Ruby with light bricking. Incredibly perfumed with lifted baking spices and mint, red raspberries and cherries and florals. A silky and medium bodied palate shows sweet crushed red fruits, good acidity, and a long perfumed finish. Some alcohol peeks through on the back throat which keeps this wine from getting a higher score.
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Gamy plum-like aromatic bouquet, Very complex. Good dark fruit flavor on the entry and mid-palate, but finishers unexpectedly tannic and closed. Needs a little more time. Quite a surprise.
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Full crimson/garnet red in color. Outstanding aromas of all-spice (cinnamon/clove dominates), dark florals, lifted pine/menthol, perfumed wood and candied red fruits on the nose. Perfectly medium bodied showing silky and perfectly integrated berries, very good acidity, bitter-sour cherry pits, good mid-palate sap and a very long perfumed finish. This is rather excellent.
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Exotic perfumed aroma, notes of red cherry, raspberry, earth, spice, dried flowers, pine needles and alcohol. Dark fruit flavors, notes of syrupy cherry, ripe red berries, and rhubarb. Very complex and interesting. Has the typical Calera character.
This has plenty of life left, drink or hold. Cork in good shape.
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Drank younger than I expected, darker too. Fresh bright fruit with medium intensity nose of clove, mushroom, moss, smoke. However, the palate was really nice.
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Holy smokes that’s good. Medium minus garnet Some stem inclusion to the nose, but in a fresh and sappy way. Very burg and elegant for a Calera. Still had richness, and some oak is still showing on the palate. Light rootbeerish-ness. Lots of complexity. Lots of time left. Honestly 2030 plus. Such a treat. If I had to score this it would be 94-97. I was expecting a lot, but this is on a different level. Fresh, some herbal, some pepper. So not CA palate at this point. I mean has the 14.9 ABV, but not even close to carrying that weight. Not light PN by no means... With 2 hours open this takes on weight and fruit. Goes from peppery Beauj to a weightier, fruitier, lighter extracted Grenache.
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Light color for CA Pinot. Some mint on the nose. There’s a green herbal element to the sweet fruit. Fine balance with acidity and a slightly spicy tingle. Tannins present but well integrated. Top notch. Drinking fantastic now and it should hold a few more yrs. but why wait?
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A nice pinot. If served blind next to a Marcassin Marcassin Pinot, you would think that these were different vintages of the same wine. This one has a nice tart yet surprisingly sweet raspberry entry that allows for a more herbal middle and finish. For a 2009, this one is showing rather well. It doesn't have the finesse that a Marcassin would show after a few hours. The finish seemed to go for a while. Not a lot of tannin on the finish. This wine probably would have gone better with food. I definitely think this one has a few years left, although if I had some of this wine I'd probably start opening them soon!
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Another beautiful wine from Calera. It is drinking smoothly right now. We always appreciate the minerality of Calera’s wines - truly a gift the winemaker has to bring the fruit together with a mineral backbone and produce smooth, gorgeous wines. One of the true standouts among California wineries.
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decanted for 1.5 hours. this deep burgundy colored wine opens up with a beautiful nose of leather, damp earth, smoke, and sweet spices along with some cedar. on the palate, the wine has aged beautifully. the tannins are soft and fine. the wine is perfectly balanced between the acidity and the tannins. there is a luxurious mouth feel to this wine. as the wine opened up, there was a beautiful expression of dark cherries, raspberry, and some cranberry. the long finish was accompanied by flavors of sweet spice. Overall a really wonderful wine experience. the wine paired favorably with grilled salmon.
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Double decanted; minimal sediment. Notes on day two. Medium ruby color.. Floral nose of cherries and strawberries. Medium-bodies cherries and cracked white pepper on the palate with very lively acids. A beautiful and subtle wine, in which the medium-length finish carries on with a lovely fruit presence.
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Drinking much better than my last bottle about 1.5 years ago. Wine has evolved to softer rounder fruit and tannins with more layers of flavor. Shows nice CaCO3 in terroir on back palate. Finish lingers with thin red fruit and garrique. Still fairly acidic.
