Our penultimate bottle, served double blind to our dinner companions. Light color suggests it is older. Quite floral and elegant with aromas of rose petal, cherry, lavender and crushed mint. Slightly warmer fruit on the palate, with more of a cherry and raspberry compote quality along with a soft but noticeable vein of acidity. Picks up an orange peel quality as it sits, along with a subtle earthy note. There's a subtle sulfur note that blows off after a few minutes. This had been gently double decanted off its sediment about an hour earlier, and it held up nicely over another 3-4 hours. Many guesses for Burgundy. WOTN for a couple of folks. I'll plan to open our final bottle sometime next year.
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This was a magnum, my last and I probably opened it years too early. Opened and not decanted we let it air for 3 hours before pouring about half of the bottle in the glasses and started drinking it. At first very sour, and with tulip stems up to the hilt. Then after another 5 hours the bottle half empty it really started to shine. Now the beautiful red fruit comes through and there is more of dark cherries and a little cola nut sweetness and tang that is integrated.
Wish we had treated this differently, but all in all it was a brilliant wine in the end so don't get to nervous around your Thomas Pinots is the lesson, hold out and let the funk air out.
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Pretty nose with cherries and spices that is still surprisingly primary. Good acidity on the palate with more red cherries, raspberries, underwood, and juicy fruit. Nice finish. It's only showing a hint of age at this point. A great wine that should continue to age beautifully. I'd wait another 5-10 years. 93+
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IPNC Weekend 2023; 7/26/2023-7/31/2023: Small glass. Salmon bake. Thomas mini vertical. This was nice, but losing some of the fruit, still some red berries, dry earth, potpourri, spices. Was expecting more from the '05.
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Popped and poured, exploded cork (should have used the Durand - doh!). Initially green and tertiary, quickly transitions towards pronounced aromas of sappy, sous bois-laden cherry/cherry cola red fruits and exotic spices. Medium body, balanced acidity. On the palate, where to even begin...just a kaleidoscope of red fruits and black fruits, complemented by impressions of stark minerals (almost saline), big league chew bubblegum and a menagerie of exotic vegetal notes. Surprisingly chunky tannins carry through the lingering close. Just an absolutely fascinating Pinot, simultaneously scrumptious and complex yet surprisingly youthful as well...that said, clearly seems to be reaching an apogee in terms of overall deliciousness so probably best to consider drinking over the near term.
Quick commentary: A winery-reconditioned bottle of the 1996 Eyrie South Block Reserve is the only OR Pinot Noir I've had that's truly better than this one
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Continues to age beautifully! Delicate floral and red berry aromas and flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate with delicious savory notes and acidity on the long finish.
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Enjoyed This bottle off the list at Earth and Sea restaurant in Carlton Oregon.
Our experience with this bottle was nothing short of transcendental. An absolute pinnacle achievement of Oregon terroir. This wine closes in on the concept of perfection in the way that it truly expresses the time and place from which it came with flawless balance and subtle assertion.
There were murmurs across the table of, "best Oregon Pinot Noir I've ever had" and even, "perhaps the best single wine I've ever had." Whether the latter is accurate or not really becomes irrelevant at this level of experience. Because once you've arrived at this echelon of wine, there's only slight variance on how much or why you enjoy it. Sometimes the set and setting comes into play. To be sure, we were having a delightful dinner and celebrating my birthday, so spirits were high. But I'm not easily blown away anymore, and I don't have a general penchant for hyperbole. No matter what, this bottle of wine ranked among the finest and most memorable experiences of my life, and that is just the facts. I'm a better and more refined person for having experienced it!
Unfortunately I was so engrossed in the moment, that I neglected to take detailed tasting notes. Well, perhaps that's for the better anyways. What I do remember is layer upon layer of unfolding complexities unfurling from the glass like a lotus flower on a time-lapse. Everything a Pinot lover hopes for in an aged bottle can be found here. Red fruit, blue fruit, baking spice, herbal notes, floral overtones, earthy components, a kiss of barnyard, a substrate of mushroom, a matting of pine needles and forest twigs, all wrapped up in a silky smooth and deftly balanced structure. Finally, leading to the kind of finish that seems to crescendo even after the wine is gone from the palate and lingers in a way that seems to echo like music of the spheres, gently into infinity.
What a wine. I hope you, dear reader, can experience this one like I did. Therein you will find the muse you seek!
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I double decanted this off its sediment and then removed the cork and allowed this to breathe once we arrived at the restaurant. By the time we poured our first glasses I'd guess it had been about 3.5 hours since the cork was first pulled. It definitely needed the time to open up and breathe, gently. Aromas of cherry, tea leaf, rose hip and sous bois. Flavors of cherry, earth, licorice, mineral, spice and black cherry. Lingering finish. Still has great acidity- this is perfect at the supper table. 94+ pts.
Initially there is a hit of bright red fruit on the nose with its freshness tempered by earthy tones underneath. More high-toned than your typical Burgundy but undeniably pinot anyway. Eventually, the nose is dominated by an sweet and sappy core of ripe raspberries. The palate still has a little bit of dissolved carbon dioxide; a vigorous shake gets rid of that promptly. Similar to the nose, there are flavours of sweet red fruits followed by earthy tones afterwards. The intensity and length is less than what you might expect from the ripe fruit. Acid-dominated finish.
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This passively cellared bottle was ready to drink immediately, though it did evolve some over the next 45 minutes. I mangled the cork (hole through it), but it was intact so I pushed it into the wine.
Amazing texture. Each sip starts velvety, then chewy, then melts into silky texture with an ethereal finish. The wine was subtle so you had to really pay attention, but when you did, the finish was like a flower opening up it's pedals with silky feel and heady, floral scent.
