Only medium red with thin mahoganey edge. Leather, undergrowth, licorice nose. Palate has sour cherry, brown sugar. It is maturing, light bodied, clean, crisp and with a mineral aspect and with balance to the fine tannin. Of course, I like this. This improved with time open. Average yield for Ryan is 1.68 tons per acre and this vintage yield is 2.3.
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drinking well, it doesn't seem to have faded with time in the way many CA pinots do, though it could have used a bit more energy....the structure came more by way of tannin than acid, the fruit had earthy elements, but not a great deal of complexity
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Took a little while to open up, but excellent along the way. Still structured and layered noticeable tannin. The nose is sweet and fragrant with notes of leather and flowers. Minerally on the palate with notes of cola and bright darker fruits. Medium in body and delicious.
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Light for a Cali pinot. Cherry and cedar, drops off to a bit of a bitter finish and the fruit fades quickly. May have left it in the cellar a year or two too long.
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Bricking, garnet color with central ruby core. Gorgeous, flamboynet nose with dark cherry over forest notes. Rosemary and bay undertones. Lush and fullin the mouth with bright acidity with lingering dark fruit notes. Unexpected pleasure
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Not showing its age at all. I drank some over a few nights while cooking. Red fruit on the nose. Strawberry and cherry on the palate with just a hint of cinnamon. The finish was moderate.
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Dark burgundy in color Total scent bomb. Floral notes, red and dark berries, cherries iodine, cotton candy Medium-minus with a longish finish. Tastes like the nose. Mouth watering delicious. Well balanced, well made wine. Case worthy for sure. In its drinking window for sure. Good QPR. I need to get some more.
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[Tasted Blind] Pours the darkest in this flight with aromatics I don't really care for at all. The nose is of blackberry, plum, black currant, black cherry, Christmas tree, eucalyptus, and mint chocolate. The palate has medium acid and medium tannin. Almost like Coonawarra Cabernet meets Pinot Noir, but it doesn't really work for me at all. I've loved some Calera Pinot Noirs from the 90's, but to me these are nothing like that.
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Moderate color. Bigger than I remember it. Go ou d nose. Deep fruit flavor but light, slightly simple cherry/red berry profile, but smooth, lovely in mouth and finish.
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This is an excellent, distinctive pinot. It reminds me of Brunello or high-end Chianti Classico due to its savoriness. It offers scents of flowers, tobacco, and dried cherries. I love the flowing body of the wine and the vibrant acidity. Tannins are pronounced for a California pinot. This could age for several more years.
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Pnp. Expressive nose of cherries, roses & minerals that follows through on the palate with wet stone. Very Burgundian for a Cali Pinot with perfect balance, superb concentration & gorgeous texture. Has most notably that Burgundian tension with cutting acids but still a sense of Californian place. I haven't had much experience with Calera. Bought this maybe 7 years ago ? Glad I opened it but wish I had a lot more. Just so good and based on this bottle not at peak and will develop further easily. 3 , 5, 10, even 15 years would be where I'd set the dial on my time machine
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This one is losing it, and I don't know how to wait until 2021 (per community recommendation). Kind of acidic and fruit never came forward over two nights. Frankly disappointed after earlier bottles. Drink up.
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I don’t agree with my last review of this wine. Today, I am very impressed. The wine has core flavors of wild red fruit with touches of blood orange, black tea, and baking spices. There is a fine mineral presence on the tongue. Tannins are soft, and concentration is moderate. Definitely, this reminds me of Burgundy. I’m interested now in tasting the other single-vineyard offerings of Calera.
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A little musty upon opening but within a half hour it was open and ready for business. Dark red fruit on the nose. The palate was red plum, dark cherry and hints of spices. A moderate to long finish.
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Big, closed, and austere. Notes of sweet black cherry and spicy tobacco. Unexpressed weight, serious tannins. Opened up some with air. Seems built to age longer.
