that this, their self-proclaimed "big, ripe, rich" wine atypical for their house style, is still reasonably restrained and balanced. I have had many Cali Pinots that are supercharged way beyond this beauty. The mouthfeel is amazing, very nearly creamy and unctuous but more than anything just pillowy-soft. Nose is heady and sweet, full of fruit and spice. Balance is very good, with cherry and dark berry fruit that is indeed sweet and full being countered by acidity. Yes I prefer the 2009's impeccable posture and refinement but this is still an amazing wine.
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Very un-Clos. Much more fruit forward and aromatic than a traditional Clos. For a youngster it's drinking pretty well. Think it will integrate well in the next few years. Will try again in a while.
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This may have been the best Pinot I have had made by Clos Pepe. The fruit is almost Kosta Browne like except in a lighter more feminine style. With the incredible nose and flavors, the lighter body makes this wine even more attractive and seductive to the palette!
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Decanted 90 mins. ahead. Deep ruby color. Very nice nose of black cherries, vanilla, licorice, pine notes. Flavorful on the palate, with plum notes amid good depth of flavors. Acid balance is toward juicy softness rather than tartness. Opens up and smooths out considerably in the glass. Finishes well with light tannins and low grip. An excellent bottle.
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Drank as part of a 06-10 Clos Pepe vertical. No decant. Still young and kind of monolithic. Dramatically sweeter than the 09, with lots of big burly sweet black cherry fruit on the nose and palate. Needs another couple of years for a better judgement.
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Richer and more supple. Wes, the winemaker, calls it "slutty." A good pinot and not the usual from Clos Pepe. Tastes riper than the usual. Be interesting to see if it ages, o/w drink in 1-3 yr for a bit of hedonism.
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Tried at Falltacular side by side with the '09, and the Loring Clos Pepe. Will be the first to admit that I usually like others' Clos Pepe like Loring, Ojai and Siduri, over Wes' version - my style is a bit bigger. But, perhaps because the '10 is young, I really liked it. In contrast, I did not get any fruit on the '09. Although young, it was fruity, and very subtle on the heat and tannin.
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4/18/2024 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 96 Points
Retail $50. Under DIAM10. It has been another year and a half since we last popped a bottle of this wine and, well, holy cow. Sure, many of the notes are similar, but this bottle has more intense fruit while maintaining incredible balance and verve. Yeah. This is a fantastic wine. Full. Stop. I am bumping this up a notch. 96 Points.
www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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11/25/2022 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 94 Points
Retail $50. Under DIAM10. It has been more than a minute since I popped a bottle of this wine, and I am happy to say, it is doing quite well, thank you very much. It's been more than eight years since Wes Hagen and his step-father, Steve Pepe, had a falling out and Clos Pepe Estate ceased to exist. I hear now that the Estate is up for sale? A cool $10 mil will do it. As for the wine, this is fruitier than I remember and rather remarkable given the dozen years since the harvest. Rich, luscious fruit, the SRH classic eucalyptus, and just a hint of earth. The palate follows suit: rich cherry fruit, incredible acidity, and just a hint of tannin. This continues to be my benchmark for all wines from the region. Whoa.
www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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7/4/2022 - brigcampbell wrote:
I would say this bottle was flawed. Burnt rubber immediately when the cork was pulled. That's volatile sulfur. The nose and palate had a strong asphalt presents which if you didn't mind didn't affect the fruit of the wine but I found it quite distracted.
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1/16/2022 - Cutthroat Trout Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine just keep getting better. There is a slight browning on the edge in the glass but no other evidence that would suggest age with this wine.
Big cherry fruit, spice and minerality in the nose. Big bright Cherry liqueur and spice on the palate. Great fruit to acid balance.
Long length, creamy mouthfeel, bright acidity and fresh fruit flavors suggest that this wine will continue to age well. Although it's so good now I may not wait too long to drink the what's left of this case.
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11/30/2021 - valecnik wrote:
Sadly I pushed my luck on this final bottle. Seemed somewhat blown out on day one, and five days in a half bottle put the nail in the coffin. It went fully stewed and rather prune-like.