The taste was mild red fruit at first with barely detectable gunflint, but with air the gunflint become more prominent.
Like other aged John Thomas wines I tried at a vertical 15 years ago, this is not the kind of wine that knocks you out with overpowering fruit and long finish bursting with complexity. It's all about elegance.
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Superbly balanced red fruit and gun flint aromas, with near-silky texture, as usual. Fruit seemed riper/sweeter than I remembered from other bottles. Unfortunately, complexity (minerals, dustiness, lengthy finish) was mostly hidden, with only tantalizing glimpses occasionally revealed. The leftover I had a couple days later was more complex than the day I opened it, which suggests I didn't give it nearly enough air (around 15 minutes after first opened). I have to make sure with future bottles to give it at least 30 minutes, or perhaps longer.
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That's more like it! After the first 2 bottles I had (2015, 2019), I was afraid that my passive cellaring (64-68 degrees) was not good enough for John Thomas. Hopefully all the rest will be like this one!
Upon opening, the superb balance was obvious. With 30+ minutes air, the wine opens up with (traditional for John Thomas) gunflint tastes and smells combined with subtle red fruit, minerals, and a dustiness. Where this really shined though was how it combined with food:
I had salmon, salad, and roasted veggies. It both held up it's flavors but was subtle enough not to take over the meal. As the slowly eaten meal progressed, the texture of the wine evolved from chewy ---> to silky ---> to an etherial lightness that felt cloud-like, if that makes any sense. Food improved the texture.
Like other aged John Thomas wines I tried at a vertical 15 years ago, this is not the kind of wine that knocks you out with overpowering fruit and/or a long finish bursting with complexity. It's all about subtle elegance and enhancing the meal. Probably the most elegant aged bottle of anything I've ever had out of my modest cellar.
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Probably the single best bottle of this I've had and I've worked my way through cases of 750s and magnums. But the first bottle I've had in several years. For the most part, they've become gentler and more diffuse over time. This was...very focused and precise. Fine acidity and an almost creamy palate feel and red fruit all around.
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Thomas Pinot Noir Vertical (Dan and Elise's, Mpls): Medium red color. PNP, drank a glass over 2 hours plus. I hate to agree this much with Chablis28, but I calls 'em as I see 'em :). I'm loving this again, maybe not to the extent of a previous bottle, but nonetheless, it's a brilliant effort. Another elegant style, perfumed with bright red berry fruits on the nose, more to the damp side of the earthiness, with some white pepper and spice. The palate is very earthy, baked cherry, deeper red berry, spices, pepper, satiny texture with a long sumptuous finish. This was pretty much the consensus #2 WOTN.
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Ruby color. Nose of mountain flowers, iodine, cinnamon, raspberry, earth. Fulsome yet chiseled layers of concentrated, pure red raspberry and black cherry fruit with a touch of iron and tartness. Refreshing acidity and still-firm tannin leading to a long finish of heady red fruit cut with earth, grip, and briar. Really cookin’ at age 14.
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My last bottle :-( and possibly the best. Beautiful red fruit, medium body and great balance. We had it the night after a 2002 M-G Ruchottes and it was more similar than not.
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Note that this bottle was passively stored at 64 to 68 degrees since it was acquired in 2007.
Had w/birthday meal of 2 different nice cheeses (best was port-salut), salmon, roasted vegetables (best was sweet potato).
Was delicate and barely held up to food. I got the tell-tale gun flint aroma and taste of past vintages with this bottle. The wine was best in the first few minutes after opening when it had noticeable red fruit and an interesting finish with subtle minerals. About 15 minutes in, everything was more muted, and it just gradually faded after that over the next couple hours.
If this is a typical bottle, I think I need to drink up the rest of this over the next year. Bummer.
I'm guessing that all the glowing notes for this wine over the past couple years were stored at a lower, steady temperature. Given the high 60's storage temperature for this bottle, this note may perhaps be a preview of what this wine may be like 2-4 years from now, for those of you storing it in a more controlled, mid 50's environment.
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Delicate floral and red berry aromas and flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with absolutely delicious savory notes and acidity. Beautifully aged Thomas!
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This wine has aged very well, had with Salmon and it was perfect. It took about 20 minutes to open up with fruit on the nose, and continued to get better over the next hour. Light fruit tart cherry, baking spice and a light oak earthiness. Everyone at dinner enjoyed and commented on beauty of the wine. Hope the other Thomas wines age as well.
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Legends of the Spring 2018 (Portland, Oregon house of TW and AW): Medium red Magnum that is still primary with a bright strawberry nose touched by a 5-spice overtone. Palate monolithic black cherry at this point displaying outstanding depth and grip to spare. A long, sweet finish of dried cranberry sauce inflected with ripe sweet pixie plums-delicious but needs time. (Magnum 2034-2054)
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Outstanding with just a short time out of the bottle. Did not decant. Opened up well over two hours. A bit more smokey and robust than some other vintages of Thomas. Seemed very solid right now.
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Opened at the CDP by Allred. My favortie Pinot at this event. Brownish red color. Nicely aged. sweet red fruit with sesame and and old world edge. Elegant. 92-93 points.
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Cellar diminishment party - brief note. Cherry and floral bouquet, hint of earth. Gorgeous fruit on the palate; cherry, red berry; seamless. Balanced; long finish. Long life ahead, just entering window. 93+.
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From magnum. More youthful and less evolved than I expected. No doubt the format had something to do with that. Deep crimson still. Just the beginnings of secondary development on the nose. Even less on the palate. Really pure vibrant red fruit, though. Fresh. Kept on going back for more. Should wait a few more years before the next magnum to see what time does to this.
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This bottle was slightly stewed, maderized and perhaps grossly cooked.