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Had it with Momofuku Bo Ssam (korean flavored smoked pork butt). It was a guess but it worked as much as it could, the spices did not kill the pinot fruit. Would a riesling have been better, yes probably, but so many people drink only red. Superb dinner for 10. Had the 07, 09, 10 and they all showed up the same way. The 2010 was the freshest but not by much. They were pretty consistent with good fruit (not overdone) and decent body and length. It worked. I’say drink them up, i gave them a 3 hour decant which probably helped to round them.
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Sunday night with venison pie (yummy). Indeed believe this packs some heat which masks the fruit. Not too bad though. Good nose, which shows fruit and weight. Good darkish color evidencing some age. On palate, heat but it doesnt linger and the fruit starts some work. Decent wine but wont get better I think. Serve with food (like any wine).
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Appearance: The color of this wine is brick out to the rim and it is the closest to transparent.
Aroma: The primary aromas are raspberry, rose petal, and vanilla. In the background of this wine there is a lurking herbal character of anise and snapped fennel, with a hint of sweet tobacco leaf. I also noticed a nail polish aroma which could indicate ethyl acetate.
Body/Texture: The body of the wine is medium, with a medium level of nice, fine-grained tannins.
Taste: The wine had medium sweetness with medium acidity. The palate came across more simple than the aroma, with raspberry, potpourri, fennel, and higher alcohols.
Overall Impression: This is a well-structured wine with nice concentration but a low overall length. There is a clear noteof ethyl acetate (at least in this bottle) which could be a result of the native fermentation beginning with unwanted yeast or bacteria, however this is my first time tasting this wine and vintage and it may have been an off bottle.
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Heat mars the wine. Hoisin, orange peel, raspberry, and alcohol. The ETOH is so prominent it blows out the wine and givens the feel a bit of port-y-ness that the palate otherwise does not impart.
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Showing color all the way to the pinkish rim. Perfumed blueberry fruit aromas. Some sweet creamy vanilla notes. Maybe a touch of earth, or is it lead? Fruit forward palate. Very dense. Oak hits on the mid palate, but creamy textured fruit persists through a nice long finish. Has a fairly lip-smacking acidity on the backbone. Needs time.
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Very dark and brooding - black fruit. Still get a hint of cherry cola. Structure is nice. I thought this drank best right out of the gates - seemed to get a little more woody / tannic / disjointed with time. Overall, cool producer and a good showing.
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Decanted. No sediment. Medium to light red color. Pleasing bouquet of strawberry with floral notes. Ample fruit on the palate, balanced by lively acids and a touch of sweetness. The tannins may be resolved at this point for they are no longer apparent to me. The lengthy finish brought a smile to my face. Overall, a lovely wine which I prefer over the more expensive and extracted Pinots (2007 Lucia/Gary's Vineyard; and 2010 Loring/Rancho La Vina) that I drank in the last two nights.
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Nose is similar but with the addition of some nice spice notes. The color is getting a little pale (just a hint) on the edges and the tannins that were far more present a few years ago have blended in really nicely. This isn't fading to me but it is drinking really really well right now and would say drink now or in a couple of years from now if you have just one left.
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A lot of little things have gone wrong here: the cherry and raspberry fruit seems a bit confected, the pepper is a little strong, there are some odd vegetal notes that creep in under everything, and the finish is a little hard and metallic.
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Not much of a Pinot fan but liked this. Relatively full bodied with some structure and red and blue fruit. Leaning toward shiraz but far from teeth staining.
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This was a nice, mid-week pinot that lasted well for three night under pump. Good balance and flavors, enough depth to be serious, and at mid-$30 range, a good buy. Drink anytime.
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California Pinot (Gary's Place, Hudson, WI): Very dark red color. 2hr decant, followed 1 glass over 2 hours. Nose has lots of pepper, cherry Flintstone Vitamins, powdered cherry, raspberry. The palate is cherry and raspberry, black pepper, spicy, firm tannins, slightly murky, brooding. Didn't improve over the 2 hours.
