Fantastic Pinot that remains fresh despite the age. 13-years in bottle and starting to mellow, but still showing lots of character. Features bright red fruit, sweet vanilla and a nice amount of acidity. Very approachable; no decanting required.
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Bright cherry color. Sweet macerated cherries, black cherry, cardamon and baking spices on the nose and palate. Incredible fresh and lively for time in the bottle. Palate slightly faded and thin. Sweet vanilla on the cherry finish. Toward the end, but still quite remarkable.
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Powerful nose of chinato, cherries, and a hint of vanilla.
Sweet red fruited palate. Red licorice, limoncello, with nice acid bite. more fruit driven than the wines to date, but good balance thanks to the bright acid.
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My 12 case wine refrigerators cooling unit failed two years ago. The price to replace the cooling unit or total storage unit is prohibitive. Wines have aged faster than when the unit was working. This one was one of the casualties. Its not spoiled, but is older than it should be. Fruit has dissipated and a mustiness has developed. Its still pretty good but it used to be a contender.
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Cork fell apart at the bottom; fruity warmer style with delicious mixed wild berry, some black tea; Pretty rose/floral notes more notable on day two. Too big for the salmon on day one and worked better with the beef. Great, albeit it seemed as if there was some merlot thrown in. Still has the structure to hold.
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Perfectly cellared magnum PnP. Classic W/S & Olivet Lane drinking beautifully with fully integrated complexity. Liquid velvet delivering beautiful black cherry & berry fruit, fine fine dried spice and a quite satisfyingly longgg tender finish.
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Agree with others of a hard candy profile. Tannins are taking a back seat and the tart cranberry and soy is in a good place. I don't see this lasting as long as other WS pinots but still a nice wine for the vintage
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PnP, no decant, slightly chilled. Clear, deep ruby/purple. Due to vintage, a lighter and thinner wine. Not over extracted, tart, med body finish/intensity, better with 1 hour air time. Very CA in profile. Decent wine but not special considering price. Nothing off. $79
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Used Coravin. Inviting nose of dark fruits, earth, and spice. I liked the ripeness of fruit - not overly ripe and relatively restrained in the context of WS pinots. Tastes of blackberries, baking spice, touch of orange zest. This was overly oaked to my taste, and both the tannins and finish were slightly rough. Maybe this will smooth out with two additional years in bottle. Even so, it's quite nice now.
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Popped and poured. Followed over 3 hours. Inadvertently grabbed this bottle enroute to restaurant.
Color is darker then other WS. Nose is quite fragrant with dark Hood River cherries. Masculine. Pure flavors of dark/black cherry, fresh tomato, hint of mushroom, and wet earth. Firm mouth feel that softens dramatically on the very long finish. Nice acidity. Delicious precise fruit.
Delicious. A masculine WS pinot for sure. I think this was a cooler vintage in RRV. Obviously a youngster, but freakin' tasty.
Dark ruby color. Nose of dark fruit, ollalieberry and black cherry. A little vegetal also, maybe a hint of tomato. On the palate, intense rich cherry and blackberry. Reasonably long finish. I feel like this would be much better with some years on it, but drinking well as very rich, fruit forward CA pinot.
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3/7/2024 - VinoAddict wrote:
Fantastic Pinot that remains fresh despite the age. 13-years in bottle and starting to mellow, but still showing lots of character. Features bright red fruit, sweet vanilla and a nice amount of acidity. Very approachable; no decanting required.
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11/26/2022 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright cherry color. Sweet macerated cherries, black cherry, cardamon and baking spices on the nose and palate. Incredible fresh and lively for time in the bottle. Palate slightly faded and thin. Sweet vanilla on the cherry finish. Toward the end, but still quite remarkable.
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12/27/2021 - bobdobilina wrote: 92 Points
Strong, bright, currant color.
Powerful nose of chinato, cherries, and a hint of vanilla.
Sweet red fruited palate. Red licorice, limoncello, with nice acid bite. more fruit driven than the wines to date, but good balance thanks to the bright acid.
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8/28/2021 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 94 Points
Same note as last time. Fabulous Pinot. Perhaps starting to fade.