Its fundamentals were present, though it was flawed. Oh well, Benchmark Wines, You have delivered a 6 pack that is flawed. It is perhaps 3/4 bottles of this 6 bottle lot I purchased. I took a flyer and appear to have lost.
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, berries and cherries. Flavors of plums, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Darker ruby. Nose of anise, plum, forest floor, violets, earth. Very young still and practically unformed on the palate for most of the evening, with layers of primary raspberry and black cherry fruit accompanied by firm tannin and strikingly austere structure. Freshening acidity and a bit of menthol with each sip. Longer finish of schist, red and black raspberry fruit, and bits of iron. Clearly a beautifully made wine, but a long decant might be necessary.
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Same btl as R&Rler and my btl tonight. I choked a little bit paying $95 for this recently from a west coast retailer but I couldn't resist the opportunity to try a Thomas with some btl age. Now I wish I had grabbed all 3 that were available at the time! Not exactly a steal but, lets face it when a wine lives up to a big price tag, what more can you ask for? At least $95 isn't in the stratosphere ala DRC, Mugnier & Rousseau. For my palate Thomas is the best PN / "Burg" producer & specialist in the US, bar none. I'm so delighted that Oregon remains a step child to CA PNs in the view of most buyers. This wine has all the lift and terroir of Burgundy with just a touch more accessibility, richness and fruit. I can attest, having drank two 2013s this past year blind, that this wine is very difficult to pick as a domestic PN. PnP in Burg glass at low 60 degrees. I was excited that the color was a light cranberry crimson as it went into the glass and only darkened up a bit as I hit my desired pour level. As R&Rler said, the nose was incredible and worth the price of admission on its own. Count me as Thomas believer. See R&Rlers TN for his spot on descriptors.
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Mixed WTDS at The Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Medium red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. This was simply sublime; it has everything I want in a pinot. This started off with an earthy perfume of modest brett, prominent leather, seductive spices and pretty red fruits. What was already an incredible nose becomes even more explosive with a high toned perfume of crushed flowers and sandalwood mixing with the exotic spices and hints of toasted embers. The palate is refined and elegant, medium bodied with excellent depth and intensity throughout. The red cherry and more subtle berry fruits seem perfectly balanced with the other elements and overall structure. This goes down so effortlessly and with building complexity. The spice and minerality builds on the finish with a charred oak note teasing as part of the long finish. Drank this next to a very good '07 Chevillon Vaucrain with many similarities, and the Thomas was in a different class. A beautiful bottle of wine, that was an absolute joy to savor. Another great example of what Oregon can be in the right hands. Masterful.
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Delicate floral and red berry aromas with flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with delicious acidity. Keeps opening up throughout the evening.
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Last bottle from case I bought upon release. Beautiful mature development, prominent acidity, with more than adequate subdued red fruit. Earthy with smooth mouth feel. Old Worldy but riper and more enjoyable for my new world palate. Really glad I bought these and drank these over the last 12 years. Great job by John Thomas.
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A truly magnificent wine. Great structure, layered with raspberry, blackberry, and spices. A shame I have none left of the '05. Absolute pleasure to drink.
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My first old Thomas, and confirms that I should let my '12s and '13s age... Raspberry, cherry, wild blueberry, sous bois. Fine, drying tannin. Unchanged overnight. Drinking well now, but I could easily see this going another 10 years.
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Popped and poured, this shows cherry, earth, white currant, spice and dark berry notes with a hint of earth underneath. Black cherry and spice on the palate; balanced. Long finish. It's definitely a crime to drink these before their tenth birthday.
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Just superb again. This is obviously an example of a great winemaker! Raspberry on the nose, with a smooth mouth-feel. Notes of raspberry and blackberry. 92-93, leaning to 93.
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My first Thomas experience with a friend who is a longtime fan. Wow. Like no other Oregon Pinot I have had. 10 years old and going strong, filled with complexity I have only seen in Burgundies. I can see why the hype exists. Hope I can get my hands in some more.
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Had with celebratory dinner of 4 different nice cheeses, salmon, roasted vegees. Perfectly balanced and clearly structured to last, but tight and with a weaker and shorter finish that I've experienced with past John Thomas wines. I think this was in a dumb phase as I never got a lot out of the aroma. Would have never guessed this had a gunflint aroma as is usually the case for John Thomas - just muted plum and a faint whiff of minerality and barnyard. The fruit was strong when first opened but muted with air. After 2 hours of air was still very subtle, though was an excellent food wine that had different flavors brought out with the different foods and cheeses. 90 for now but I'm expecting better in the future.
Passively cellared at 64 to 67 degrees over the past decade. This was the first of 12 bottles.
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Very pretty nose but a bit tight overall. Needs a good decant to open up. Big structure and quite complex, would be hard to guess this as an Oregon pinot. Flavors of plum, little caramel, and cola (which I'm not a huge fan of). Overall I think this is very solid but doesn't carry the finesse or elegance of a good burgundy. Still have another bottle that I will hold and an 06' that look forward to trying.
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We were treated to a complimentary bottle last evening at the Herbfarm by our host of this amazing wine. Explosive cherry right from the get go, met by a second wave of flavors including forest floor and vanilla. The wine looked crimson colored, with medium legs and little to no sediment. The medium body quickly unrolls the deep and complex layering of the earthy, but polished texture. The most noted aspect of this wine for me was the multidimensional layering into it's long finish. I left the evening with a much greater example of what is meant by long finish and complexity. Now you'll have to excuse me while I go figure out how to contact Mr. Thomas with the hopes of getting on a mailing list!