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Our first single vineyard Calera. Very good experience, depth and complexity in the raspberry nose - far beyond the standard notes. Good pressure in the tannins, long taste.
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A solid effort, this wine has ripe raspberry, cherry, and pomegranate notes with underlying mineral and spice. The palate is big and rich, but has a nice core of minerality and acidity that keeps its light. It is still a little tight at this point and needs decanting and food. Really blossomed after about 1 hour. Has a significant upside in the cellar.
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Really tight at first. It needed time and food to drinkable. After an hour it really opened served with a roasted pork loin and displayed nice strawberry, forest floor, dark cherry notes and some soft minerality. Will likely improve for some time.
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Lovely! This wine combines the more powerful style of Pinot with graceful complexity and a beautiful Pinot character. The nose reveals classy strawberry which will mellow in due course. Adding to this is wet saddle leather, the scent of deciduous forest and an intriguing complexity. The palate adds nicely to this experience and tells a story of integration, power and perfect drinkability. Just as with the 2010 de Villiers tasted alongside, this wine exhibits tons of primary fruit. It needs some rest to develop more complexity - but it for sure is a treat tonight too!
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Quite a surprise. Not a typical Cal Pinot; pretty old world. Lots of cherry and earth. Second day had mellowed considerably. Really nice for the price point.
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5 Blind Pinots on a Thursday Night (Dave's House): (Blind Pinot #5) - We all found this one a little bizarre. Comes across as oaky and dominated by cherry liqueur (in a bad way). Palate was very extracted and quite tannic, almost astringent. Really didn't compare to the other wines at the table.
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Red fruits, hints of vanilla, and as usual spice and stem hallmarks. Perhaps a bit of dumb period. Took 2 hrs to show some hints of savory flavors. Medium bodied, decent acidity. Still plenty of tannin. Just a touch of heat at the end. A warm vintage. Heat isn't going anywhere, but I'd still wait as usual on Calera 5-10 yr.
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Very much in the typical Calera "style," meaning that it walks that line between new and old world. The fruit profile was new world but the structure behind it all seemed much more French to me. Wild berries showed foremost with nice minerality and savory undertones.
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This is an utterly fascinating wine! The fruits are reasonably similar to those in Oregon Pinots, but there's a clear limestone in the minerality that is clearly reminiscent of Burgundies. As a bit of an admitted Oregon homer, there aren't too many California Pinots that you catch me raving about, but this is one. The new-world fruit, old-world mineral qualities of this wine combine to make it a truly unique expression. I almost think if I tasted this blind, I'd be fooled into thinking it was a Chianti if not for the distinctly Pinot color profile in the glass. It's got some tart red fruit and leather in the nose that you just don't see too often in Pinots, and a silky mouthfeel that delights through a long but not overpowering finish.
This is already great and will get even better.
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Strawberries and oak on the nose. Palate much like the nose, a lot of oak with some strawberries and earth. Doesn't deliver for the price. Have had $15 Pinot that is better than this.
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I didn't sense the strong tannins that others have noted, perhaps since we did decant for 1/2-hour the first night and an hour the 2nd. There is a slight tannic sense, but not overpowering at all. I'd suggest that this is a good time to be drinking these, I didn't feel that it was too early. The flavors and tastes are similar to the other reviewers.
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Objectively, it is a good wine but I couldn't get over the similarity to the bottom priced no-name pinots that you get from the supermarket. It was much better than any of those bottom priced pinots but not distinct enough for me to get past my bias.
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Day 2 review. Light purple. Wood, raspberries, spice, pine needles and minerals. A pleasant wine with good acidity. Nothing super complex but very enjoyable.
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With 3 of these in the cellar, and having just been surprised by the deVilliers, figured opening 1 wasn't going to hurt... Correct! This had a fantastic nose with some red but more dark fruit on the nose and a hint of pepper to me at least. The weight was more medium and this was quite tannic (especially compared to deVilliers). The finish lingered on for a while and each glass got better as it opened up more. I will wait for the next 2 bottles a few years and hope it improves (shocked if it wouldn't given the state of the wine now) and enjoy it again down the road. Get some of this if you don't have it as at the price it goes for it is a steal!
