-- decanted 1.25 hrs before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours --
NOSE: high-toned, aged, Pinot nose; still fruity, but developing into baked red fruit leathers; expressive; background mix of aged Pinot funk and mineral.
BODY: dark garnet color with slight bricking throughout; color is of medium-deep depth; lots of fine particulate matter present; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: medium to medium+ acidity; aged, ripe, red fruits; light to medium-light oak; aging well -- not falling apart at all; 14.0% alc. is hidden; cherry cough syrup; pleasant underlying savory note; good pairing with pork tenderloin. Drink or Hold; I have this marked as a "drink by 2030," and this bottle does not alter that outlook. It is open and drinking nicely right now. Gut impression score: 92
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I feel this has taken on a little more complexity since I opened the last bottle in 2017. Lean, elegant, great balance. Flowers, cranberries, spice and some musk. It is quite earthy and just slightly funky. Nice.
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Arcadian Tasting (Shari's Place): Rose petals, spices, strawberries and forest floor. Vibrant on the palate. Decant acidity. Much better than the Fiddlestix 01. Might improve with age.
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Arcadian Tasting (Shari's, Mpls, MN): Medium dark red color. Two hour decant, drank 1 small glass over 20 minutes. This was the best of the four pinots we tried. Shows pleasant earth and raspberry, red currant nose. The medium plus bodied palate is more sour red fruits, red currant, sour raspberry, slightly herbal, pretty spicy with wood and heat showing on the back end. The palate is a bit klunky.
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open several hours not decanted until into the glass, then drunk over two hours, as Arcadian's go this is larger in life, less elegant but given enough time seems to smooth out and become pretty nice. Not as good as the elegant Sleepy Hollows of 01 but who would think it should be, just don't assume all Arcadians are the same....
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Bought this on sale several years ago. Don't remember the price but think it was quite reasonable. The first glass had me asking why I don't drink more California PN. The second glass, however, reminded me why. Which is to say that this is a nice wine in the style of ripe PN, with red fruit and a bit of cola, and just a hint of flowers. But it grew quite heavy by the second glass and a tad cloying. Overall quite nice, and I'd even call it balanced for what it is, but a riper style of Pinot than I usually like. As is often the case for me with CA wines, they are really nice for a glass, making them excellent choices for gatherings, but for sitting with a bottle I prefer something with less octane.
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Big ripe dark cherry fruit with plenty of acidity to balance. mature fruit, secondary aromas and flavors in the range of five spice, some nice animal funk, and earth. This is a bigger riper Pinot from Arcadian, but still shows plenty of restraint and finesse. Alcohol is well hidden, and great complexity and balance. Tasty
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NOSE: pure, red fruits – smells a touch sweet – with a fleck of high-toned orange oil; light oak; still pretty straightforward, but in a tightly packed, rather than simple, kind of way.
BODY: medium to medium-full bodied; dark ruby color of medium-light to medium depth.
TASTE: red-fruited: sweet cranberry, red currant, and cherry; gentle oak; deeply embedded leather aspect that revealed itself only when paired with food (chicken & pasta in a red cream sauce with parm. cheese); long finish of medium intensity; very fine tannins; a bit glossy; 14% alc. not noticeable; great density to the fruit flavors, but not gloppy; medium to medium+ acidity; tastes young --- this must have at least 10 more years before it enters its prime drinking window; this is incredibly delicious, and I'm excited to follow it over the coming years.
American Pinot - a much needed education: well hello CALI Pinot. This is easily the biggest wine in the group. cherry cola and warm spices. ripe but balanced. Touch of the syrah-ish feel to it but only a touch. Ripe chewy mid. Almost tannic - and showing extremely young. Earthy mid. core of ripe fruit and a long finish with some zing. Whats not to love?? Perhaps not for the light-hearted but who cares? This is an excellent wine, big bold and soooo yummy. With all the great wines today - if i had to pick one to drink now - this would be my #2. Just pure pleasure.