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Popped and poured, which turned out to be a shame; this wine really opened up over a two hour period, and if we had pulled the cork 24 hours earlier, I bet it would have been superb -- once I rated this 95 points and I suspect that with time to breath slowly, it might still be there. Anyhow, fairly pale rose, rather pretty color, with a tawny note on the rim. Spicy, waxy, red current nose. Lovely balance here, and delicious to drink (I'll call it cranberries), long finish. Ends on a tiny hint of bitterness that I enjoyed. #2 WOTN
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Popped and poured. Brilliant ruby hue. Bracing, fresh nose of cranberry, sea air, flint, anise, cinnamon, violets. Vibrant and lively on the palate with layers of red raspberry, cherry, and mulberry fruit laced with iron and briar notes. Acidity quite refreshing, with tamed but structured tannins balancing the live wire fruit. Long finish of raspberry and cinnamon rippling with stony soil notes. Dances with adolescent energy, a total pleasure to drink.
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Nothing short of magnificent. I have been drinking Thomas' Pinots for years and they nearly always age elegantly. But this is special. I get a bit of cinnamon and cardamom on the nose, to go with the characteristic red fruits. The acidity of this vintage is intact, providing great structure. I am thankful I have one more.
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Got to say, I really enjoyed this.. Very light, almost translucent as others have noted, nicely developed with fading funk. I'd call this Burgundian with calif fruit. Glad to have another bottle.
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My, has this improved with time. Sniffing this is pure joy, still very berrydriven but with some pinosity/complexity pleasantness. On the palate, this is an unabashed new world, warm fruit pinot but has freshness and elegance. the last of my three magnums will be saved for later.
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The '05 is a light ruby red in color. Almost translucent. 13.4% ABV. Red fruits, Christmas spice and forest floor on the nose. Light in body with great acidity. Complex and structured. The palate has tart red cherries, blood orange, fruitcake and a great spicy component. The finish literally lasts for a minute or more. Super wine right now but it will clearly age for another 2-3 years. One of the best Oregon Pinot Noirs I have ever had.
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Very light raspberry color, not deep. Promising nose of black cherry and raspberry, but very light and acidic on the palate. Not much fruit at all. Tannic, tart, lacking fruit. Tight, dry, taught finish.
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Very good. I've only had Thomas Pinots from the 2004 vintage onward, and only '04, '05, and '06 to date. Among perhaps 10 bottles, only one has shown other than excellent to my palate. I've heard the complaints of inconsistency but have not experienced it.
Thomas remains the benchmark American pinot noir to me
This particular bottle had the typical bright ruby color, great nose, a little very fine tannin. Great fruit and the tannins smoothed out over an hour or so.
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Brilliant ruby color. Nose of mulberry, briars, pine forest, red earth. A blast of tart red cherry and raspberry fruit on the tongue joined after a few hours by a lash of sweet grip fanning out on the back end. Big but smoothed-out tannins, ample acidity. Finish is notable for succulent waves of pure red fruit. Powerful and intense despite the low alcohol signature, a veritable ringing chime. This has years to go.
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Another fabulous bottle of Thomas. Tart red fruits, great acidity, perfect balance, and wonderful nose. Sad to be close to the end of my 05's. Couldn't ask for more listening to the CSO (with guest pianist Emanuel Ax) at Ravinia on a perfect July evening.
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Agree with others notes suggesting improvement with aeration. This bottle was firm and rather unyielding. Nice acids and glimpses of complex flavors and aromas. Needs time.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over a couple of days.
Garnet color in the glass, pretty clear looking. Nose of red berries, raspberries and a hint of underbrush. Flavors of red berries, raspberries and a hint of cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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A Long Weekend of Burgs and a Few Others; 5/17/2012-5/20/2012 (Scottsdale, AZ): Great showing. Opened a couple of hours in advance and was delicious right out of the gate. Very pale rosy color and an absolutely dynamite nose. Fruit, spice, great complexity and a good long finish. This held its own and then some among some pretty good company from the Cote d'Or. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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STG does Oregon Pinot (Ed's house): This was fascinating - I could not stop smelling the wine because it smelled to me EXACTLY like Christmas fruitcake. THe kind that comes all cellophane-up and lasts for years in the pantry. I very much liked this wine, my first from Thomas, but it acted quite tight and tannic. I imagine it could benefit from a bit more cellar time.
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opened an 05 and 06 for Thanksgiving dinner. Both vintages were very impressive with the 05 being less fruity but more elegant. The 05 should be able to cellar well for a number of years. By a slight margin the general verdict was that my family liked the 06 better
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There is no question to what is the bast , most classic totally enjoyable pinot in north america.. This wine rocks and will age for ten years or more, Drink or hold...
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Very closed when first opened, but blossomed after a couple of hours. Delicate floral and red berry aromas with soft red berries, pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with delicious tannins and acidity. Incredibly well balanced and should only improve with age.
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Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Very nice nose of spices, earth, smoke, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black berries, black cherries and a bit of raspberry. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink with air or continue to hold.
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Outstanding. This was all incense, minerals, cherries, kirsch liqueur, wet stone, roses and some cola. Great aromatics and complexity. Lithe and beautifully textural, this one has plenty of life left.
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I have yet to have a good bottle of this vintage (my third). Underlying some simple floral fruit was a weak background, high acidity and slightly metallic taste.
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2005 Oregon Pinot review (Lou's): This was my bottle and actually had been a gift from R. Trimpi a few years ago (thanks). My first time trying this vintage although I do like this producer. It was the lightest color on the table. I have had Rose's that were deeper in color. Not much nose at first, slightly earthy. It took a lot of time to open up and then there was some earthy notes and some light cherry juice. With air a cherry powdered drink mix shows up on the palate. Also a citrus quality. It kept getting better all night long, but I think this is partially shut down. That is admittedly based more on the label. The group liked it more than I, but in this setting, it left me looking for complexity. I never quite got it.