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California Pinot Noir (SF Wine Trading Company): Lighter color. Herbal aromatics. Faded strawberry fruit with some wood in the background. Very complex and savory with tobacco and stem notes. Real rather delicate Pinot weight. The only ding is that dry wood tannins detract from the texture and finish. There is a lot to like about this, though.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of raisin. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black pepper and cherry with a medium body. Coarse texture with a short finish.
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Nice ruby color. Beautiful cherry nose with some earth. Opened up nicely after 2 hours. Enjoyed pepper on finish. Drank well but will be better in a few years.
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No nose at first, very subtle. Cedar, flint, pencil lead, wet stone flavors I associate with Calera. More spicy, pepper flavors. The pepper actually overwhelmed as the tasting went on. I am a big Calera Ryan fan but felt slightly let down by this one.
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Tasted at Family Winemaker's event in Pasadena. Darker color than I was expecting, with a fairly reserved nose of dark cherry, spice and earth. The medium bodied palate is a bit overwhelmed by the lively acids, giving this a bit of an austere nature at the moment. Gotta love their back labels, though. No rating now, but it's fair to say, the Mills, even at this tender age, is worth every penny. 14,1% abv
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6/30/2023 - MindMuse wrote: flawed
Brought to a tasting. Wine was oxidized due to extremely spongy cork.
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1/14/2023 - KVM wrote:
Only medium red with thin mahoganey edge. Leather, undergrowth, licorice nose. Palate has sour cherry, brown sugar. It is maturing, light bodied, clean, crisp and with a mineral aspect
and with balance to the fine tannin. Of course, I like this. This improved with time open. Average yield for Ryan is 1.68 tons per acre and this vintage yield is 2.3.
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9/5/2022 - MrMoose wrote: flawed
slightly corked
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5/26/2022 - thalver wrote:
drinking well, it doesn't seem to have faded with time in the way many CA pinots do, though it could have used a bit more energy....the structure came more by way of tannin than acid, the fruit had earthy elements, but not a great deal of complexity
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10/19/2021 - P.A. Cross wrote:
Took a little while to open up, but excellent along the way. Still structured and layered noticeable tannin. The nose is sweet and fragrant with notes of leather and flowers. Minerally on the palate with notes of cola and bright darker fruits. Medium in body and delicious.
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9/19/2021 - davo22 wrote: 88 Points
Light for a Cali pinot. Cherry and cedar, drops off to a bit of a bitter finish and the fruit fades quickly. May have left it in the cellar a year or two too long.
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8/21/2021 - larrybbaldwin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bricking, garnet color with central ruby core. Gorgeous, flamboynet nose with dark cherry over forest notes. Rosemary and bay undertones. Lush and fullin the mouth with bright acidity with lingering dark fruit notes. Unexpected pleasure
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8/28/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not showing its age at all. I drank some over a few nights while cooking. Red fruit on the nose. Strawberry and cherry on the palate with just a hint of cinnamon. The finish was moderate.
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8/28/2020 - Genghis88 wrote: 92 Points
Dark burgundy in color
Total scent bomb. Floral notes, red and dark berries, cherries iodine, cotton candy
Medium-minus with a longish finish. Tastes like the nose. Mouth watering delicious. Well balanced, well made wine. Case worthy for sure. In its drinking window for sure. Good QPR. I need to get some more.
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8/22/2020 - Wine Canuck wrote: 86 Points
[Tasted Blind] Pours the darkest in this flight with aromatics I don't really care for at all. The nose is of blackberry, plum, black currant, black cherry, Christmas tree, eucalyptus, and mint chocolate. The palate has medium acid and medium tannin. Almost like Coonawarra Cabernet meets Pinot Noir, but it doesn't really work for me at all. I've loved some Calera Pinot Noirs from the 90's, but to me these are nothing like that.