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Dark garnet in color with rich cherry, raspberry, and some hints of earthiness. The palate is pretty big and forward with fruit. The finish is ok. Seems a little flabby and lacking some nerve to be great. It is still in the better, more balanced Cali pinot class, but not great.
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much nicer than the '06 i had a week ago, tannins largely receded, big nose of spices and some fruit, its a big wine a la cali pinot but the fruit is nicely balanced with complex spices/cinnamon/some herbs?, also the nice acid profile of Arcadian, so not overdone, very very nice (and i usually don't like calif pinots much, w arcadian and calera being exceptions)... have to wonder what this wine will taste like it 5 to 10 years, may try to save my second bottle to see
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A little green vegetable thing appearing tonight, which I love, along with the cherries and underbrush. Coming together nicely, glad to have a small stash.
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I read the comments of the other reviewers; something is off - my palate may be very different, the storage may be very different, I am having the wine with food and others not. I found this to be a beautiful wine. I think Joe Davis is a master. Full and beautiful from entry to mid to finish, completely balanced, yes tart in the finish which I love, especially with food. Hope to buy more JD wine soon.
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Much different showing than my last bottle in December. Nose is not showing as well, black cherry and a bit of v.a. and heat. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Better on the palate, with crunchy black cherry fruit and baking spice. Some tannins provide rusticity but not as much as I remember from the last bottle. Flavor profile is, dare I say, Burgundian.
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Slow ox'd in the bottle 2 hours prios to consumption. Wonderful palate full of sweet red berry flavors, plentiful spice and acid. Seemed to be open and drinking nicely even though it seemed a bit dense and dark. Ok with air and probably great with a few more years in the cellar.
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Nice ruby color to it. Took a bit to oen up, but when it did it was wonderful. Nose of spice and dark cherries. Flavors intensify on the palate. med bodied and damn tasty. Great acidity on the end picking this wine up. Kept coming back for more.
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Must've been a root day.: There's nothing wrong with this wine unless you don't like pinot that tastes like cola. It's got some nice cola-y fruit, enough acid to keep it from being cloying, a bit of oak that's not overwhelming. But I don't like pinot that tastes like cola.
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Pretty nose of black cherries, dried green herbs and baking spice. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Sweet black cherry fruit, earth and a touch of grippy tannin. A nice, rustic example of Cali pinot that isn't overripe or overoaked, but not particularly elegant or harmonious. Maybe it needs a few more years.
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A nice wine, but it's still way too early to have this. True to Arcadian style, this is built for aging; the tannic material is very noticeable now but there's some sweet strawberry fruit waiting to emerge from behind those tannins. I wouldn't be surprised to see this wine really blossom in 3-5 years. A 2007 Fiddlestix was more approachable, so hands off this vintage for now. 90 ++, denoting potential for unusually great improvement with proper age.
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I had this with grilled chicken on 8/15/11. It had a wonderful, fragrant bouquet of barnyard, cherry, orange peel, anise, white pepper and spice aromas. The palate was focused, silky and tart with flavors of cherry, blood orange, white pepper, anise and spice. 91+
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Heady cola, cherry, medicine, mineral nuances; very soft, smooth entry but expands with good concentration in the mouth; Intense but tart berry finish. Excellent. maybe 91.
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My, what a difference 18 months has made on this wine since I last checked in on her. Much more open for business. There's a very appealing red apple skin/sour cherry note that is so alluring...it's a bit reminiscent of Joe's Clos Pepe...at least based on the last couple of bottles I drank (coincidentally about 18 months ago as well).
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Still not "there" yet, but almost, and much better than my bottle two years ago that was wrapped up tight. Has some of that Burgundian intensity on the palate with any weight or flab. Tat cherry notes along with brown sugar and baking spice. Very pretty wine. Longish, tart finish. I think there is still some tertiary development to come (based on Joe's track record), but this is coming along nicely.