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Drank a magnum of this with Thanksgiving dinner and have been thinking about it ever since. I had bright cranberry/rasberry notes on the nose with a background of wet forest floor and a bright, lithe taste that danced with acidity and berry flavors. I'd agree with the previous taster's notes. Such good stuff.
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Dark ruby color. Nose of sweet blackberry, sea air, licorice, earthiness. Drenched with dark fruit on the palate with berry infusion, black tea notes, cola, plum, and saline minerality. Quite acidic and powerful, with structured tannins counterpointing the dense array of fruit. Finish grippy and full of earthy blackberry elements. A dramatic showing displaying primary flavors and youthful power.
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Lighter in color and style. Well balanced with flavors cranberry and tea leaves. A good foood wine, but probably not enough concentration to stand on it's own.
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Great example of Burgundian style Oregon Pinot, light on the stink, good acid, earthy, with raspberry and strawberry. Improved with food, Truffle Fries!! Very well balanced.
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CellarTracker Texas Offline II - Part One (oskiwawa's house in McKinney, Texas): Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. It stops. There is something off about this bottle. It isn't corked but it doesn't smell or taste anything like a typical Thomas Pinot. No rating.
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This is coming off mega-floral, like a garden filled with roses, along with dirt and red licorice. Lots of acidity right off the bat, something slightly green, but with a ripe red core that presents itself as you swallow it. Balanced structure, strong floral again on the medium-long finish. This is delicious!
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Vivid candy red color. Nose is rather quiet, but showing some sweet raspberry and earth. Pure red fruits on the palate, with raspberry, cherry, and licorice most prominent. Intense earth and clay character, with briary spice and clove leading into a lengthy finish of earth and spice. Was very angular and disjointed upon opening with a prominent flash of heat on the backend, but this smoothed out after an hour in the glass. Still, it was an odd wine, for lack of a better term. Well made and enjoyable overall, does seem a little simple.
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Slightly lighter color than the 04. Big, more rustic with tannins more evident than most of the other wines. Long on the palate. Somewhat 4-square to me and not sure how this wine is going to age.
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Bottle had a lot of promise...and then I realized it was sadly corked. I think this really could have been a really special bottle. It's a shame to loose a bottle to something so sad.
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Popped and poured, paired with baked king salmon. Darker ruby color. Youthful, full nose of blackberries, smoke, and cinnamon, with alpine florals thrown in. Brimming with energy on the palate, showing black raspberry, bing cherry, licorice, earth, and cola. Truly brisk acidity, structured tannins, and a ringing, grippy finish complementing the still primary fruit. Terrific example of a wine seemingly quite powerful made graceful by its sheer balance. Wow.
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Light garnet to garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of dust, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of red berries and red cherries. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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Oregon Pinot: This is just one big disappointment. Everyone said the same thing - the alcohol dominates the nose, and when it settles a bit, the wine is simple, a one note tune of red fruit with very little else going on. You can scream all you want about too young, but this was open for four hours and did not improve at all. i've had good wine by this producer, but not from 2005.
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Great balance and structure. Gives the impression of volume without weight. Aromatics are excellent, finish lingers. Only negative is a slight bit of heat on the finish - I'm hoping this will resolve itself with a couple of more years in the cellar.
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obvious how much rich fruit there is in this wine which is elegant if a bit monosyllabic. However, there is something not entirely correct - and it is not corked, neither a description for something actually appealing. Could not enjoy. Have two more magnums which I hope are not ruined. It is very funny. three of the eight or so Thomas I have opened during the last few years have been off. Not sure what this is about and would not want to wage a guess either if it relates to transport storage winery issues or my own lack of appreciation for the really fine wines of this world.
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Great pinot nose. Light ruby in the glass. Plenty of red fruit mixed with a dash of baking spices. When we first tried this in June of 08 the wine was not as balanced as it is now. It was young and had effervescence in the glass. The fizz seems to have settled down leaving a wine with balanced acidity and tannins. Amazing how much this wine has matured over the last year and there is still potential for more.
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Beautiful effort that needs some more time in the bottle. This was very smooth and elegant with tart cherry and raspberry on day 1, and on day 2 this turned more brooding with some structure and a concentrated core of fruit still lurking underneath. Not totally resolved yet, this should develop nicely over the next 5 - 10+ years
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There was an oddity to this wine. Well made and flavorful, but something was a little off. A little too much alcohol, and little tart. Still enjoyed it, but am not wishing I had more.
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Big Pinot funk and earth on the nose with red fruit aromas and dark spice accents. The palate was consistent with the nose with a leathery flavor coming out at the finish. Medium bodied with a medium length finish. This didn't show as well as the 03 Thomas that I tasted last year.
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what a disappointment! the last time i had a thomas wine was the 02, which i liked very much at the time. i had high expectations here, and what a let down. sure, it's perfectly good, but it is simple and one dimensional with very little true pinot complexity or character. i let it stand for 3 hours in the decanter hoping for growth and found very little. lots of alcohol heat too, considering it claims 13.5%. good sweet red fruit and a soft texture - good wine, but only within the oregon spectrum, and even there, no complexity. not a rebuy.
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Brought to SD offline. I really like the high acidity (and agree that it causes it to be slightly effervescent). It's great red fruit, and finishes with a bretty earthiness.