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4/10/2020 - Delli wrote: 92 Points
Took more than an hour to open up. Started right and progressed into a more European style Pinot. 5+12+6+8=92
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4/2/2020 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 90 Points
Moderate color. Bigger than I remember it. Go ou d nose. Deep fruit flavor but light, slightly simple cherry/red berry profile, but smooth, lovely in mouth and finish.
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1/12/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
My only one of these and it was absolutely delicious with parchment paper baked salmon.
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12/8/2019 - moods wrote: 89 Points
Ageing gracefully. Has a generous dollop of cherry fruit. Very harmonious and easily drinking right now.
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11/19/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is an excellent, distinctive pinot. It reminds me of Brunello or high-end Chianti Classico due to its savoriness. It offers scents of flowers, tobacco, and dried cherries. I love the flowing body of the wine and the vibrant acidity. Tannins are pronounced for a California pinot. This could age for several more years.
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7/22/2019 - Wasabi Moon wrote: 93 Points
Pnp. Expressive nose of cherries, roses & minerals that follows through on the palate with wet stone. Very Burgundian for a Cali Pinot with perfect balance, superb concentration & gorgeous texture. Has most notably that Burgundian tension with cutting acids but still a sense of Californian place. I haven't had much experience with Calera. Bought this maybe 7 years ago ? Glad I opened it but wish I had a lot more. Just so good and based on this bottle not at peak and will develop further easily. 3 , 5, 10, even 15 years would be where I'd set the dial on my time machine
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6/21/2019 - whudock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lively, fruit and spice both strong and in balance, lovely depth and long finish
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5/31/2019 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really wonderful. Nose jumps out of the glass. Very rich and complex. Wish I had more.
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12/27/2018 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
What a difference a few years makes. A very good showing, and if I'd tasted this blind I might have pegged it as a solid Beaune 1er Cru.
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12/24/2018 - levinml wrote: 88 Points
This one is losing it, and I don't know how to wait until 2021 (per community recommendation). Kind of acidic and fruit never came forward over two nights. Frankly disappointed after earlier bottles. Drink up.
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12/17/2018 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
I don’t agree with my last review of this wine. Today, I am very impressed. The wine has core flavors of wild red fruit with touches of blood orange, black tea, and baking spices. There is a fine mineral presence on the tongue. Tannins are soft, and concentration is moderate. Definitely, this reminds me of Burgundy. I’m interested now in tasting the other single-vineyard offerings of Calera.
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12/13/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little musty upon opening but within a half hour it was open and ready for business. Dark red fruit on the nose. The palate was red plum, dark cherry and hints of spices. A moderate to long finish.
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11/18/2018 - KVM wrote:
Mature.
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6/25/2018 - rmalloy Likes this wine:
Big, closed, and austere. Notes of sweet black cherry and spicy tobacco. Unexpressed weight, serious tannins. Opened up some with air. Seems built to age longer.
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4/18/2018 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 91 Points
lithe and a bit barolo like to me. eucalyptus, some earth, fruit in the mouthful, balanced acidity. very enjoyable
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11/26/2017 - MichielV wrote: 89 Points
Had it with Momofuku Bo Ssam (korean flavored smoked pork butt). It was a guess but it worked as much as it could, the spices did not kill the pinot fruit. Would a riesling have been better, yes probably, but so many people drink only red. Superb dinner for 10.
Had the 07, 09, 10 and they all showed up the same way. The 2010 was the freshest but not by much. They were pretty consistent with good fruit (not overdone) and decent body and length. It worked. I’say drink them up, i gave them a 3 hour decant which probably helped to round them.
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10/15/2017 - MichielV wrote: 88 Points
Sunday night with venison pie (yummy). Indeed believe this packs some heat which masks the fruit. Not too bad though. Good nose, which shows fruit and weight. Good darkish color evidencing some age. On palate, heat but it doesnt linger and the fruit starts some work. Decent wine but wont get better I think. Serve with food (like any wine).