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Had the Jensen from 2011 a few months prior to this one. If enjoyed side by side, the Jensen would spank this one. Although this one did have a lot of raspberry and dried flower notes to the front and middle, it just didn't seem to develop much past that. Seemed a little thin to me. I would probably rate this one an 88 to be honest, but something makes me think that this one was a little beyond where it should have been and should have been consumed 1-2 years ago.
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Beautiful color. Nice nose of earthiness with cherries. Very enjoyable in the mouth. Still has some tannins but not too much. Probably last several more years. Solid fruit. Long finish.
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Opened, decanted, poured. At first I wasn't crazy about it, I didn't dislike it just wasn't overly excited. Before the end of the first glass I was completely turned around.The tannins, a little stiff began to soften. The nose was heavy dark fruit, particularly raspberry. This is a very nice surprise of fruity delight. Smooth, silky, fruity as a good pinot noir should be. A great wine.
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It's hard to believe that Calera is from California. Always Burgundian with their limestone soil coming through. It rarely disappoints. An earlier review of this wine calls it 'brambly.' That's an apt description (whatever it means). Still, there is a round underbody of fruit. Slight browning at the edge, but the wine is in a sweet spot that will carry on for a number of years with proper storage.
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Last minute Pinot tasting (Kevin's House): 1 hour decant, had a glass over about an hour. Dark and brooding. Bold, spicy, brambly, orange. Good complexity. Tannins are strong for a pinot. Dark dark cherry for fruit.
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Pinots and Few More (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Medium dark red color. Decanted for 45 minutes with 3 hours slow O prior. Drank 1 glass over an hour. I liked this even more than I thought, its more restrained and elegant, with lighter medium body and a good acid spine, appealing complex spiciness, bright with cherry fruit, tart raspberry, a bit briary, nice evident tannins and a long finish. Very well made, balanced and enhanced in every way by the benefit of whole clusters. My and group #2 POTN.
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This is high quality, high value pinot. At $44 it's not at the highest end of pinot, but the flavor and texture is reminiscent of near $100 bottles. Not too acidic, fruity but complex, good finish. Highly recommended. Drink anytime, but will get better for a while.
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I think ratings ought to be as divorced from price as possible, so ideally this isn't an 88 pt $53 bottle of wine, rather an 88 pt bottle of Pinot (although it appears my price through Atlantic Wine is somehow $9 above the average on CT, which may explain why I buy so little wine through them now, but I digress)
I opened this wine as a pop and pour and was impressed with its accessibility so early, it is a good food wine with strong acidity and lots of red fruit quite forward. There is a little bramble that comes on in the mid-late palette but otherwise red forward and finish. The problem is that this wine needs food, and not just a charcuterie plate. It needs real food. As we rejoined the bottle later in the evening, both my wife and I felt some heartburn from the wine, coming from the acidity. The good news to this is that the wine will age, although for once I'm in disagreement with CT by taking the "under" on longevity.
Really very enjoyable. Agree with the other reviewers that its nicely restrained in a way that brings out the flavor spectrum. Pairs well with food and a good one for company.
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opens with a strong nose of cherry and black raspberry. Fairly dark for a pinot noir. On the palate the wine is soft with hints of cherry, raspberry, licorice and mint. ........a super smooth wine with a very nice long finish. Not too over the top on the fruit. The wine is fresh and vibrant and jumps from the glass. A really nice effort from Calera
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A light ruby colored pinot with some cloudiness to it. This was light on its feet with some cherry and lovely rose petal to the nose. A touch stringent on the palate but overall a light burgundian styled Cali pinot. From some reviews I expected it to be a little more intense but it was somewhat restrained
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N'étant pas un grand amateur de pinot californien ce vin m'a franchement étonné. Il n'est pas Bourguignon, mais réussi l'exploit de se tenir loin des excès de maturité, et ce malgré son taux d'alcool élevé (14,9%). Délicieux et fruité, sans lourdeur, il s'est très bien porté à table.
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Popped and poured. Sweet, with depth and earthy tones. Nice structure. Drinking well now, a supple, soft, somewhat complex wine, with sweet fruit and balanced acidity.