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4/14/2021 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still a very nice Pinot and holding up well.
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4/14/2020 - valecnik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Year ten and it's still rockin'. Rich mouthfeel, incredibly delicious cherry fruit, warm spice, and an undimmed vibrancy. Cola and red licorice on the long finish. Remains a hedonistic vintage for this wine but it is bearing the extra weight extremely well.
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3/25/2020 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 Points
It was the tenth anniversary of a difficult night. This seemed appropriate. Otherwise, consistent notes. thedrunkencyclist.com
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1/2/2020 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 Points
It has been a solid 18 months since I popped a bottle of this wine and back then, I opened it for a philistine who claimed she "didn't like Pinot Noir." Well, she liked this one. Fast forward to New Year's Day and yet another Pinot hater is in my house (how do they find me?). So again, Clos Pepe. And another convert. I'm starting to feel like a Pinot Evangelist or maybe a Pinot-Pusher. Eucalyptus, bright cherry, a bit of earth. Yup. Clos Pepe. Whoa. thedrunkencyclist.com
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7/14/2019 - JOsgood wrote:
Drinking quite nicely with some secondary development. Just cruising in the cellar with plenty of life left.
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7/14/2019 - the godfather wrote:
Very good from this unfortunately gone producer
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7/6/2019 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 91 Points
Last of the lot for this vintage. More or less consistent with prior notes. Big and overripe, but still tasty. Beter with food. Best of luck in your new venture, Wes!
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6/27/2019 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garnet color with rose meniscus. BIG SRH aromatics: ripe black cherry, rhubarb, blueberry and spice. Ripe and rich on the palate as well, with primary flavors carrying over from the nose. Good acidity keeps the finish from being flabby, but brace yourself for the alcohol hit - best to drink this one slowly! Wes, you out did yourself with this one! A worthy homage to your acumen!
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11/24/2018 - valecnik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Three years on from last having this wine, it is still vibrant and fresh. I was hard on it last time, but that must have been an off bottle. The winery's self-proclaimed "hedonistic" vintage, it definitely has ripeness over refinement. It screams and oozes sweet raspberry on both the nose and palate, and yet has a powerful anchor of earth and wet stone. Mouthfeel is medium-full and the solid acidity carries through from start to finish. An atypical style, but still excellent.
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7/5/2018 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 Points
We had a little get-together for the 4th of July and invited a few people from the neighborhood. After tasting through a few samples, I broke out a Pinot from Chile, which was met with the following comment: "I don't drink Pinot Noir." Huh? How the heck did you get into my house with a stance like that?! Determined to sway her over from the dark side, I grabbed this bottle of perhaps my favorite Pinot (despite the fact that it is no longer being produced). Mission accomplished--she loved it (at least that is how it played out in my mind). Fairly dark color in the glass with dark berry fruit and a touch herbal. On the palate, this is pure Wes Hagen Clos Pepe: rich fruit, a touch of earth on the mid-palate, and a brilliant acidity that is present from the jump until well after the wine is gone. Bravo Wes. thedrunkencyclist.com
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1/8/2018 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still hanging in there and fun to drink. Definitely a product of a hot late growing season and quite big for a Pinot. This was my last of several bottles and I can’t see any need to hold cellared bottles longer of this vintage. Big in a controlled way and will definitely appeal to a lot of Cali Pinot lovers.
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4/7/2017 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 88 Points
Nose is very fruity (ripe cherry, strawberry, raspberry), palate is more dull red fruit, feels a bit disjointed and a bitter note on the finish. Not sure if this is falling apart (which is my suspicion) or simply in an awkward phase. The 09 seems to be holding up better. Drink now or hold for a few more years if your daring. 86-88
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9/30/2016 - King Cab wrote: 93 Points
profound nose of deeply textured cherries and cool raspberries. Palate shows a deep layered and profusely fragrant red-fruited Pinot Noir with some nice pureness. While not a wall-flower, this leans toward Rambunctious with some boldness and brashness. Beautifully concentration with pretty red cherries and an almost hint of blueberry (adds real interest) Nicely balanced with fully resolved tannins that are residing in in such the perfect place, I would certainly drink and not hold much longer. Long true finish that keeps it all fresh and vibrant (still), this is just a well defined and enjoyable wine that come from one of my favorite places on earth for Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills .