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Decanted 1 hour. Pretty dark in color and nose is very spicy and wreaks of pinot. Fairly rich and voluptuous on palate. Cherries and spices and seamless. Nice. A little cellar time helped this wine.
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Tasted at Bella Vista Santa Barbara. The deep color foreshadowed a bigger, brasher wine than this. Gentle tannins immediately upon opening. Beautifully balanced . What Central Coast Pinots should aspire to.
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I am not sure I agree with the previous assessment, this wine has amazing color and a stunning thick nose with the same blue berry flavor.. Excellent young and very good.
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The least ready of any Arcadian I've yet to experience. So tight and austere, I reckon it was barely enjoyable. Not much on the nose, faint notes of cherry and smoke. Palate is angular and tight, puckering sour cherry dominates. Occasionally, there are glimpses of blackberry fruit that lurks behind the wall of structure. Needs time
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Solid but not outstanding pinot with some CA sour cherry fruit forwardness but more austere Burgundian qualities. Sl. pinot funk on the nose, medium bodied, residual tannins and slight herbal acidity on the finish. Evolved nicely over an hour or two suggesting additional cellar time will benefit it.
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Weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley; 3/27/2009-3/30/2009 (Solvang, Los Olivos, Lompoc, and surround areas): Popped and poured at the winery, but tasted several times over about 2 hours. Much darker color and overall character than the Pisoni we tasted this next to. Deep dark cherry, smoke and a bit of underlying clove on the nose which carries over into the rich and more medium bodied mouthfeel versus the Pisoni. Flavors of blackberry and dark cherries evolve into a lighter strawberry out of the finish. Excellent balance and structure with mild acidity and tannins that build as the wine takes air. This wine, as with most of Joe's wines, needs more time to really come together. Excellent now, but will be blockbuster with a few more years in the bottle.
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2009 Family Winemakers of California San Diego Tasting (Del Mar Fairgrounds): This is easily one of the most complex and profound noses of the tasting for me; it offers aromas of earth, wet stones, fresh cut grass, raspberries, and cherries. Simply gorgeous. The palate does not let down either; it has great grip, zingy acidity, and wonderful flavors of cherry, minerals, and herbs. The structure is obviously here but it is wonderfully transparent at this stage letting the crystalline fruit and minerality show through. Wow, I love this. 94+
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very fresh pepper and blood orange slightly pungent and wild, after a 30 mins this wine really starts to pop and open up nicely. Reminds me of a young 02 pommard... very good to great
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Impromptu Friday Night Tasting - Kutch, Arcadian, Flowers; 6/6/2008-6/7/2008: Beautiful, intoxicating nose of strawberries and cherries. Definitely some earth tones on the palate. Even though this was decanted for a while it is sitll very tightly wound now. Lots of structure and a nice tart finish. This is going to take some time to strut its stuff, but it should be terrific with some age. Rating based on how it is drinking now, it will be much better in 6-8 years.
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4/19/2022 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted 1.25 hrs before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours --
NOSE: high-toned, aged, Pinot nose; still fruity, but developing into baked red fruit leathers; expressive; background mix of aged Pinot funk and mineral.
BODY: dark garnet color with slight bricking throughout; color is of medium-deep depth; lots of fine particulate matter present; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: medium to medium+ acidity; aged, ripe, red fruits; light to medium-light oak; aging well -- not falling apart at all; 14.0% alc. is hidden; cherry cough syrup; pleasant underlying savory note; good pairing with pork tenderloin. Drink or Hold; I have this marked as a "drink by 2030," and this bottle does not alter that outlook. It is open and drinking nicely right now. Gut impression score: 92
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2/11/2021 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
I feel this has taken on a little more complexity since I opened the last bottle in 2017. Lean, elegant, great balance. Flowers, cranberries, spice and some musk. It is quite earthy and just slightly funky. Nice.