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A nice, ripe Pinot. Big ripe fruit, bing cherry, raspberry, cola, baking spices, damp earth, and hints of anise. The palate is very ripe, lacking a touch of acidity to keep it tight knit. It is overall good, but gets a touch flat and hot for my taste.
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Pretty CA pinot with enough fruit and up front for me but clearly light and well balanced. Not sure I ever really love this grape but this was a very nice bottle
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Dark red. Brightly perfumed nose of red candied fruit, underbrush and anise. Across the palate there is a lovely mineral spine with an interplay of red and blue pinot fruit. I did not drink this blind but if I did, I think I would have struggled to figure out where it was from (neither definitively California nor Bungundian). Excellent stuff. Real clarity and persistence.
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A nose of earth more than red fruit. Taste is a good balance of fruit and earthiness, but a little more red fruit would have been welcome. (The Calera was much more reserved in taste, less rich, than a Kosta Browne at the same meal.) Medium finish.
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Ripe, new world Pinot. Black cherry, cola, baking spices on the nose. Rich and lush palate with a hint of back end burn, but not too noticeable with a heavy meal. Calera's wines have been moving towards a riper less well balanced form which I'm not sure I like. Its still pretty good, but not as good as some of the older ones I've had. I hope the pendulum moves back towards the middle.
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Moderate nose, with a balanced palate that Rand finds peppery, that I find earthy and fruited. Nice, balanced, smooth -- but not so much so for the $40-50 cost of entry. I'd give it $30 or so.
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Though this wine has a pretty high (90+) public rating, I have never quite bought into that level. I find it okay, but a bit cloying, with a metallic-like finish.
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Light color. Very fresh nose. Nice berry flavors, with some pepperiness and a touch of bitterness. Toward the elegant side, thankfully not one of those bombastic wines.
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Red berry, dried flowers and spearmint nose, lush palate, shows cherry pie, spices, cranberry and red plum, on the bigger side, good amount of acidity, nice by itself, had with pork stew
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Opened and poured a half glass through an aerator to let it breath - the color was dark ruby, the nose red fruit and at first the palate was red berries, as it developed over a few hours, the flavors intensified and it culminated in a long finish with a touch of sweet spices coming through. Most enjoyable
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Abundant pine scent on the nose upon opening, but fruit came out after about a 90 minute decant. Cranberry and cherry, with an undertone of mixed spices and some lingering evergreen. Cranberry and black tea on the palette, good acidity without being overpowering. I like the style, but don't waste it on someone that only loves fruit bombs.
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Medium body, holds its alcohol well. A little bit one dimensional. Nice, but I think we were a little disappointed. More interesting in a couple years?
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Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium acidity and silky tannins. The feel is very balanced with tart tones of red fruits, spices, dark red cherries, and some floral tones.
Overall: Obviously this was a wild card in an all burgundy lineup. It showed very well with good balance on both the nose and palate.
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Final Friday at Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): Drank alongside Burgundies, this seemed rich and fat. While this didn't have that cherry cola note that a lot of Californian pinots have, this was somewhat dense and clunky (again, compared to the other wines being poured).
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Intense nose completely dominated by exotic spices and pine. Flavors of raspberry and Strawberry dominate the usual cherry notes one expects in a west coast pinot. This is lean and lightweight, but very powerful.
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The light color is deceptive, as there is a lot going on here. The nose opens with a light earthy funk to it. There is some interesting tobacco, charred wood, and olive on the nose. Cherry and vanilla in the mouth.
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Drank upon opening. Strawberry, menthol and light vanilla on the nose with a light-bodies ruby color in the glass. Cherry and strawberries on the palate with a smooth, non-lingering finish. Not sure this will improve much more with age, but will hold for a little while before trying some more.
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A good quality wine, but kind of boring. Strong taste of dark fruit, but diid not notice other characteristics like spice or vanilla. I liked the de Villiers better as it had a nice fruit / vanilla balance and was more flavorful and enjoyable.
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Fantastic sweet floral nose. Berry fruit, spice and earth. Medium-light weight, tannins need to resolve a little did better with 30-40 min of air time.
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Burgundian in style. Medium body. Bing cherry, vanilla, all spice, minerality. 45 second finish, but needs time to open. I think this has the potential to age gracefully.