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9/11/2016 - jfutey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Searing acidity and hot alcohol but fantastic fruit intensity to balance out. Mild tannins on fairly long finish.
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5/15/2016 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vigneron Select. Cannot find separate designation in CT but very similar to regular estate Pinot. Fantastic wine. Drink now. No reason to hold.
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1/4/2016 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 92 Points
Nicely balanced with red fruit flavors. Slightly better than previous bottles of this same wine.
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11/27/2015 - valecnik wrote: 88 Points
This has shifted over to the side of being stewed. Little too ripe and too hot, with the elegance of the Pinot character lost. Don't know if it's just this bottle or if the wine is past peak. Still good but has become muddled and out of focus.
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11/21/2015 - Stevere Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cherry and red fruits highlight an intense nose. Still a bit of heat. I think the wine has another 5 years in it. The flavor is consistent with the cherries and sweet red fruit in the nose. A lovely Pinot Noir, I will really miss Wes Hagen's great Santa Rita Hills Pinots.
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7/11/2015 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted next to the 2008 and fruit on this one is much fresher. Cherry, clove, white pepper, balanced by bright acidity. Excellent wine.
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5/3/2015 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical flavors and aromas I expect from this vineyard. Good concentration and big nose. Great job Wes.
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4/13/2015 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with my previous note, this wine was rich but at the same time tart and somewhat acidic. A good balance.
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4/10/2015 - bbakove wrote: 92 Points
Moderately deep ruby color, out to the edge. A much better bottle than my last review, as the petrochem aspect did not sully the nose, allowing the more delicate initial floral and red berry aromas to shine through. Tannins are reduced from last tasting and the mouth feel is clean, if a bit chewy. Acids are still firm, influencing the flavor profile to a more tart impression. Flavors of sour cherry, cigar, grape stem and a bit of...butterscotch (?) still predominate. Medium long finish.
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3/1/2015 - Meembo wrote: 92 Points
Decanted about 1 hour before first pour.
Exploding with gorgeous raspberry about 6 inches from the glass. There's also sort of a sweet red and blue berry cobbler note on the nose--sweetness and absolutely mouthwateringly pure fruit. I also get a hint of faint fresh basil/mint with warm, dusty earth.
The raspberry shows first with the entry and transitions to delicious cranberry. Great acidity of the red fruit carries this wine that is laser focused and not at all heavy. Unfortunately, the midpalate thins out a bit too much, but comes back with a savory finish that shows this wine's first hint of oak.
This is a really, really good wine that stops just short of being great.
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2/13/2015 - arniec Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour. Lush, rich and round. No tannins. Drinking really well, nice nose, lots of red fruit. Developing some spritz.
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1/30/2015 - bbakove wrote: 89 Points
Moderately deep ruby color. The nose was initially overwhelmed with butyl/petrochem odors but that blew off after an hour or so of decant, revealing that distinctive "Santa Rita Candy" aroma, along with sour cherry, saddle leather and a hint of citrus. This is still a tad tannic but I expect that will integrate within the next 2-4 years. Mouthfeel is cleansing and the flavor profile is moderately fruit forward and savory with a well balanced, medium long finish.
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12/24/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Opened in prep for XMAS even dinner. Based on my note 8 months ago, figured the wine would be bold. As a side note, I continue to hang onto select vintages of CP, to let them age but don't see the '10s as a vintage I will let rest--this is my last bottle of the '10s. There is a great lushness here, lots of spicy fruit and push of bolder fruit flavor. I will also say that right out of the chute, and temp of say room (middle ish 60s), this shows the ripeness. Balanced? It is, but think of moving up the CA pinot platform from a lighter styled pinot in balance, up a rung or two so that all the other baseline things get heavier and bolder, but again, in balance. Also alongside the cherry is a jammy strawberry, even a bit of candied, caramel red apple, vanilla bean and a spicy finish, with some acidity closing it all. This will be an attention getter and for the bolder style, Wes seems to figure out how to get it all to meld. Sexy and classy and for me, ready to drink now while all that flash is singing together.