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Somewhat lighter in color than I expected, but that's no foul here as I have been drinking a fair amount of 2005 Red Burgundies lately which may have my expectations slightly off. The wine has a lovely, somewhat slightly reduced profile aromatically. I was a little confused whether my perception of reduction was accurate or whether this was a result of the barrel program...but, as the reduction seemed to withdraw with time in the decanter I'll give the wine the benefit of the doubt. In the mouth, the wine enters quite sweet and seemless, this is very Oregon in character and without the grip and structure for long aging. Nice wine and I was not disappointed but I don't think this is a great Thomas in the tradition of the 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002. Nevertheless, it is too early too damn this with faint praise and I am thrilled to own the wine and support an independent guy with the guts to say publicly he blows off the "advice" of certain New York based Burgundy retailers (as he did several vintages ago). I will check back on this in approximately 3 years, in the meantime I have got the 1998, 1999 and 2003 in the shoot.
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No formal notes taken -drank with great dinner at Nick's. First tasted after about 20 minutes and very closed. Opened up nicely during meal..medium to light body, more fruit than usual from aThomas but refined and delicate as always. Would love to go back and try in another two years; but where to find it?
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I am a big fan of Thomas, this was very good and typical Thomas, however, very high in alcohol. Maybe in a dumb stage. However, this reminds me of 1998 and 2001 versions whihc closed down a couple of years into evolution.
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A very nice wine. The winner of the second flight. Light in color - but solid with structure, acid & fruit. A very well made wine. Floyd Mayweather of Oregon pinot. The remaining 5 will rest for sometime, but very much looking forward to them.
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way too young. Had to try one. This was better the next day but still noticable tannins. It's all there and in a few years will be a special bottle. Will bury the rest in the cellar
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Didn't take notes but this seems better than the 2004 at a similar stage, which I loved. Great balance and fruit, a little tannin but very fine. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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Tasted December 19, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately. Nose of black cherries, berries and a little rubber underneath like I tend to pick up in a Volnay. Perfume like finish almost. Flavors of black cherries with a hint of a sulphuric like finish. Vibrant acidity, good tannins, medium body. Well balanced and pleasant to taste. Hold.
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I believe this is the best Orgeon Pinot that I own. I have had it twice now and have to say it is exceptional. The first time was a "pop and pour" and the second I drank it gradually over 4 days. It only gets better and better over that period. Great fruit and structure. The color is very light which tricks you into thinking it is watery. Au contraire, it packs a punch full of rasberries and cherries and more complexity than is typical in Oregon. This is the most ageworthy pinot that I have seen come out of the NW. This will be a staple in my cellar going forward.
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Popped the cork 3 hours before serving, but this really hits its stride at the 5-6 hour mark. Bright ruby color, with aromas of cherry, gunpowder and spice undertones. Bright cherry fruit on the palate, with good acidity and a long, spice tinged finish. Excellent stuff.
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First exposure to a Thomas. Noticably light in color. Wonderful nose, citrus, spice and maybe herbs. Earthy rather than sweet. Nice acidity balanced by fruitiness and that citrus again. A bit of brown sugar or molasses. Slight, but not unenjoyable bitterness in the long finish. I like this a lot.
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Couldn't resist so I pulled a cork seconds after my bottles arrived. A fine, medium-light ruby. Nose is elegant and spicy; I get crunchy red berries, maybe ripe currents, beeswax, hints of cloves or other "warm" spices. On the palate, has a distinctively sweet attack, then endless waves of fruit. Modest tannins and balanced acidity. One of the best Oregon PNs I've ever tried! This is a wine you can drink young, but I think it will gain a lot of complexity over the next five or eight years. I may try to buy a few more... [Note to self: The wine really opened up with air. Splash decant a few hours early...]
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From the list at Nick's Cafe. Lovely pale crimson purple. Rose petal and cinnamon, with currant. Lovely nose. Young wine, with great finesse. Beguiling aromatics. Very nimble, light on its feet, extremely well balanced, with avids and fruit in harmony. Lithe, lovely curranty and spice scentd pinto flavors create a lovely palate one moment soft, the next firm, and a long finish. Expect this wine to shut down at some point, but willl age well. Glad I had the chance to taste from a wine list.
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3/22/2024 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Our penultimate bottle, served double blind to our dinner companions. Light color suggests it is older. Quite floral and elegant with aromas of rose petal, cherry, lavender and crushed mint. Slightly warmer fruit on the palate, with more of a cherry and raspberry compote quality along with a soft but noticeable vein of acidity. Picks up an orange peel quality as it sits, along with a subtle earthy note. There's a subtle sulfur note that blows off after a few minutes. This had been gently double decanted off its sediment about an hour earlier, and it held up nicely over another 3-4 hours. Many guesses for Burgundy. WOTN for a couple of folks. I'll plan to open our final bottle sometime next year.
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1/2/2024 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a magnum, my last and I probably opened it years too early.
Opened and not decanted we let it air for 3 hours before pouring about half of the bottle in the glasses and started drinking it. At first very sour, and with tulip stems up to the hilt. Then after another 5 hours the bottle half empty it really started to shine. Now the beautiful red fruit comes through and there is more of dark cherries and a little cola nut sweetness and tang that is integrated.
Wish we had treated this differently, but all in all it was a brilliant wine in the end so don't get to nervous around your Thomas Pinots is the lesson, hold out and let the funk air out.
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11/14/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty nose with cherries and spices that is still surprisingly primary. Good acidity on the palate with more red cherries, raspberries, underwood, and juicy fruit. Nice finish. It's only showing a hint of age at this point. A great wine that should continue to age beautifully. I'd wait another 5-10 years. 93+
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7/29/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
IPNC Weekend 2023; 7/26/2023-7/31/2023: Small glass. Salmon bake. Thomas mini vertical. This was nice, but losing some of the fruit, still some red berries, dry earth, potpourri, spices. Was expecting more from the '05.