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Decanted about an hour. Beautiful bright ruby red pink hue. The nose is fresh, focused and really pleasant. Lovely nose of strawberries, blood orange, pink flowers, some pink peppercorn and smoke accompanied by a faint basil and green veggie note. Really complex, lush, elegant and balanced nose. The palate takes where the nose left off with more pink grapefruit, bing cherries and some lovely earth. Great acidity with some body and a great mid palate along with a caramel, enjoyably rich viscosity that makes this a complete wine that, though not a 95 pointer (Advocate), is an extraordinary value and shows elegance and eccentricity. I'd like to try other Calera from this vintage as Parker was onto something.
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Poured throug an aerator - nice nose but very tight on the palate - fruits and spices did come out and I am sure this will develop into an excellent wine. A three hour decant or a couple of years in the cellar.
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very young, opened for about an hour and a half but should have decanted. The nose was tight but some fruit came through, the palate was plums and berries, a decent finish.
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- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry and lemon. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of lemon and pineapple with a light/medium body. Linear texture with a medium finish - Opened up for 15 mins and probably needed more time in the cellar. Overall easy to drink but nothing memorable. De villers in the same vintage was more to my taste.
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consistent tn's. Let this rest another year, at least. Still too backward, but certainly possesses the stuffing to be a very good to excellent wine. recommended
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Opened and poured. Tight and shut down early, but opens with an hour or so in the glass. Pretty nose and complex on the palate. This should be laid down for another two or three years. Beautiful.
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Better than the de Villiers, with a tutti-frutti aspect to the nose. Darker fruit flavors on the palate, with some sweetness. Good wine but not quite noteworthy. 88-89
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After tasting thru the line-up at Family Winemaker's event in Pasadena, this, not surprisingly, distinguished itself as best in show (for Calera). Long finish, gilded fruits, ample acids, superb structure. Everything it should be. recommended, drink thru 2018
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2/24/2024 - devraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby with light bricking. Incredibly perfumed with lifted baking spices and mint, red raspberries and cherries and florals. A silky and medium bodied palate shows sweet crushed red fruits, good acidity, and a long perfumed finish. Some alcohol peeks through on the back throat which keeps this wine from getting a higher score.
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10/21/2023 - Altonplace wrote: flawed
Not corked, just over aged. Can taste the bouquet but starting to turn. Drink or toss.
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9/10/2022 - VinhoVerde Likes this wine: 89 Points
Gamy plum-like aromatic bouquet, Very complex. Good dark fruit flavor on the entry and mid-palate, but finishers unexpectedly tannic and closed. Needs a little more time. Quite a surprise.
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7/9/2022 - MindMuse wrote:
Last was corked. This was not only sound, but singing. Showing superb tertiary development. RIP Josh Jensen.
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7/1/2022 - MindMuse wrote: flawed
Corked. I think the only Calera I've experienced that with.
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5/15/2022 - devraj Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full crimson/garnet red in color. Outstanding aromas of all-spice (cinnamon/clove dominates), dark florals, lifted pine/menthol, perfumed wood and candied red fruits on the nose. Perfectly medium bodied showing silky and perfectly integrated berries, very good acidity, bitter-sour cherry pits, good mid-palate sap and a very long perfumed finish. This is rather excellent.
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11/20/2020 - Wine_Poobah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Exotic perfumed aroma, notes of red cherry, raspberry, earth, spice, dried flowers, pine needles and alcohol. Dark fruit flavors, notes of syrupy cherry, ripe red berries, and rhubarb. Very complex and interesting. Has the typical Calera character.
This has plenty of life left, drink or hold. Cork in good shape.
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11/14/2020 - jordanj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank younger than I expected, darker too. Fresh bright fruit with medium intensity nose of clove, mushroom, moss, smoke. However, the palate was really nice.
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6/16/2020 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Holy smokes that’s good.
Medium minus garnet
Some stem inclusion to the nose, but in a fresh and sappy way. Very burg and elegant for a Calera. Still had richness, and some oak is still showing on the palate. Light rootbeerish-ness. Lots of complexity. Lots of time left. Honestly 2030 plus. Such a treat.
If I had to score this it would be 94-97. I was expecting a lot, but this is on a different level.
