Medium red color, mixed berry nose expanding with time, ripe mixed berry (mostly cherry) fruit, a it sweet, very smooth with a medium length sweet fruit finish. Actually a tasty wine with king salmon. We will drink our remaining bottles over the next 2-3 years.
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A quick taste from a 750ml. Good fill and intact cork. A nice wine with delicate flavors, but drink up. This is an example of how Williams Selyem's blends can age nicely beyond five to seven years. Of course there are contributing factors such as vintage, bottle size, and of course storage.
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P/w 1 hour decant. Good cork. Clear, purple w/brown tint, some bottom sediment. Very nice, big Pinot nose. Well integrated, perfectly balanced wine in ideal drinking window. Not too ripe with good acid. Big and rich with nothing off. Just as good after 12 hours with same flavor intensity. Still got lots of time left but why wait. Nothing off, D/J
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Initial nose of strawberry which over time evolved to add some root beer aromas and allspice. Hazy lighter red color to the eye. Nice sweet berries on the palate. Nice wine. Served with grilled pizza.
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PnP w/15 min decant. Very slight fine haze, med ruby color, nice legs. Proper clean/big nose. Med body/finish, good integration/balance, nice acid/soft tannin. Not over the top extraction w/correct Pinot flavor profile. Good juice in prime drinking window. Nothing off, $49. Should hold for another few years yet but why wait.
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PnP w/10 min glass time. Clear, med purple/red color. Med nose. This RR was very nice. I like 05 Pinots, they are rich/bold. Nice balance, big, proper Pinot flavors. Decent finish. Good drinking window. Nothing off.
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Very enjoyable for its silky texture; overtly sweet, but balanced out by a light to moderate earthiness. What I sometimes don't like in WS Pinots is pronounced cola/sassafras, present a couple of years ago in this wine is no longer at all in evidence here. A good example of this style of Pinot, and a wine that definitely improved and integrated with medium-term bottle age.
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Drinking well. Definitely at it's prime. Cherry cola on the palate. Light and not much complexity. Very enjoyable to drink with my favorite Pinot noir cheese...port salute.
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13.8% alcohol. This has hit its peak, and it's absolutely beautiful. Very light red cherry color. On the nose, bursting with red cherry, spice, floral, and mushroom notes. In the mouth, a vibrant, balanced wine that showcases the best of red cherry from the Russian River, along with tea and floral notes that are bolstered by earthy spice. Still a nice acidic kick. Strong finish. Just delightful. A-
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PnP. This is a very good wine but singular dimensioned. Light RRV color and body with a hint of baking spices. I'll update this if a little air softens the palate.
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Color: clear light garnet center, with lightening to rose at the edges. Even a clear outer ring. Nose: after initial blast of cherry, showed good earth notes, leaves, with cola coming out after about 30 minutes. On the palate, big dark fruits, cherries, some tart plum, with good balance and depth. The long finish offers up cola to follow up the early fruit impression.
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Medium-weight, precisely flavored (with a prominent sassafras component), a lot to like here. I'm not sure that additional time will knit together the already enjoyable flavors, but only that integration is lacking from making this wine all it could be. There is a real danger in extended aging here, it seems to me. Worth another year or two in the cellar before popping last cork; downside seems larger than upside for waiting any longer than that.
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This was story-book William's Selyem. Guests for dinner compared it very favorably with some of the top Burgundian wines from France. The wine had a bright medium intensity garnet ruby color in the glass. On the nose it was classic "Bill and the same for the flavors. Lots of cherry, some spice and earth...all at just the right intensity. The wine was medium weight and elegant.
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Popped and poured, sweet candied red fruit in the nose, with a hint of floral spice. Red plum, cherry and vanilla on the palate that turns a little sour on the finish. A little thin and underwhelming but still tasty. Based on this bottle, I would drink sooner than latter.