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6/26/2023 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured, exploded cork (should have used the Durand - doh!). Initially green and tertiary, quickly transitions towards pronounced aromas of sappy, sous bois-laden cherry/cherry cola red fruits and exotic spices. Medium body, balanced acidity. On the palate, where to even begin...just a kaleidoscope of red fruits and black fruits, complemented by impressions of stark minerals (almost saline), big league chew bubblegum and a menagerie of exotic vegetal notes. Surprisingly chunky tannins carry through the lingering close. Just an absolutely fascinating Pinot, simultaneously scrumptious and complex yet surprisingly youthful as well...that said, clearly seems to be reaching an apogee in terms of overall deliciousness so probably best to consider drinking over the near term.
Quick commentary: A winery-reconditioned bottle of the 1996 Eyrie South Block Reserve is the only OR Pinot Noir I've had that's truly better than this one
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7/15/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Continues to age beautifully! Delicate floral and red berry aromas and flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate with delicious savory notes and acidity on the long finish.
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1/14/2022 - Jack Cranley Likes this wine: 100 Points
Enjoyed This bottle off the list at Earth and Sea restaurant in Carlton Oregon.
Our experience with this bottle was nothing short of transcendental. An absolute pinnacle achievement of Oregon terroir. This wine closes in on the concept of perfection in the way that it truly expresses the time and place from which it came with flawless balance and subtle assertion.
There were murmurs across the table of, "best Oregon Pinot Noir I've ever had" and even, "perhaps the best single wine I've ever had." Whether the latter is accurate or not really becomes irrelevant at this level of experience. Because once you've arrived at this echelon of wine, there's only slight variance on how much or why you enjoy it. Sometimes the set and setting comes into play. To be sure, we were having a delightful dinner and celebrating my birthday, so spirits were high. But I'm not easily blown away anymore, and I don't have a general penchant for hyperbole. No matter what, this bottle of wine ranked among the finest and most memorable experiences of my life, and that is just the facts. I'm a better and more refined person for having experienced it!
Unfortunately I was so engrossed in the moment, that I neglected to take detailed tasting notes. Well, perhaps that's for the better anyways. What I do remember is layer upon layer of unfolding complexities unfurling from the glass like a lotus flower on a time-lapse. Everything a Pinot lover hopes for in an aged bottle can be found here. Red fruit, blue fruit, baking spice, herbal notes, floral overtones, earthy components, a kiss of barnyard, a substrate of mushroom, a matting of pine needles and forest twigs, all wrapped up in a silky smooth and deftly balanced structure. Finally, leading to the kind of finish that seems to crescendo even after the wine is gone from the palate and lingers in a way that seems to echo like music of the spheres, gently into infinity.
What a wine. I hope you, dear reader, can experience this one like I did. Therein you will find the muse you seek!
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10/29/2021 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
I double decanted this off its sediment and then removed the cork and allowed this to breathe once we arrived at the restaurant. By the time we poured our first glasses I'd guess it had been about 3.5 hours since the cork was first pulled. It definitely needed the time to open up and breathe, gently. Aromas of cherry, tea leaf, rose hip and sous bois. Flavors of cherry, earth, licorice, mineral, spice and black cherry. Lingering finish. Still has great acidity- this is perfect at the supper table. 94+ pts.
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7/10/2021 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Initially there is a hit of bright red fruit on the nose with its freshness tempered by earthy tones underneath. More high-toned than your typical Burgundy but undeniably pinot anyway. Eventually, the nose is dominated by an sweet and sappy core of ripe raspberries. The palate still has a little bit of dissolved carbon dioxide; a vigorous shake gets rid of that promptly. Similar to the nose, there are flavours of sweet red fruits followed by earthy tones afterwards. The intensity and length is less than what you might expect from the ripe fruit. Acid-dominated finish.
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5/23/2021 - galewskj wrote: 94 Points
Single Blind Burgundy vs Oregon (Ciao Bella): Savory cherry, forest floor, rich earth, a bit of an acidic tweak on the palate that was quite unique.
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12/5/2020 - JoeGolton Likes this wine: 93 Points
This passively cellared bottle was ready to drink immediately, though it did evolve some over the next 45 minutes. I mangled the cork (hole through it), but it was intact so I pushed it into the wine.
Amazing texture. Each sip starts velvety, then chewy, then melts into silky texture with an ethereal finish. The wine was subtle so you had to really pay attention, but when you did, the finish was like a flower opening up it's pedals with silky feel and heady, floral scent.
The taste was mild red fruit at first with barely detectable gunflint, but with air the gunflint become more prominent.
Like other aged John Thomas wines I tried at a vertical 15 years ago, this is not the kind of wine that knocks you out with overpowering fruit and long finish bursting with complexity. It's all about elegance.
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7/27/2020 - arthrovine wrote: flawed
Damn. Have been sitting on these awhile. This was an imbalanced wine marred by VA.
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5/22/2020 - JoeGolton Likes this wine: 91 Points
Superbly balanced red fruit and gun flint aromas, with near-silky texture, as usual. Fruit seemed riper/sweeter than I remembered from other bottles. Unfortunately, complexity (minerals, dustiness, lengthy finish) was mostly hidden, with only tantalizing glimpses occasionally revealed. The leftover I had a couple days later was more complex than the day I opened it, which suggests I didn't give it nearly enough air (around 15 minutes after first opened). I have to make sure with future bottles to give it at least 30 minutes, or perhaps longer.
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4/3/2020 - JoeGolton Likes this wine: 93 Points
That's more like it! After the first 2 bottles I had (2015, 2019), I was afraid that my passive cellaring (64-68 degrees) was not good enough for John Thomas. Hopefully all the rest will be like this one!