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3/19/2017 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Arcadian Tasting (Shari's Place): Rose petals, spices, strawberries and forest floor. Vibrant on the palate. Decant acidity. Much better than the Fiddlestix 01. Might improve with age.
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3/18/2017 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Arcadian Tasting (Shari's Condo): Decanted 2 hours, which seemed right. Lean, elegant, great balance. Flowers, cranberries, spice and some musk.
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3/18/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
Arcadian Tasting (Shari's, Mpls, MN): Medium dark red color. Two hour decant, drank 1 small glass over 20 minutes. This was the best of the four pinots we tried. Shows pleasant earth and raspberry, red currant nose. The medium plus bodied palate is more sour red fruits, red currant, sour raspberry, slightly herbal, pretty spicy with wood and heat showing on the back end. The palate is a bit klunky.
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12/18/2016 - Goldiej wrote:
14.0 alc/vol
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6/22/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another simply delicious Arcadian pinot!
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6/15/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much more open and nuanced fruit with floral notes compared with the prior bottle. Drinking beautifully!
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3/23/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe vintage but with the backbone and acidity to pull it together. Quite tasty pinot!
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2/29/2016 - Louvin Likes this wine: 90 Points
open several hours not decanted until into the glass, then drunk over two hours, as Arcadian's go this is larger in life, less elegant but given enough time seems to smooth out and become pretty nice. Not as good as the elegant Sleepy Hollows of 01 but who would think it should be, just don't assume all Arcadians are the same....
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2/10/2016 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Bought this on sale several years ago. Don't remember the price but think it was quite reasonable. The first glass had me asking why I don't drink more California PN. The second glass, however, reminded me why. Which is to say that this is a nice wine in the style of ripe PN, with red fruit and a bit of cola, and just a hint of flowers. But it grew quite heavy by the second glass and a tad cloying. Overall quite nice, and I'd even call it balanced for what it is, but a riper style of Pinot than I usually like. As is often the case for me with CA wines, they are really nice for a glass, making them excellent choices for gatherings, but for sitting with a bottle I prefer something with less octane.
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11/27/2015 - mcook Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big ripe dark cherry fruit with plenty of acidity to balance. mature fruit, secondary aromas and flavors in the range of five spice, some nice animal funk, and earth. This is a bigger riper Pinot from Arcadian, but still shows plenty of restraint and finesse. Alcohol is well hidden, and great complexity and balance. Tasty
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7/18/2015 - grafstrb wrote: 93 Points
Arcadian Retrospective in the O.C. (Casa del Dietz): -- tasted non-blind on Day 3 --
NOSE: pure, red fruits – smells a touch sweet – with a fleck of high-toned orange oil; light oak; still pretty straightforward, but in a tightly packed, rather than simple, kind of way.
BODY: medium to medium-full bodied; dark ruby color of medium-light to medium depth.
TASTE: red-fruited: sweet cranberry, red currant, and cherry; gentle oak; deeply embedded leather aspect that revealed itself only when paired with food (chicken & pasta in a red cream sauce with parm. cheese); long finish of medium intensity; very fine tannins; a bit glossy; 14% alc. not noticeable; great density to the fruit flavors, but not gloppy; medium to medium+ acidity; tastes young --- this must have at least 10 more years before it enters its prime drinking window; this is incredibly delicious, and I'm excited to follow it over the coming years.
50, 5, 12, 17, 9 = 93+ (nearly went 50, 5, 12, 18, 9 = 94)
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5/15/2015 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
American Pinot - a much needed education: well hello CALI Pinot. This is easily the biggest wine in the group. cherry cola and warm spices. ripe but balanced. Touch of the syrah-ish feel to it but only a touch. Ripe chewy mid. Almost tannic - and showing extremely young. Earthy mid. core of ripe fruit and a long finish with some zing. Whats not to love?? Perhaps not for the light-hearted but who cares? This is an excellent wine, big bold and soooo yummy. With all the great wines today - if i had to pick one to drink now - this would be my #2. Just pure pleasure.