Fresh, some herbal, some pepper. So not CA palate at this point. I mean has the 14.9 ABV, but not
even close to carrying that weight. Not light PN by no means...
With 2 hours open this takes on weight and fruit. Goes from peppery Beauj to a weightier, fruitier, lighter extracted Grenache.
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10/11/2019 - RusisWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much fuller than last time. Good berries and structure.
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4/28/2019 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely Pinot. Wish I had more.
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3/31/2019 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
more sophisticated than powerful this wine has nuances of spice, mushroom, earth and leather that I would not expect.
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3/13/2019 - RusisWine wrote: 88 Points
The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and raspberry.
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2/14/2019 - ephorn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Light color for CA Pinot. Some mint on the nose. There’s a green herbal element to the sweet fruit. Fine balance with acidity and a slightly spicy tingle. Tannins present but well integrated. Top notch. Drinking fantastic now and it should hold a few more yrs. but why wait?
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11/9/2018 - mflesh wrote: 93 Points
A nice pinot. If served blind next to a Marcassin Marcassin Pinot, you would think that these were different vintages of the same wine. This one has a nice tart yet surprisingly sweet raspberry entry that allows for a more herbal middle and finish. For a 2009, this one is showing rather well. It doesn't have the finesse that a Marcassin would show after a few hours. The finish seemed to go for a while. Not a lot of tannin on the finish. This wine probably would have gone better with food. I definitely think this one has a few years left, although if I had some of this wine I'd probably start opening them soon!
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7/17/2018 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice bottle. My prior notes stand.
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6/15/2018 - VoVo wrote: 92 Points
Another beautiful wine from Calera. It is drinking smoothly right now. We always appreciate the minerality of Calera’s wines - truly a gift the winemaker has to bring the fruit together with a mineral backbone and produce smooth, gorgeous wines. One of the true standouts among California wineries.
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1/30/2018 - vinus_operandi Likes this wine: 92 Points
decanted for 1.5 hours. this deep burgundy colored wine opens up with a beautiful nose of leather, damp earth, smoke, and sweet spices along with some cedar. on the palate, the wine has aged beautifully. the tannins are soft and fine. the wine is perfectly balanced between the acidity and the tannins. there is a luxurious mouth feel to this wine. as the wine opened up, there was a beautiful expression of dark cherries, raspberry, and some cranberry. the long finish was accompanied by flavors of sweet spice. Overall a really wonderful wine experience. the wine paired favorably with grilled salmon.
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1/6/2018 - wculpepper wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted; minimal sediment. Notes on day two. Medium ruby color.. Floral nose of cherries and strawberries. Medium-bodies cherries and cracked white pepper on the palate with very lively acids. A beautiful and subtle wine, in which the medium-length finish carries on with a lovely fruit presence.
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1/3/2018 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking much better than my last bottle about 1.5 years ago. Wine has evolved to softer rounder fruit and tannins with more layers of flavor. Shows nice CaCO3 in terroir on back palate. Finish lingers with thin red fruit and garrique. Still fairly acidic.
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12/1/2017 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
This was a real pleasure, exceeding expectations. Fully mature, perfectly balanced, nice flavors. Wish I got this experience from Pinot more.
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11/12/2017 - Mr T wrote:
Drunk over 2 nights
A little tight night 1 PNP but very often and soft night 2
92-93
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11/11/2017 - mflesh wrote:
Had the Jensen from 2011 a few months prior to this one. If enjoyed side by side, the Jensen would spank this one. Although this one did have a lot of raspberry and dried flower notes to the front and middle, it just didn't seem to develop much past that. Seemed a little thin to me. I would probably rate this one an 88 to be honest, but something makes me think that this one was a little beyond where it should have been and should have been consumed 1-2 years ago.
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3/24/2017 - VinoGuy932 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is singing right now! Asian spice, red and dark fruit with secondary showing well. Fantastic finish.
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3/10/2016 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful color. Nice nose of earthiness with cherries. Very enjoyable in the mouth. Still has some tannins but not too much. Probably last several more years. Solid fruit. Long finish.