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12/1/2014 - Bubbleheads wrote: 90 Points
We love Clos Pepe wines, and really enjoy SRH Pinot.
Popped and poured, and then drank over the next 4 days - while vacuum pumping and keeping the bottle cool.
Upon popping, the wine is aromatically effusive with bright red cherries, some black cherries, a touch of earthiness, and some spices. It smelled sweeter than it tasted. Initially the flavors were a bit monolithic, with tart red cherries, some spice, and it finished a bit hot (it did not hide the 14.5% alc). It tasted a bit disjointed, if only because the nose led us to expect sweetness, but the flavors actually were more tart.
On day two, the nose picked up some darker fruit. Not much change to the nose after that. The flavors picked up more spices. Still some heat on the finish.
Day three was the best day, as some of the heat dissipated.
We did not have this with food.
We enjoyed the 2009 better, and prefer a more reserved style of Pinot. Will hold our next bottle for at least 1 year. We don't see it improving much beyond that.
Would have rated it at least 92 if it had less heat on the finish, and will do so if our next bottle blows of the heat faster.
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11/27/2014 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent, especially after a mid-range Burgundy on Thanksgiving. Big fruit on the nose and palate - black cherry, strawberry, cranberry and even a little plum. Almost jammy. Concentrated but balanced. Medium finish.
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11/2/2014 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best upon opening. Did not enjoy as much the next day or the following week after stored in fridge with vacu vin, but still very good. Very concentrated and aromatic.
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10/1/2014 - Mad Dane wrote: 95 Points
Classic Santa Barbara County Pinot with rich jammy flavors (we love both kinds of Pinot). Lots of strawberry, black cherry, blackberry, cranberry and blueberry, excellent concentration and intensity. Very balanced fruit and acidity. This wine is drinking nicely now, will benefit from 1-4 years of cellaring if you like young wines, and 4-10 years for full maturity.
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7/30/2014 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 91 Points
Clos Pepe is located in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County 12 Miles from the Pacific Ocean. Wine maker is Wes Hagen. This wine was rich, full bodied, and had a good balance of spice and fruit. RP 93, WS 92, HD 91
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7/6/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, bright, red fruit, with some earth notes. Decent structure and acidity.
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4/9/2014 - Frank Murray III Likes this wine:
Good start for this wine right out of the chute. Riper toned than what I usually reach for these days, but within that frame, a good dollop of pure red cherry fruit, some pine and earth on a slick, fatter texture. This is just without any air so for a pop and pour view, this can work. With air, after about 2 hours, this starts to show a lot of brown spice, clove and 5 spice and darker fruit. There is cherry still here, it sweetens up some, and what joins is some of that richer, darker fruit. I get no heat here but the fruit is bigger, for sure. Yet, to the credit of Wes, still some of the red fruits in the background--cranberry and some zesty acid sitting in the riper frame. For those running in the AFWE set, I'd simply chill this down more than normal and that leans out some of the richer qualities. I have one bottle left, I will drink it over the next 1-2 years, as I don't see any benefit in aging this wine--enjoy it now, bigger but balanced.
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4/1/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Central Coast Trip; 3/30/2014-4/1/2014: Tasted at winery with Wes as part of 2009-2011 pinot noir vertical. Much bigger than the 2011. Powerful ripe aromas of brambly berries and spice. Cherry and pomegranate on palate. Smooth and velvety/polished in texture, with firm tannins and a long finish. This was our 2nd favorite of the vertical -- just a little too much over the top at this stage in its evolution, although I can see why the professional critics loved it. I enjoyed this far more than my wife did. Pair with fatty steak or strong cheese.
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1/31/2014 - arniec Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOW Fruit, Flavor, balanced, smooth, lush.
Wes must hate this one ;-)
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1/26/2014 - bundydavis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Just a beautiful, well balanced pinot. WOTN!
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11/24/2013 - mike l. Likes this wine: 94 Points
utterly fucking brilliant. kosta and sea smoke, looks like you have some serious competition.