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13.8% alcohol. Light cherry color. Beautiful nose of red cherry, black cherry, a bit of spice, and a distinct floral note. In the mouth, elegant and with great balance. Full of fruit, with good layers of floral and mineral complexity. Gentle but necessary acidity. Long finish. Delightful and retaining plenty of life for a few more years. A-
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Lots of cherry and a bit of strawberry on the nose and front palate. Fades gracefully to some tobacco and tea and finishes with a bit of toast. Nice red color and pleasant mouth feel.
1/21/11 Noted more black fruit in the second bottle. A very nice transfer from fruity front to complex mid-palate to smooth finish. Integration and complexity was good. Would probably notch it up a point or two versus the first rating.
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Pop n Pour. Beautiful texture, integration and power. Deliciously complex nose of red fruits, hot stones, tobacco leaf and black tea. Approx $55, drink thru 2014
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This wine is in a great place right now. Lightly decanter shortly before drinking. Great aromatics. On the palate dried cherries, raspberry, spice. Everything seems well integrated. Just a very enjoyable Pinot at a very affordable price. Wish I had a few more!
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(light) Medium bodied with a delicate, almost subdued nose. This is clearly drinking in its prime right now. 13.8% abv, drink this over the next 3-4 years for best enjoyment. Approx $45.
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Evvia Brenda Sonia -- Huge sweet nose of bing cherry, strawberry and candied maple elements. Nice and assertive on the palate, ripe and balanced with tons of oozing dark fruits, spicy oak and a balsamic element.
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Paired well with "Pork Broth w/ Sesame Seeds" (any pork-lovin' foodie / oenophile out there should get Stephane Reynaud's "Pork & Sons", PHAIDON, 2007). VERY easy-drinker. Could it be more complex? Yes. Do I care on a Monday w/ my yummy bowl of pork? Not really. I wish I had a case. Would be a wonderful summer BBQ wine. A winning combo of flavors. Crowd-pleaser.
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nose of cherries, rose petals, tatami (damp bamboo). palate of cherries, cola, medium finish w. nice acidity to keep everything in balance. had w/ pot roast.
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A very forward and enjoyable nose pushes this to the 90 score. On the palate, nice bright and pure approach, with noticeable cola notes accompanying the pinot fruit. Lacks depth/complexity to push score higher. Medium-long finish.
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With sauteed mahi mahi, with rub. Lovely nose, medium in color. Lorena pegged it as Pinot when I handed her the glass. Elegant, clean, with good acidity and a finish of cherry fruit that linger on and coats the tongue for 30 seconds. Bright and refreshing, very good with the fish and terrific to just contemplate. Lovely. LC 3.5++/4.0-
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A savory melange of dark cherries, plums, and raspberry with rose, baking spices, brown sugar and a hint of pepper. Cabral finds a bit of smoky bacon and another CT denizen finds herbs which I do as well with contemplation. This gained some needed weight (to medium bodied) when the tannins revealed themselves with an hour or so of airtime. I wouldn't call this one dimensional but nor would I call it complex and the finish is a bit simple if moderately long. I wouldn't mind a little more natural acidity, either. 89-90, worth the price IMO. It doesn't have a ton of style, but will be liked by most anyone.
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Bright, elegant style of pinot. With cherry and rapsberry fruit balanced vanilla, toasty oak and burnt sugar. Wine poseses greaty acidity and a silky texture, with good mid length finish. Only complaint is that the wine comes across as some what one dimensional. 89 pts.
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Decanted about 4 1/2 hours. On the nose was a good mixture of cherries and coffee bean. This was followed by brown spice and rose petals. The palate was very smooth, with cherries and roasted herbs, plus some mocha flavors and vanilla bean. it had a really good finish.
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I finally brought myself to crack my first bottle of WS. I started small with the 05 Sonoma County and set my expectations accordingly. They were exceeded. Vanilla and cherries upon opening were almost laser like. This then gave way to more complexity with spices and other fruit showing up. Throughout the bottle (which was decanted immediately upon opening @ around 60 degrees) the finish was so clean I couldn't believe it. The 1+ year wait to get my initial allocation was definitely worth it. A pleasure to drink...now how long can I hold off from cracking more?