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2/1/2016 - Savannahman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened, decanted, poured. At first I wasn't crazy about it, I didn't dislike it just wasn't overly excited. Before the end of the first glass I was completely turned around.The tannins, a little stiff began to soften. The nose was heavy dark fruit, particularly raspberry. This is a very nice surprise of fruity delight. Smooth, silky, fruity as a good pinot noir should be. A great wine.
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12/10/2015 - WinoRick Likes this wine: 91 Points
It's hard to believe that Calera is from California. Always Burgundian with their limestone soil coming through. It rarely disappoints. An earlier review of this wine calls it 'brambly.' That's an apt description (whatever it means). Still, there is a round underbody of fruit. Slight browning at the edge, but the wine is in a sweet spot that will carry on for a number of years with proper storage.
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11/15/2015 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
Last minute Pinot tasting (Kevin's House): 1 hour decant, had a glass over about an hour. Dark and brooding. Bold, spicy, brambly, orange. Good complexity. Tannins are strong for a pinot. Dark dark cherry for fruit.
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11/14/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Pinots and Few More (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Medium dark red color. Decanted for 45 minutes with 3 hours slow O prior. Drank 1 glass over an hour. I liked this even more than I thought, its more restrained and elegant, with lighter medium body and a good acid spine, appealing complex spiciness, bright with cherry fruit, tart raspberry, a bit briary, nice evident tannins and a long finish. Very well made, balanced and enhanced in every way by the benefit of whole clusters. My and group #2 POTN.
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9/12/2015 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
This is high quality, high value pinot. At $44 it's not at the highest end of pinot, but the flavor and texture is reminiscent of near $100 bottles. Not too acidic, fruity but complex, good finish. Highly recommended. Drink anytime, but will get better for a while.
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6/15/2015 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 88 Points
I think ratings ought to be as divorced from price as possible, so ideally this isn't an 88 pt $53 bottle of wine, rather an 88 pt bottle of Pinot (although it appears my price through Atlantic Wine is somehow $9 above the average on CT, which may explain why I buy so little wine through them now, but I digress)
I opened this wine as a pop and pour and was impressed with its accessibility so early, it is a good food wine with strong acidity and lots of red fruit quite forward. There is a little bramble that comes on in the mid-late palette but otherwise red forward and finish. The problem is that this wine needs food, and not just a charcuterie plate. It needs real food. As we rejoined the bottle later in the evening, both my wife and I felt some heartburn from the wine, coming from the acidity. The good news to this is that the wine will age, although for once I'm in disagreement with CT by taking the "under" on longevity.
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5/6/2015 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really very enjoyable. Agree with the other reviewers that its nicely restrained in a way that brings out the flavor spectrum. Pairs well with food and a good one for company.
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3/24/2015 - vinus_operandi Likes this wine: 93 Points
opens with a strong nose of cherry and black raspberry. Fairly dark for a pinot noir. On the palate the wine is soft with hints of cherry, raspberry, licorice and mint. ........a super smooth wine with a very nice long finish. Not too over the top on the fruit. The wine is fresh and vibrant and jumps from the glass. A really nice effort from Calera
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12/9/2014 - navybrat Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Too fruit forward.
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12/7/2014 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A light ruby colored pinot with some cloudiness to it. This was light on its feet with some cherry and lovely rose petal to the nose. A touch stringent on the palate but overall a light burgundian styled Cali pinot. From some reviews I expected it to be a little more intense but it was somewhat restrained
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9/28/2014 - ludwigbpm wrote: 93 Points
N'étant pas un grand amateur de pinot californien ce vin m'a franchement étonné. Il n'est pas Bourguignon, mais réussi l'exploit de se tenir loin des excès de maturité, et ce malgré son taux d'alcool élevé (14,9%). Délicieux et fruité, sans lourdeur, il s'est très bien porté à table.
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5/31/2014 - wpd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light color, very burgundian in style, excellent wine.
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3/22/2014 - la turque wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Sweet, with depth and earthy tones. Nice structure. Drinking well now, a supple, soft, somewhat complex wine, with sweet fruit and balanced acidity.