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9/1/2017 - skaies wrote: flawed
Appearance: The color of this wine is brick out to the rim and it is the closest to transparent.
Aroma: The primary aromas are raspberry, rose petal, and vanilla. In the background of this wine there is a lurking herbal character of anise and snapped fennel, with a hint of sweet tobacco leaf. I also noticed a nail polish aroma which could indicate ethyl acetate.
Body/Texture: The body of the wine is medium, with a medium level of nice, fine-grained tannins.
Taste: The wine had medium sweetness with medium acidity. The palate came across more simple than the aroma, with raspberry, potpourri, fennel, and higher alcohols.
Overall Impression: This is a well-structured wine with nice concentration but a low overall length. There is a clear noteof ethyl acetate (at least in this bottle) which could be a result of the native fermentation beginning with unwanted yeast or bacteria, however this is my first time tasting this wine and vintage and it may have been an off bottle.
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3/9/2017 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red fruit, raspberry, and baking spices on the expressive nose. Dried red berries on the palate with medium+ tannins and fresh acidity. Good length.
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2/23/2017 - skifree wrote: 89 Points
Very good Pinot, lots of dark cherry and earth but did notice the alcohol (heat) as well. Think there is no hurry on this.
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12/26/2016 - yossarian.livez wrote: 87 Points
Heat mars the wine. Hoisin, orange peel, raspberry, and alcohol. The ETOH is so prominent it blows out the wine and givens the feel a bit of port-y-ness that the palate otherwise does not impart.
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11/11/2016 - moods wrote: 90 Points
Showing color all the way to the pinkish rim. Perfumed blueberry fruit aromas. Some sweet creamy vanilla notes. Maybe a touch of earth, or is it lead? Fruit forward palate. Very dense. Oak hits on the mid palate, but creamy textured fruit persists through a nice long finish. Has a fairly lip-smacking acidity on the backbone. Needs time.
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8/2/2016 - schirri1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
less jammy than Belle Glos with a similar expression - really quite nice. Enjoyed with pork chop, which worked really well.
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6/14/2016 - christyler wrote: 90 Points
Very dark and brooding - black fruit. Still get a hint of cherry cola. Structure is nice. I thought this drank best right out of the gates - seemed to get a little more woody / tannic / disjointed with time. Overall, cool producer and a good showing.
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5/2/2016 - Pgraziano wrote: 91 Points
None
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3/16/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Only had a mouthful but full bodied cherry and blue fruit. More backbone than typical for pinot.
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12/27/2015 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice pinot with a lot of depth and complexity. Try again in a couple years.
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10/10/2015 - markcic wrote: 90 Points
We PNP'd, Solid well made pinot, red fruit on the nose, the palate is strawberry, dark cherries with a touch of cinnamon. Nice full finish.
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10/7/2015 - JAT wrote: 91 Points
Earth, mineral, and red fruit. Keeps your interest. Nice wine.
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8/17/2015 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. No sediment. Medium to light red color. Pleasing bouquet of strawberry with floral notes. Ample fruit on the palate, balanced by lively acids and a touch of sweetness. The tannins may be resolved at this point for they are no longer apparent to me. The lengthy finish brought a smile to my face. Overall, a lovely wine which I prefer over the more expensive and extracted Pinots (2007 Lucia/Gary's Vineyard; and 2010 Loring/Rancho La Vina) that I drank in the last two nights.
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7/15/2015 - Jbird73 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose is similar but with the addition of some nice spice notes. The color is getting a little pale (just a hint) on the edges and the tannins that were far more present a few years ago have blended in really nicely. This isn't fading to me but it is drinking really really well right now and would say drink now or in a couple of years from now if you have just one left.
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7/7/2015 - sunnylea57 wrote: 81 Points
A lot of little things have gone wrong here: the cherry and raspberry fruit seems a bit confected, the pepper is a little strong, there are some odd vegetal notes that creep in under everything, and the finish is a little hard and metallic.