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7/31/2022 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
Medium red color, mixed berry nose expanding with time, ripe mixed berry (mostly cherry) fruit, a it sweet, very smooth with a medium length sweet fruit finish. Actually a tasty wine with king salmon. We will drink our remaining bottles over the next 2-3 years.
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7/16/2022 - John Dunlap Likes this wine:
A quick taste from a 750ml. Good fill and intact cork. A nice wine with delicate flavors, but drink up. This is an example of how Williams Selyem's blends can age nicely beyond five to seven years. Of course there are contributing factors such as vintage, bottle size, and of course storage.
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11/8/2021 - MK9786 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still tasting fresh.
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10/13/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 86 Points
Nice red berry throughout, still fresh. Some nice baking spice, but overall slightly too sweet for my preference. Bought from WS at release.
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11/9/2014 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 92 Points
P/w 1 hour decant. Good cork. Clear, purple w/brown tint, some bottom sediment. Very nice, big Pinot nose. Well integrated, perfectly balanced wine in ideal drinking window. Not too ripe with good acid. Big and rich with nothing off. Just as good after 12 hours with same flavor intensity. Still got lots of time left but why wait. Nothing off, D/J
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10/10/2013 - astrauss wrote: 89 Points
Initial nose of strawberry which over time evolved to add some root beer aromas and allspice. Hazy lighter red color to the eye. Nice sweet berries on the palate. Nice wine. Served with grilled pizza.
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8/26/2013 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP w/15 min decant. Very slight fine haze, med ruby color, nice legs. Proper clean/big nose. Med body/finish, good integration/balance, nice acid/soft tannin. Not over the top extraction w/correct Pinot flavor profile. Good juice in prime drinking window. Nothing off, $49. Should hold for another few years yet but why wait.
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8/16/2013 - mnewzs wrote: 92 Points
Nicely balanced, I like the fruit
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7/29/2013 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP w/10 min glass time. Clear, med purple/red color. Med nose. This RR was very nice. I like 05 Pinots, they are rich/bold. Nice balance, big, proper Pinot flavors. Decent finish. Good drinking window. Nothing off.
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2/5/2013 - bhouk Likes this wine:
Very enjoyable for its silky texture; overtly sweet, but balanced out by a light to moderate earthiness. What I sometimes don't like in WS Pinots is pronounced cola/sassafras, present a couple of years ago in this wine is no longer at all in evidence here. A good example of this style of Pinot, and a wine that definitely improved and integrated with medium-term bottle age.
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11/17/2011 - Sir Lloyd wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well. Definitely at it's prime. Cherry cola on the palate. Light and not much complexity. Very enjoyable to drink with my favorite Pinot noir cheese...port salute.
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10/1/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
13.8% alcohol. This has hit its peak, and it's absolutely beautiful. Very light red cherry color. On the nose, bursting with red cherry, spice, floral, and mushroom notes. In the mouth, a vibrant, balanced wine that showcases the best of red cherry from the Russian River, along with tea and floral notes that are bolstered by earthy spice. Still a nice acidic kick. Strong finish. Just delightful. A-
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9/16/2011 - windypinot wrote: 87 Points
Nothing distinctive; popped and poured; subtle, medium body effort
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8/19/2011 - lynarthur wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking well - similar to last bottle.
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5/30/2011 - AccaDacca wrote: 89 Points
Cherry, cherry, cherry. Solid depth, with solid finish and fruit comes through nicely.
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2/2/2011 - plitton wrote: 89 Points
PnP. This is a very good wine but singular dimensioned. Light RRV color and body with a hint of baking spices. I'll update this if a little air softens the palate.
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6/25/2010 - Texas Jerky wrote: 88 Points
Color: clear light garnet center, with lightening to rose at the edges. Even a clear outer ring. Nose: after initial blast of cherry, showed good earth notes, leaves, with cola coming out after about 30 minutes. On the palate, big dark fruits, cherries, some tart plum, with good balance and depth. The long finish offers up cola to follow up the early fruit impression.