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11/23/2013 - christophee Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garnet ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Terroir driven nose of SRH "locker room", cinnamon, black cherry, raspberry and secondary black fruit. Medium body with pleasantly extracted red and dark fruit, polished raspberry and fine, silicate-soft tannin. Spicy complexity. Long finish with balanced persistency. Superb hand.
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8/18/2013 - MattMauldin wrote: 92 Points
Wine & Fire - Sta. Rita Hills Sat 8/17; 8/18/2013-8/23/2013: Bright aromas of tobacco, mineral, cherry and dried herb. Nice rich balance on the palate with savory spice, black cherry and chalky mineral notes. Finely structure and elegant with a persistent finish. Excellent.
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7/3/2013 - yossarian.livez wrote: 87 Points
An hour decent. Ripe red fruit, tea, a hefty dose of forest floor with a touch of mineral zing. Very transparent with finesse and SIZE. Medium wt, integrated tannins. Rounding out nicely, literally with great mouth feel. Persistent finish.
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6/12/2013 - valecnik Likes this wine: 93 Points
What I love about this producer is that this, their self-proclaimed "big, ripe, rich" wine atypical for their house style, is still reasonably restrained and balanced. I have had many Cali Pinots that are supercharged way beyond this beauty. The mouthfeel is amazing, very nearly creamy and unctuous but more than anything just pillowy-soft. Nose is heady and sweet, full of fruit and spice. Balance is very good, with cherry and dark berry fruit that is indeed sweet and full being countered by acidity. Yes I prefer the 2009's impeccable posture and refinement but this is still an amazing wine.
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5/11/2013 - arniec wrote: 94 Points
Very un-Clos. Much more fruit forward and aromatic than a traditional Clos. For a youngster it's drinking pretty well. Think it will integrate well in the next few years. Will try again in a while.
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3/30/2013 - Vandenbergmb wrote: 93 Points
With Tokashikis in mammoth
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3/17/2013 - elefkowitz wrote: 93 Points
Perfect expression of Sta Rita Hills PN. Bright fruits with a hint of cola with enough body to keep the structure long into the bottle. Delicious!
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2/17/2013 - Lee Fining wrote: 91 Points
Medium dark garnet red. Mild, tart strawberry aromas and flavors. Somewhat creamy character.
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12/23/2012 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 94 Points
This may have been the best Pinot I have had made by Clos Pepe. The fruit is almost Kosta Browne like except in a lighter more feminine style. With the incredible nose and flavors, the lighter body makes this wine even more attractive and seductive to the palette!
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11/23/2012 - VeniceCalif wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 90 mins. ahead. Deep ruby color. Very nice nose of black cherries, vanilla, licorice, pine notes. Flavorful on the palate, with plum notes amid good depth of flavors. Acid balance is toward juicy softness rather than tartness. Opens up and smooths out considerably in the glass. Finishes well with light tannins and low grip. An excellent bottle.
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8/26/2012 - jreis wrote:
Drank as part of a 06-10 Clos Pepe vertical. No decant. Still young and kind of monolithic. Dramatically sweeter than the 09, with lots of big burly sweet black cherry fruit on the nose and palate. Needs another couple of years for a better judgement.
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7/24/2012 - BYOB wrote: 90 Points
Another nice Pinot from Wes.
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7/24/2012 - JOsgood wrote: 90 Points
Tasty. Sweet fruit on the nose and palate. Smooth and balanced.
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6/17/2012 - yossarian.livez wrote: 87 Points
Richer and more supple. Wes, the winemaker, calls it "slutty." A good pinot and not the usual from Clos Pepe. Tastes riper than the usual. Be interesting to see if it ages, o/w drink in 1-3 yr for a bit of hedonism.
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1/15/2012 - bruce61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tried at Falltacular side by side with the '09, and the Loring Clos Pepe. Will be the first to admit that I usually like others' Clos Pepe like Loring, Ojai and Siduri, over Wes' version - my style is a bit bigger. But, perhaps because the '10 is young, I really liked it. In contrast, I did not get any fruit on the '09. Although young, it was fruity, and very subtle on the heat and tannin.
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