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5/2/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not much of a Pinot fan but liked this. Relatively full bodied with some structure and red and blue fruit. Leaning toward shiraz but far from teeth staining.
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11/2/2014 - whudock Likes this wine: 89 Points
definitely nothing wrong but yet not the finest expression. A bit flat
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7/2/2014 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
This was a nice, mid-week pinot that lasted well for three night under pump. Good balance and flavors, enough depth to be serious, and at mid-$30 range, a good buy. Drink anytime.
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4/26/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
California Pinot (Gary's Place, Hudson, WI): Very dark red color. 2hr decant, followed 1 glass over 2 hours. Nose has lots of pepper, cherry Flintstone Vitamins, powdered cherry, raspberry. The palate is cherry and raspberry, black pepper, spicy, firm tannins, slightly murky, brooding. Didn't improve over the 2 hours.
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2/22/2014 - Chasse_spleen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Our first single vineyard Calera. Very good experience, depth and complexity in the raspberry nose - far beyond the standard notes. Good pressure in the tannins, long taste.
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2/6/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
A solid effort, this wine has ripe raspberry, cherry, and pomegranate notes with underlying mineral and spice. The palate is big and rich, but has a nice core of minerality and acidity that keeps its light. It is still a little tight at this point and needs decanting and food. Really blossomed after about 1 hour. Has a significant upside in the cellar.
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2/5/2014 - joekroe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really tight at first. It needed time and food to drinkable. After an hour it really opened served with a roasted pork loin and displayed nice strawberry, forest floor, dark cherry notes and some soft minerality. Will likely improve for some time.
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11/8/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely! This wine combines the more powerful style of Pinot with graceful complexity and a beautiful Pinot character. The nose reveals classy strawberry which will mellow in due course. Adding to this is wet saddle leather, the scent of deciduous forest and an intriguing complexity. The palate adds nicely to this experience and tells a story of integration, power and perfect drinkability. Just as with the 2010 de Villiers tasted alongside, this wine exhibits tons of primary fruit. It needs some rest to develop more complexity - but it for sure is a treat tonight too!
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10/18/2013 - Bsfoakdale wrote: 91 Points
Quite a surprise. Not a typical Cal Pinot; pretty old world. Lots of cherry and earth. Second day had mellowed considerably. Really nice for the price point.
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8/27/2013 - ravbik wrote: 90 Points
Dark red fruits. Mild tannins. Rich Pinot.mild cola and vanilla
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8/15/2013 - Wine Canuck wrote: 87 Points
5 Blind Pinots on a Thursday Night (Dave's House): (Blind Pinot #5) - We all found this one a little bizarre. Comes across as oaky and dominated by cherry liqueur (in a bad way). Palate was very extracted and quite tannic, almost astringent. Really didn't compare to the other wines at the table.
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7/15/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Very tasty; nothing candied just middle of the road flavors that I think should get better with a couple more years in bottle.
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7/15/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
A good mid weight PN. Easy to drink.
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6/23/2013 - yossarian.livez wrote: 87 Points
Red fruits, hints of vanilla, and as usual spice and stem hallmarks. Perhaps a bit of dumb period. Took 2 hrs to show some hints of savory flavors. Medium bodied, decent acidity. Still plenty of tannin. Just a touch of heat at the end. A warm vintage. Heat isn't going anywhere, but I'd still wait as usual on Calera 5-10 yr.
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6/11/2013 - CADomer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very much in the typical Calera "style," meaning that it walks that line between new and old world. The fruit profile was new world but the structure behind it all seemed much more French to me. Wild berries showed foremost with nice minerality and savory undertones.
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6/1/2013 - briandavispdx wrote: 91 Points
This is an utterly fascinating wine! The fruits are reasonably similar to those in Oregon Pinots, but there's a clear limestone in the minerality that is clearly reminiscent of Burgundies. As a bit of an admitted Oregon homer, there aren't too many California Pinots that you catch me raving about, but this is one. The new-world fruit, old-world mineral qualities of this wine combine to make it a truly unique expression. I almost think if I tasted this blind, I'd be fooled into thinking it was a Chianti if not for the distinctly Pinot color profile in the glass. It's got some tart red fruit and leather in the nose that you just don't see too often in Pinots, and a silky mouthfeel that delights through a long but not overpowering finish.