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8/22/2014 - amateurwino wrote: 90 Points
A tad ripe for an Arcadian but very accessible pinot, perfect for summer BBQ.
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9/2/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
Dark garnet in color with rich cherry, raspberry, and some hints of earthiness. The palate is pretty big and forward with fruit. The finish is ok. Seems a little flabby and lacking some nerve to be great. It is still in the better, more balanced Cali pinot class, but not great.
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7/27/2013 - Nils1921 wrote:
Ready to drink.
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11/30/2012 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Cherries and earth, high toned, mouth filling with a long finish. A real pretty wine.
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10/27/2012 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
much nicer than the '06 i had a week ago, tannins largely receded, big nose of spices and some fruit, its a big wine a la cali pinot but the fruit is nicely balanced with complex spices/cinnamon/some herbs?, also the nice acid profile of Arcadian, so not overdone, very very nice (and i usually don't like calif pinots much, w arcadian and calera being exceptions)... have to wonder what this wine will taste like it 5 to 10 years, may try to save my second bottle to see
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10/11/2012 - tbone wrote:
A little green vegetable thing appearing tonight, which I love, along with the cherries and underbrush. Coming together nicely, glad to have a small stash.
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8/25/2012 - Giacomo wrote: 92 Points
I read the comments of the other reviewers; something is off - my palate may be very different, the storage may be very different, I am having the wine with food and others not. I found this to be a beautiful wine. I think Joe Davis is a master. Full and beautiful from entry to mid to finish, completely balanced, yes tart in the finish which I love, especially with food. Hope to buy more JD wine soon.
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8/22/2012 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much different showing than my last bottle in December. Nose is not showing as well, black cherry and a bit of v.a. and heat. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Better on the palate, with crunchy black cherry fruit and baking spice. Some tannins provide rusticity but not as much as I remember from the last bottle. Flavor profile is, dare I say, Burgundian.
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7/31/2012 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 82 Points
odd. liked it out of the bottle. sour cherries. nice cinnamon nose. after 30 minutes, became very generic. OTH?
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7/24/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 87 Points
Needs time. Opened up over the course of two hours. Probably needs a decant at this time. Probably never will be ethereal.
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6/17/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 88 Points
Very good California pinot, but not great. Comparable: Pablo Sandoval.
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5/19/2012 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Santa Barbara County Tasting Trip - Day 2 (Tercero, Scott Cellars, Qupé/Verdad/Ethan, Sides Restuarant) (Los Olivos, CA): Ordered at Sides restaurant in Los Olivos. Lots of juicy fruit, gorgeous and focused. Lacked a little acidity, I thought, especially of a wine of this pedigree. I have to say that I was a little disappointed -- I've heard that these Pinots are more old world than new. Not the case with this wine.
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4/14/2012 - tyvoodoo wrote:
Slow ox'd in the bottle 2 hours prios to consumption. Wonderful palate full of sweet red berry flavors, plentiful spice and acid. Seemed to be open and drinking nicely even though it seemed a bit dense and dark. Ok with air and probably great with a few more years in the cellar.
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3/1/2012 - yonster24 wrote:
Nice ruby color to it. Took a bit to oen up, but when it did it was wonderful. Nose of spice and dark cherries. Flavors intensify on the palate. med bodied and damn tasty. Great acidity on the end picking this wine up. Kept coming back for more.
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1/16/2012 - coremill wrote: 85 Points
Must've been a root day.: There's nothing wrong with this wine unless you don't like pinot that tastes like cola. It's got some nice cola-y fruit, enough acid to keep it from being cloying, a bit of oak that's not overwhelming. But I don't like pinot that tastes like cola.
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12/30/2011 - weingutwilhelm wrote: 90 Points
Funky, earthy, allspice, anise and vanilla. Medium body. Dried cherry, tart vibrant acidity. Lots of earth and spice and mature fruit character.