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5/30/2010 - bhouk wrote:
Medium-weight, precisely flavored (with a prominent sassafras component), a lot to like here. I'm not sure that additional time will knit together the already enjoyable flavors, but only that integration is lacking from making this wine all it could be. There is a real danger in extended aging here, it seems to me. Worth another year or two in the cellar before popping last cork; downside seems larger than upside for waiting any longer than that.
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5/27/2010 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
A great wine that seems to be drinking in its prime. Much more nuanced, balanced and light on its feet than the '05 Jayson also opened.
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1/25/2010 - treaganjr wrote: 90 Points
This was story-book William's Selyem. Guests for dinner compared it very favorably with some of the top Burgundian wines from France. The wine had a bright medium intensity garnet ruby color in the glass. On the nose it was classic "Bill and the same for the flavors. Lots of cherry, some spice and earth...all at just the right intensity. The wine was medium weight and elegant.
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12/27/2009 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured, sweet candied red fruit in the nose, with a hint of floral spice. Red plum, cherry and vanilla on the palate that turns a little sour on the finish. A little thin and underwhelming but still tasty. Based on this bottle, I would drink sooner than latter.
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11/15/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
13.8% alcohol. Light cherry color. Beautiful nose of red cherry, black cherry, a bit of spice, and a distinct floral note. In the mouth, elegant and with great balance. Full of fruit, with good layers of floral and mineral complexity. Gentle but necessary acidity. Long finish. Delightful and retaining plenty of life for a few more years. A-
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11/5/2009 - kleinahoe wrote: 92 Points
Big, full of fruit, nice structure
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10/14/2009 - plitton wrote: 87 Points
Unmistakably California Pinot but it's too harsh on the palate and finishes too alcoholy. Not going to get any better.
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8/12/2009 - underwds wrote: 90 Points
Lots of cherry and a bit of strawberry on the nose and front palate. Fades gracefully to some tobacco and tea and finishes with a bit of toast. Nice red color and pleasant mouth feel.
1/21/11 Noted more black fruit in the second bottle. A very nice transfer from fruity front to complex mid-palate to smooth finish. Integration and complexity was good. Would probably notch it up a point or two versus the first rating.
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8/3/2009 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
Nose is muted, flavors of strawberry and red fruits, nice acidity, good finish. This is a lighter Pinot and very enjoyable at this stage.
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6/10/2009 - lynarthur wrote: 90 Points
Drinking really well right now. A lighter wine from WS with a good balance of fruit and earthiness. Nice finish.
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6/9/2009 - Tim Heaton wrote:
consistent tn's. Decanted 1 hour. This is really ageing quite gracefully, with lots of silky red fruits and a clean finish. Drink thru 2014
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5/4/2009 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Pop n Pour. Beautiful texture, integration and power. Deliciously complex nose of red fruits, hot stones, tobacco leaf and black tea. Approx $55, drink thru 2014
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4/20/2009 - yui wrote: 90 Points
Another good one fr WS
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4/11/2009 - BigTarheel wrote: 90 Points
Classic, texture-driven Pinot.
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2/11/2009 - dmatley wrote: 92 Points
This wine is in a great place right now. Lightly decanter shortly before drinking. Great aromatics. On the palate dried cherries, raspberry, spice. Everything seems well integrated. Just a very enjoyable Pinot at a very affordable price. Wish I had a few more!
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12/24/2008 - Tim Heaton wrote:
(light) Medium bodied with a delicate, almost subdued nose. This is clearly drinking in its prime right now. 13.8% abv, drink this over the next 3-4 years for best enjoyment. Approx $45.
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12/17/2008 - shaneajohnson wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with earlier notes. Drinking very well right now.
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9/16/2008 - danstrings wrote: 90 Points
Evvia Brenda Sonia -- Huge sweet nose of bing cherry, strawberry and candied maple elements. Nice and assertive on the palate, ripe and balanced with tons of oozing dark fruits, spicy oak and a balsamic element.