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3/12/2014 - jnewman77 wrote:
A nice, ripe Pinot. Big ripe fruit, bing cherry, raspberry, cola, baking spices, damp earth, and hints of anise. The palate is very ripe, lacking a touch of acidity to keep it tight knit. It is overall good, but gets a touch flat and hot for my taste.
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3/4/2014 - Mr T wrote:
Pretty CA pinot with enough fruit and up front for me but clearly light and well balanced. Not sure I ever really love this grape but this was a very nice bottle
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2/28/2014 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 3/19/2013
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2/2/2014 - short and confused wrote: 93 Points
Dark red. Brightly perfumed nose of red candied fruit, underbrush and anise. Across the palate there is a lovely mineral spine with an interplay of red and blue pinot fruit. I did not drink this blind but if I did, I think I would have struggled to figure out where it was from (neither definitively California nor Bungundian). Excellent stuff. Real clarity and persistence.
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1/18/2014 - Reblin wrote: 89 Points
A nose of earth more than red fruit. Taste is a good balance of fruit and earthiness, but a little more red fruit would have been welcome. (The Calera was much more reserved in taste, less rich, than a Kosta Browne at the same meal.) Medium finish.
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12/28/2013 - la turque wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Delicious with lamb. Great bright fruit, with lovely balanced acidity, structure and tannin. Drinking beautifully now.
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12/22/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
Ripe, new world Pinot. Black cherry, cola, baking spices on the nose. Rich and lush palate with a hint of back end burn, but not too noticeable with a heavy meal. Calera's wines have been moving towards a riper less well balanced form which I'm not sure I like. Its still pretty good, but not as good as some of the older ones I've had. I hope the pendulum moves back towards the middle.
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11/24/2013 - P&F wrote: 89 Points
Moderate nose, with a balanced palate that Rand finds peppery, that I find earthy and fruited. Nice, balanced, smooth -- but not so much so for the $40-50 cost of entry. I'd give it $30 or so.
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11/24/2013 - ravbik wrote: 90 Points
Well balanced California Pinot. Needed about i hour to show off some of the earthy notes. Fruit forward and easy to enjoy.
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11/8/2013 - navybrat Likes this wine: 89 Points
Though this wine has a pretty high (90+) public rating, I have never quite bought into that level. I find it okay, but a bit cloying, with a metallic-like finish.
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10/1/2013 - navybrat Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not quite burgundian, but for a new world, now coming into its own. Very drinkable.
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9/16/2013 - Italiana Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light color. Very fresh nose. Nice berry flavors, with some pepperiness and a touch of bitterness. Toward the elegant side, thankfully not one of those bombastic wines.
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9/1/2013 - whits wrote: 91 Points
Red berry, dried flowers and spearmint nose, lush palate, shows cherry pie, spices, cranberry and red plum, on the bigger side, good amount of acidity, nice by itself, had with pork stew
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8/6/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 3/19/2013
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7/13/2013 - markcic wrote: 90 Points
Opened and poured a half glass through an aerator to let it breath - the color was dark ruby, the nose red fruit and at first the palate was red berries, as it developed over a few hours, the flavors intensified and it culminated in a long finish with a touch of sweet spices coming through. Most enjoyable
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6/23/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 3/19/2013
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5/18/2013 - Pluecht wrote: 92 Points
Truly an awesome Burgundian Pinot.
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5/11/2013 - dfarley wrote: 90 Points
Abundant pine scent on the nose upon opening, but fruit came out after about a 90 minute decant. Cranberry and cherry, with an undertone of mixed spices and some lingering evergreen. Cranberry and black tea on the palette, good acidity without being overpowering. I like the style, but don't waste it on someone that only loves fruit bombs.
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4/26/2013 - domco wrote: 90 Points
Medium body, holds its alcohol well. A little bit one dimensional. Nice, but I think we were a little disappointed. More interesting in a couple years?
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3/29/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Friday Domaine Tasting- 09 and 10 Red and White Burgundies (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): Nose: Very different nose from the burgundies, but it works well with tart red fruits, spice tones, dark red cherries, and some floral tones.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium acidity and silky tannins. The feel is very balanced with tart tones of red fruits, spices, dark red cherries, and some floral tones.
Overall: Obviously this was a wild card in an all burgundy lineup. It showed very well with good balance on both the nose and palate.