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12/29/2011 - lek5513 wrote:
- Purple color - Drank with Heidi and Debbie. Delicious
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12/13/2011 - OCgasman wrote: 85 Points
Just an ok bottle. This is good, not great.
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12/9/2011 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 88 Points
Pretty nose of black cherries, dried green herbs and baking spice. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Sweet black cherry fruit, earth and a touch of grippy tannin. A nice, rustic example of Cali pinot that isn't overripe or overoaked, but not particularly elegant or harmonious. Maybe it needs a few more years.
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11/27/2011 - amateurwino wrote: 90 Points
A nice wine, but it's still way too early to have this. True to Arcadian style, this is built for aging; the tannic material is very noticeable now but there's some sweet strawberry fruit waiting to emerge from behind those tannins. I wouldn't be surprised to see this wine really blossom in 3-5 years. A 2007 Fiddlestix was more approachable, so hands off this vintage for now. 90 ++, denoting potential for unusually great improvement with proper age.
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11/19/2011 - Giacomo wrote: 91 Points
Absolutely delicious, on a level with very good Pinot from Bourgogne.
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8/15/2011 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I had this with grilled chicken on 8/15/11. It had a wonderful, fragrant bouquet of barnyard, cherry, orange peel, anise, white pepper and spice aromas. The palate was focused, silky and tart with flavors of cherry, blood orange, white pepper, anise and spice. 91+
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7/30/2011 - OCgasman wrote:
Showing very little, even after 2 hrs. No score.
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5/23/2011 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Heady cola, cherry, medicine, mineral nuances; very soft, smooth entry but expands with good concentration in the mouth; Intense but tart berry finish. Excellent. maybe 91.
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5/21/2011 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Note on day 2. Stems and rubber on the nose. This starts out light on the palate and just builds into something very nice.
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5/18/2011 - rjoyer wrote:
My, what a difference 18 months has made on this wine since I last checked in on her. Much more open for business. There's a very appealing red apple skin/sour cherry note that is so alluring...it's a bit reminiscent of Joe's Clos Pepe...at least based on the last couple of bottles I drank (coincidentally about 18 months ago as well).
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5/13/2011 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Still not "there" yet, but almost, and much better than my bottle two years ago that was wrapped up tight. Has some of that Burgundian intensity on the palate with any weight or flab. Tat cherry notes along with brown sugar and baking spice. Very pretty wine. Longish, tart finish. I think there is still some tertiary development to come (based on Joe's track record), but this is coming along nicely.
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4/20/2011 - tbone wrote:
Decanted 1 hour. Pretty dark in color and nose is very spicy and wreaks of pinot. Fairly rich and voluptuous on palate. Cherries and spices and seamless. Nice. A little cellar time helped this wine.
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4/13/2011 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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3/20/2011 - Nedder_travels_the_world wrote: 92 Points
Nose: soft red fruits in a burgundy style. Taste: Sweet fruits, boysenberry, tart, berries, currants, pencil shavings and slate.
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3/5/2011 - Colima74 wrote: 89 Points
A little homgeneous. Red/dark red fruit, not particularly complex but very easy drinking.
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2/26/2011 - tederf wrote: 92 Points
Just great. Smoke, bacon, dark red fruit. Soft tannins - long finish. Really, really good right now.
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1/25/2011 - jpinsb wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at Bella Vista Santa Barbara. The deep color foreshadowed a bigger, brasher wine than this. Gentle tannins immediately upon opening. Beautifully balanced . What Central Coast Pinots should aspire to.
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10/6/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Really nice pinot.
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8/22/2010 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Juicy, tart, and earthy. Very rich, but not over the top.
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12/30/2009 - JOsgood wrote:
Very nice. I'd give a slight edge to the Tyler version of this vineyard and vintage.
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12/30/2009 - the godfather wrote:
another lovely PN from arcadian
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11/3/2009 - trucrime wrote: 93 Points
Black cherry and rich spice. Complex and lingering.