This is already great and will get even better.
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3/30/2013 - La Peste wrote: 86 Points
Strawberries and oak on the nose. Palate much like the nose, a lot of oak with some strawberries and earth. Doesn't deliver for the price. Have had $15 Pinot that is better than this.
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2/25/2013 - jackstraw wrote: 90 Points
very tasty and excellent with food
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1/26/2013 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
I didn't sense the strong tannins that others have noted, perhaps since we did decant for 1/2-hour the first night and an hour the 2nd. There is a slight tannic sense, but not overpowering at all. I'd suggest that this is a good time to be drinking these, I didn't feel that it was too early. The flavors and tastes are similar to the other reviewers.
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1/25/2013 - BayAreaKo Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Objectively, it is a good wine but I couldn't get over the similarity to the bottom priced no-name pinots that you get from the supermarket. It was much better than any of those bottom priced pinots but not distinct enough for me to get past my bias.
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1/12/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Day 2 review. Light purple. Wood, raspberries, spice, pine needles and minerals. A pleasant wine with good acidity. Nothing super complex but very enjoyable.
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12/30/2012 - Jbird73 Likes this wine: 91 Points
With 3 of these in the cellar, and having just been surprised by the deVilliers, figured opening 1 wasn't going to hurt... Correct! This had a fantastic nose with some red but more dark fruit on the nose and a hint of pepper to me at least. The weight was more medium and this was quite tannic (especially compared to deVilliers). The finish lingered on for a while and each glass got better as it opened up more. I will wait for the next 2 bottles a few years and hope it improves (shocked if it wouldn't given the state of the wine now) and enjoy it again down the road. Get some of this if you don't have it as at the price it goes for it is a steal!
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12/8/2012 - maderay Likes this wine: 92 Points
VG+. Spices, berries. Medium-bodied. Very nice wine
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11/24/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
California Pinot Noir (SF Wine Trading Company): Lighter color. Herbal aromatics. Faded strawberry fruit with some wood in the background. Very complex and savory with tobacco and stem notes. Real rather delicate Pinot weight. The only ding is that dry wood tannins detract from the texture and finish. There is a lot to like about this, though.
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11/14/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Decanted five hours and shows cloves, spice, cedar, sour cherries and minerals. A bit hot and hopefully with time this will settle down.
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10/5/2012 - keelegl wrote: 91 Points
Spicy on the nose and palate with nice cherry fruit. A bit tannic now so I would think it would be better in a couple years. Nice wine.
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10/1/2012 - Jmanz2000 wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of raisin. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black pepper and cherry with a medium body. Coarse texture with a short finish.
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9/13/2012 - Leejgreen wrote: 89 Points
Nice ruby color. Beautiful cherry nose with some earth. Opened up nicely after 2 hours. Enjoyed pepper on finish. Drank well but will be better in a few years.
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3/31/2012 - SanFranSoxFan04 wrote: 89 Points
No nose at first, very subtle. Cedar, flint, pencil lead, wet stone flavors I associate with Calera. More spicy, pepper flavors. The pepper actually overwhelmed as the tasting went on. I am a big Calera Ryan fan but felt slightly let down by this one.
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3/15/2012 - anonymoose12345 wrote: 87 Points
Incredibly tannic. Maybe the most tannic pinot I've ever had.
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3/13/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Tasted at Family Winemaker's event in Pasadena. Darker color than I was expecting, with a fairly reserved nose of dark cherry, spice and earth. The medium bodied palate is a bit overwhelmed by the lively acids, giving this a bit of an austere nature at the moment. Gotta love their back labels, though. No rating now, but it's fair to say, the Mills, even at this tender age, is worth every penny. 14,1% abv
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