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3/29/2013 - tooch wrote: 84 Points
Final Friday at Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): Drank alongside Burgundies, this seemed rich and fat. While this didn't have that cherry cola note that a lot of Californian pinots have, this was somewhat dense and clunky (again, compared to the other wines being poured).
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3/19/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Intense nose completely dominated by exotic spices and pine. Flavors of raspberry and Strawberry dominate the usual cherry notes one expects in a west coast pinot. This is lean and lightweight, but very powerful.
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2/22/2013 - jhieb Likes this wine: 91 Points
The light color is deceptive, as there is a lot going on here. The nose opens with a light earthy funk to it. There is some interesting tobacco, charred wood, and olive on the nose. Cherry and vanilla in the mouth.
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2/11/2013 - TheWineDon wrote: 92 Points
Drank upon opening. Strawberry, menthol and light vanilla on the nose with a light-bodies ruby color in the glass. Cherry and strawberries on the palate with a smooth, non-lingering finish. Not sure this will improve much more with age, but will hold for a little while before trying some more.
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1/20/2013 - Plus Ultra wrote: 90 Points
A good quality wine, but kind of boring. Strong taste of dark fruit, but diid not notice other characteristics like spice or vanilla. I liked the de Villiers better as it had a nice fruit / vanilla balance and was more flavorful and enjoyable.
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1/18/2013 - tfharris wrote: 90 Points
Excellent Pinot. Very clean and crisp.
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12/29/2012 - wine65 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fantastic sweet floral nose. Berry fruit, spice and earth. Medium-light weight, tannins need to resolve a little did better with 30-40 min of air time.
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12/23/2012 - Pluecht wrote: 93 Points
Burgundian in style. Medium body. Bing cherry, vanilla, all spice, minerality. 45 second finish, but needs time to open. I think this has the potential to age gracefully.
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12/10/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour.
Beautiful bright ruby red pink hue. The nose is fresh, focused and really pleasant.
Lovely nose of strawberries, blood orange, pink flowers, some pink peppercorn and smoke accompanied by a faint basil and green veggie note. Really complex, lush, elegant and balanced nose. The palate takes where the nose left off with more pink grapefruit, bing cherries and some lovely earth. Great acidity with some body and a great mid palate along with a caramel, enjoyably rich viscosity that makes this a complete wine that, though not a 95 pointer (Advocate), is an extraordinary value and shows elegance and eccentricity. I'd like to try other Calera from this vintage as Parker was onto something.
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11/29/2012 - markcic wrote: 88 Points
Poured throug an aerator - nice nose but very tight on the palate - fruits and spices did come out and I am sure this will develop into an excellent wine. A three hour decant or a couple of years in the cellar.
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11/9/2012 - markcic wrote: 88 Points
very young, opened for about an hour and a half but should have decanted. The nose was tight but some fruit came through, the palate was plums and berries, a decent finish.
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10/19/2012 - Jmanz2000 wrote: 88 Points
- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry and lemon. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of lemon and pineapple with a light/medium body. Linear texture with a medium finish - Opened up for 15 mins and probably needed more time in the cellar. Overall easy to drink but nothing memorable. De villers in the same vintage was more to my taste.
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10/18/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
consistent tn's. Let this rest another year, at least. Still too backward, but certainly possesses the stuffing to be a very good to excellent wine. recommended
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10/18/2012 - Grinder wrote: 92 Points
Opened and poured. Tight and shut down early, but opens with an hour or so in the glass. Pretty nose and complex on the palate. This should be laid down for another two or three years. Beautiful.
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8/23/2012 - la turque wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the winerywith KF before purchasing. This was the best of the line-up. Good structure, fruit and acidity. Delicious.
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4/18/2012 - amateurwino wrote: 88 Points
Better than the de Villiers, with a tutti-frutti aspect to the nose. Darker fruit flavors on the palate, with some sweetness. Good wine but not quite noteworthy. 88-89
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3/13/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
After tasting thru the line-up at Family Winemaker's event in Pasadena, this, not surprisingly, distinguished itself as best in show (for Calera). Long finish, gilded fruits, ample acids, superb structure. Everything it should be. recommended, drink thru 2018
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