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9/29/2009 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
I am not sure I agree with the previous assessment, this wine has amazing color and a stunning thick nose with the same blue berry flavor.. Excellent young and very good.
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7/17/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 87 Points
The least ready of any Arcadian I've yet to experience. So tight and austere, I reckon it was barely enjoyable. Not much on the nose, faint notes of cherry and smoke. Palate is angular and tight, puckering sour cherry dominates. Occasionally, there are glimpses of blackberry fruit that lurks behind the wall of structure. Needs time
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3/28/2009 - kennyg wrote: 89 Points
Solid but not outstanding pinot with some CA sour cherry fruit forwardness but more austere Burgundian qualities. Sl. pinot funk on the nose, medium bodied, residual tannins and slight herbal acidity on the finish. Evolved nicely over an hour or two suggesting additional cellar time will benefit it.
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3/27/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 90 Points
Weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley; 3/27/2009-3/30/2009 (Solvang, Los Olivos, Lompoc, and surround areas): Popped and poured at the winery, but tasted several times over about 2 hours. Much darker color and overall character than the Pisoni we tasted this next to. Deep dark cherry, smoke and a bit of underlying clove on the nose which carries over into the rich and more medium bodied mouthfeel versus the Pisoni. Flavors of blackberry and dark cherries evolve into a lighter strawberry out of the finish. Excellent balance and structure with mild acidity and tannins that build as the wine takes air. This wine, as with most of Joe's wines, needs more time to really come together. Excellent now, but will be blockbuster with a few more years in the bottle.
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3/17/2009 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Family Wine Makers: Conc., fig, spice, dark, so well bal--super grt. med bod.
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3/15/2009 - Badfish wrote: 94 Points
2009 Family Winemakers of California San Diego Tasting (Del Mar Fairgrounds): This is easily one of the most complex and profound noses of the tasting for me; it offers aromas of earth, wet stones, fresh cut grass, raspberries, and cherries. Simply gorgeous. The palate does not let down either; it has great grip, zingy acidity, and wonderful flavors of cherry, minerals, and herbs. The structure is obviously here but it is wonderfully transparent at this stage letting the crystalline fruit and minerality show through. Wow, I love this. 94+
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3/14/2009 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind at the winery --
NOSE: wow! dark fruits ... much deeper and more expressive nose than the '05 Fiddlestix at this point in time.
BODY: purple-garnet color of moderate depth; moderate amount of fine particulate matter is suspended in the wine; medium bodied.
TASTE: surprisingly expressive; juicy dark fruits with oak tones; well-balanced. I prefer this over the '05 Fiddlestix.
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12/29/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
very fresh pepper and blood orange slightly pungent and wild, after a 30 mins this wine really starts to pop and open up nicely. Reminds me of a young 02 pommard... very good to great
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11/15/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Pinot Days Grand Tasting (Navy Pier - Chicago, IL): Pinot Days 2008 at Navy Pier - Chicago, IL
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10/6/2008 - etherscreen wrote:
closed for business
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6/29/2008 - Paul Lin wrote:
Pinot Days (San Francisco, CA): 87-89 points.
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6/29/2008 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
oaky nose, oakier that the sleepy hollow
cherry mouth
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6/28/2008 - tbone wrote:
Drank way too soon. Did not open aromatically and fairly simple on palate. Needs lots of time.
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6/15/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
Excellent stony sweet and sappy and very long
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6/7/2008 - popquizkid wrote: 89 Points
Impromptu Friday Night Tasting - Kutch, Arcadian, Flowers; 6/6/2008-6/7/2008: Beautiful, intoxicating nose of strawberries and cherries. Definitely some earth tones on the palate. Even though this was decanted for a while it is sitll very tightly wound now. Lots of structure and a nice tart finish. This is going to take some time to strut its stuff, but it should be terrific with some age. Rating based on how it is drinking now, it will be much better in 6-8 years.
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4/19/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
big fruit bomb excellent depth reminds me of the clos de pepe
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