2017 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes

Community Tasting Notes (14) Avg Score: 91.4 points

  • Flat no aging potential. ? Winemaker disruption with cali fires? Help us here

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  • "Duckhorn Portfolio" - I guess I missed all these mergers and acquisitions, not only with this wine, but others.( I heard the other day Duckhorn bought Sonoma Cutrer, too!)
    Mt Harlan

    Decant 30 minutes just to remove dark sludge sediment.
    Will keep a glass overnight in Magnum decanter to somewhat assess it potential longevity etc
    Addendum - tannins have definitely softened in the overnight air.. but also very present!
    So to me, this still has significant longevity in it.
    (That said, it's also delicate enough to pair with the shaved Garlics and Basil Atlantic Scampi with Rose'sauced Penne`.)

    Usual PN characteristics
    Ruby (no garnet rim), but deeper red, though still a translucence
    Raspberry Red Cherry
    (Fresh Sour cherry on mid palate and finish)
    Blood orange peel
    Earth Mushrooms Sage savory
    forest floor
    Grandpa's sweet pipe tobacco

    Body med
    Alcohol high
    Acid high
    Tannins silky, resolving, yet very present
    Viscosity fully enveloping
    Finish medium long 45- 60s

    Having consumed this wine in the early 90s, from an early 80s vintage, this wine is significantly less appealing.
    I'm uncertain the alcohol content in this wine benefits it?
    It's definitely a nice wine, well made etc.
    But, when I compare this, to Drouhin Oregon Roserock Zephrine, for exactly the same cost per bottle, I would buy the Oregonian blessing to our world!

    That said, I recall the earlier vintages of Mills, as absolutely stunning.
    And frankly, even here, I'm splitting hairs!

    This wine is really delicious.
    I will continue to buy it.

    PN 100%
    14.5% abv

    Tonight's red w thin Air fried pork chops and Oregon cheddar filled gnocchi with a rosemary basil rose sauce.. maybe the reason for the wine's sour cherry finish? (Seems weird, but tastes great!)



    PS- Drink The Rainbow!

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  • Had the chance to try this again, over two days. After a few hours this showed a little more than a year ago, but this doesn't reach the same heights as previous vintages I have had. I'm not sure what to think, as I can't imagine the sale would have had much to do with it, but those is a huge letdown for a $75 wine

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  • I think this is pretty great. Not fully integrated yet but great red and plum fruits, goos acid and medium tannins. Slightly hot but I like this style.

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  • Brought by a neighbor. Quick note: rather bland on opening. Improved with time with light red berry fruit. Good to Very Good.

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  • Visit to Migration (Napa): fourth Pinot… very complex and elegant, just getting into its drinking window.

    somewhat translucent garnet colour in the glass with medium plus body. the perfumed nose offers a rich bouquet of currants, cherry, blood orange, flower petals, forest floor and whiffs of spice. incredibly smooth and round in the mouth, it is juicy and fresh while not overly fruity… some earthy and savoury notes come thru and give the wine a lovely complexity into a nice long finish with just a bit of heat. this should develop some more and drink very well (upside potential).

    14.5% AbV; seventeen months in french oak (30% new, 20% second use, 50% neutral).

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  • This was such a massive disappointment. This has always been one of my favorite Pinot Noir's from CA. The 2016 was sensational. I am not sure exactly when the wine making duties passed to the Duckhorn team, but this is nothing like the Mills vineyard of old. There is no personality, no savory qualities. It's a fine PN, but rather boring and one note. I hope this was a one off bottle, but fear that the days of great Pinot Noir from California night be over.

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  • Very nice wine from this classic Pinot Noir producer. Color is medium; body is medium/heavy; nose has traditional earthiness with lots of additional fruit and herbal complexity mixed in. Taste is velvety with restrained acid and some mild heat on the finish. The founder Josh Jensen recently passed away; hoping Duckhorn and his family will continue the tradition of excellence at Calera.

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  • Pale red with reflections of ruby. Even with air, this shows elements of reduction, but not enough to obscure the somewhat masculine aromas of sour red cherries, Bing cherries, brier, stems, vanilla, orange peel and dark earth. Medium to full bodied on the palate with medium to medium+ acidity, a lot of texture from ripe tannins and plenty of sweet fruit, toast and spice flavors. This is at once crowd pleasing and interesting.

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  • Great Pinot ! Nice balance of fruit and acidity. Easy drinking with a nice touch of dark red concentrated fruit and a relatively full body.
    Really enjoyed this Calera.

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  • Not my style of Pinot

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  • Decanted over 2 hours, aromatic, with minty berries on the nose, rich and expansive in the mouth, velvety texture holding flavors of red berry, mushroom, spice and plum, fans out on the finish, drinking well now, even though these have a reputation for aging well, I see this as a go to early on, had with rotisserie chicken

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  • Noticeably pale. Very earthy, herbal, stem inclusion? Good entry, nice fruit complexity, quite an intense spread of fruit. A distinctive style of PN but very enjoyable. Nice delicacy here yet concentration also.

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  • Nose- bright red fruit. Raspberry, cherry, strawberry. Rose petal, cedar.

    Palate- red fruit forward. Again raspberry and cherry. Really amazing linger on this one even for the seemingly light mouthfeel. Not very spicy.

    Have loved the Mills for nearly a decade. It redefined Pinot Noir for me. This is another great example. Excited to revisit in a bit.

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