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7/24/2008 - shaneajohnson wrote: 89 Points
Medium ruby in color. Nose and palate of cherry, red raspberry, and cola. Better with air. Could probably use some more time on the remaining bottles.
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2/18/2008 - porkfat wrote: 90 Points
Paired well with "Pork Broth w/ Sesame Seeds" (any pork-lovin' foodie / oenophile out there should get Stephane Reynaud's "Pork & Sons", PHAIDON, 2007). VERY easy-drinker. Could it be more complex? Yes. Do I care on a Monday w/ my yummy bowl of pork? Not really. I wish I had a case. Would be a wonderful summer BBQ wine. A winning combo of flavors. Crowd-pleaser.
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2/11/2008 - redbaron wrote: 90 Points
Cherries and cola on the palate. Medium weight with a nice mouthfeel and pleasing finish.
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2/3/2008 - HenryW wrote: 92 Points
Nose is reserved. Palate is much more lively with expressive cherry flavors and quite a nice finish.
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12/31/2007 - yui wrote: 90 Points
nose of cherries, rose petals, tatami (damp bamboo). palate of cherries, cola, medium finish w. nice acidity to keep everything in balance. had w/ pot roast.
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12/26/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
A very forward and enjoyable nose pushes this to the 90 score. On the palate, nice bright and pure approach, with noticeable cola notes accompanying the pinot fruit. Lacks depth/complexity to push score higher. Medium-long finish.
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11/17/2007 - kleinahoe wrote: 91 Points
Balanced, light, full of fruit
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11/16/2007 - Colima74 wrote: 92 Points
With sauteed mahi mahi, with rub. Lovely nose, medium in color. Lorena pegged it as Pinot when I handed her the glass. Elegant, clean, with good acidity and a finish of cherry fruit that linger on and coats the tongue for 30 seconds. Bright and refreshing, very good with the fish and terrific to just contemplate. Lovely. LC 3.5++/4.0-
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7/5/2007 - silton wrote: 89 Points
A savory melange of dark cherries, plums, and raspberry with rose, baking spices, brown sugar and a hint of pepper. Cabral finds a bit of smoky bacon and another CT denizen finds herbs which I do as well with contemplation. This gained some needed weight (to medium bodied) when the tannins revealed themselves with an hour or so of airtime. I wouldn't call this one dimensional but nor would I call it complex and the finish is a bit simple if moderately long. I wouldn't mind a little more natural acidity, either. 89-90, worth the price IMO. It doesn't have a ton of style, but will be liked by most anyone.
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6/23/2007 - oeno8105 wrote: 91 Points
A little richer than the Sonoma Coast and almost as good.
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6/9/2007 - Bunski wrote: 89 Points
Well done, light and not overly complex. Smooth and enjoyable.
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6/1/2007 - riccodog13 wrote: 89 Points
Bright, elegant style of pinot. With cherry and rapsberry fruit balanced vanilla, toasty oak and burnt sugar. Wine poseses greaty acidity and a silky texture, with good mid length finish. Only complaint is that the wine comes across as some what one dimensional. 89 pts.
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5/20/2007 - mmurry wrote: 90 Points
Decanted about 4 1/2 hours. On the nose was a good mixture of cherries and coffee bean. This was followed by brown spice and rose petals. The palate was very smooth, with cherries and roasted herbs, plus some mocha flavors and vanilla bean. it had a really good finish.
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4/12/2007 - MBrown wrote: 90 Points
I finally brought myself to crack my first bottle of WS. I started small with the 05 Sonoma County and set my expectations accordingly. They were exceeded. Vanilla and cherries upon opening were almost laser like. This then gave way to more complexity with spices and other fruit showing up. Throughout the bottle (which was decanted immediately upon opening @ around 60 degrees) the finish was so clean I couldn't believe it. The 1+ year wait to get my initial allocation was definitely worth it. A pleasure to drink...now how long can I hold off from cracking more?
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