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4/9/2021 - Castle Peak wrote: 94 Points
Bright, fresh and youthful. Layers of elegant yet assertive flavors and textures. This was really good.
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10/18/2020 - brujazz wrote: 86 Points
My 12 case wine refrigerators cooling unit failed two years ago. The price to replace the cooling unit or total storage unit is prohibitive. Wines have aged faster than when the unit was working. This one was one of the casualties. Its not spoiled, but is older than it should be. Fruit has dissipated and a mustiness has developed. Its still pretty good but it used to be a contender.
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5/30/2020 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was my favorite WS Pinot. Drinking great with age.
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8/27/2019 - rosenst1 wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Medium red. Ripe red fruited nose. Just not that interesting; as the fruit and finish are a bit angular and out of balance. Not my style.
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8/21/2019 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork fell apart at the bottom; fruity warmer style with delicious mixed wild berry, some black tea; Pretty rose/floral notes more notable on day two. Too big for the salmon on day one and worked better with the beef. Great, albeit it seemed as if there was some merlot thrown in. Still has the structure to hold.
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12/29/2018 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding Pinot. Probably the best I've tasted from Williams Selyem.
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11/4/2018 - VinoAddict wrote:
Light bodied Pinot that still manages to have a lot of depth and can hold its own when paired with a meal.
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10/13/2018 - Deadhead wrote: 92 Points
Well balanced. Black and blue fruits.
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10/9/2018 - up4wine wrote: 91 Points
High quality Russian River Pinot, but didn't ring any bells for me.
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4/2/2018 - IAmVintage wrote: 92 Points
Perfectly cellared magnum PnP. Classic W/S & Olivet Lane drinking beautifully with fully integrated complexity. Liquid velvet delivering beautiful black cherry & berry fruit, fine fine dried spice and a quite satisfyingly longgg tender finish.
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8/13/2017 - escar0le Likes this wine: 91 Points
very nice fruit for lost quite a bit of its power after about 30 minutes in the glass
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1/1/2017 - haldolugr wrote: flawed
Was bummed but as we opened it the cork was a hot mess and the smell was obvious, just a few sips from me and the Mrs. to confirm it.
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12/3/2016 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with others of a hard candy profile. Tannins are taking a back seat and the tart cranberry and soy is in a good place. I don't see this lasting as long as other WS pinots but still a nice wine for the vintage
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11/27/2016 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP, no decant, slightly chilled. Clear, deep ruby/purple. Due to vintage, a lighter and thinner wine. Not over extracted, tart, med body finish/intensity, better with 1 hour air time. Very CA in profile. Decent wine but not special considering price. Nothing off. $79
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5/24/2016 - SMZ wrote: 93 Points
In a nice drinking window, typical WS Pinot.....smooth as velvet and very flavorful
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2/13/2016 - kleinahoe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic. Full. Finish.
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10/28/2015 - SteadyEddy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Used Coravin. Inviting nose of dark fruits, earth, and spice. I liked the ripeness of fruit - not overly ripe and relatively restrained in the context of WS pinots. Tastes of blackberries, baking spice, touch of orange zest. This was overly oaked to my taste, and both the tannins and finish were slightly rough. Maybe this will smooth out with two additional years in bottle. Even so, it's quite nice now.
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7/3/2015 - arthrovine wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Followed over 3 hours. Inadvertently grabbed this bottle enroute to restaurant.
Color is darker then other WS. Nose is quite fragrant with dark Hood River cherries. Masculine. Pure flavors of dark/black cherry, fresh tomato, hint of mushroom, and wet earth. Firm mouth feel that softens dramatically on the very long finish. Nice acidity. Delicious precise fruit.
Delicious. A masculine WS pinot for sure. I think this was a cooler vintage in RRV. Obviously a youngster, but freakin' tasty.
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8/4/2014 - peolsf Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose of dark fruit, ollalieberry and black cherry. A little vegetal also, maybe a hint of tomato. On the palate, intense rich cherry and blackberry. Reasonably long finish. I feel like this would be much better with some years on it, but drinking well as very rich, fruit forward CA pinot.
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