Upon opening, the superb balance was obvious. With 30+ minutes air, the wine opens up with (traditional for John Thomas) gunflint tastes and smells combined with subtle red fruit, minerals, and a dustiness. Where this really shined though was how it combined with food:
I had salmon, salad, and roasted veggies. It both held up it's flavors but was subtle enough not to take over the meal. As the slowly eaten meal progressed, the texture of the wine evolved from chewy ---> to silky ---> to an etherial lightness that felt cloud-like, if that makes any sense. Food improved the texture.
Like other aged John Thomas wines I tried at a vertical 15 years ago, this is not the kind of wine that knocks you out with overpowering fruit and/or a long finish bursting with complexity. It's all about subtle elegance and enhancing the meal. Probably the most elegant aged bottle of anything I've ever had out of my modest cellar.
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3/27/2020 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Probably the single best bottle of this I've had and I've worked my way through cases of 750s and magnums. But the first bottle I've had in several years. For the most part, they've become gentler and more diffuse over time. This was...very focused and precise. Fine acidity and an almost creamy palate feel and red fruit all around.
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11/28/2019 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum. Fantastic. Down to my last handful of bottles. A real treat.
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9/9/2019 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Thomas Pinot Noir Vertical (Dan's House): From a vertical of 7 Thomas wines. Great dark cherry and rich earth.
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8/29/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Thomas Pinot Noir Vertical (Dan and Elise's, Mpls): Medium red color. PNP, drank a glass over 2 hours plus. I hate to agree this much with Chablis28, but I calls 'em as I see 'em :). I'm loving this again, maybe not to the extent of a previous bottle, but nonetheless, it's a brilliant effort. Another elegant style, perfumed with bright red berry fruits on the nose, more to the damp side of the earthiness, with some white pepper and spice. The palate is very earthy, baked cherry, deeper red berry, spices, pepper, satiny texture with a long sumptuous finish. This was pretty much the consensus #2 WOTN.
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8/29/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Another superb btl at Dan's Thomas dinner with outstanding balance and weight. Still room for improvement with further age here too.
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8/13/2019 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Ruby color. Nose of mountain flowers, iodine, cinnamon, raspberry, earth. Fulsome yet chiseled layers of concentrated, pure red raspberry and black cherry fruit with a touch of iron and tartness. Refreshing acidity and still-firm tannin leading to a long finish of heady red fruit cut with earth, grip, and briar. Really cookin’ at age 14.
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7/31/2019 - joe d Likes this wine:
My last bottle :-( and possibly the best. Beautiful red fruit, medium body and great balance. We had it the night after a 2002 M-G Ruchottes and it was more similar than not.
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6/29/2019 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Stellar again - still in it’s prime. Beautiful notes of earth, blueberry and blackberry, with a very long finish.
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4/4/2019 - JoeGolton Likes this wine: 87 Points
Note that this bottle was passively stored at 64 to 68 degrees since it was acquired in 2007.
Had w/birthday meal of 2 different nice cheeses (best was port-salut), salmon, roasted vegetables (best was sweet potato).
Was delicate and barely held up to food. I got the tell-tale gun flint aroma and taste of past vintages with this bottle. The wine was best in the first few minutes after opening when it had noticeable red fruit and an interesting finish with subtle minerals. About 15 minutes in, everything was more muted, and it just gradually faded after that over the next couple hours.
If this is a typical bottle, I think I need to drink up the rest of this over the next year. Bummer.
I'm guessing that all the glowing notes for this wine over the past couple years were stored at a lower, steady temperature. Given the high 60's storage temperature for this bottle, this note may perhaps be a preview of what this wine may be like 2-4 years from now, for those of you storing it in a more controlled, mid 50's environment.
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3/14/2019 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicate floral and red berry aromas and flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with absolutely delicious savory notes and acidity. Beautifully aged Thomas!
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8/3/2018 - mwrock Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has aged very well, had with Salmon and it was perfect. It took about 20 minutes to open up with fruit on the nose, and continued to get better over the next hour. Light fruit tart cherry, baking spice and a light oak earthiness. Everyone at dinner enjoyed and commented on beauty of the wine. Hope the other Thomas wines age as well.
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7/1/2018 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Just superb again. Amazing balance, with notes of rose, spice, raspberry and oak. Very elegant, with a longfinish.
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4/21/2018 - ricardito Likes this wine: 96 Points
Legends of the Spring 2018 (Portland, Oregon house of TW and AW): Medium red Magnum that is still primary with a bright strawberry nose touched by a 5-spice overtone. Palate monolithic black cherry at this point displaying outstanding depth and grip to spare. A long, sweet finish of dried cranberry sauce inflected with ripe sweet pixie plums-delicious but needs time. (Magnum 2034-2054)
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4/1/2018 - 1999 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding with just a short time out of the bottle. Did not decant. Opened up well over two hours. A bit more smokey and robust than some other vintages of Thomas. Seemed very solid right now.
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9/7/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened at the CDP by Allred. My favortie Pinot at this event. Brownish red color. Nicely aged. sweet red fruit with sesame and and old world edge. Elegant. 92-93 points.
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8/26/2017 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Cellar diminishment party - brief note. Cherry and floral bouquet, hint of earth. Gorgeous fruit on the palate; cherry, red berry; seamless. Balanced; long finish. Long life ahead, just entering window. 93+.
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8/26/2017 - petitblanc wrote: flawed
Madison Offline 2017; 8/24/2017-8/26/2017: Dill, cinnamon, ether fumes, a bit of oxidation, hot alcohol. This bottle was damaged.
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6/21/2017 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum. More youthful and less evolved than I expected. No doubt the format had something to do with that. Deep crimson still. Just the beginnings of secondary development on the nose. Even less on the palate. Really pure vibrant red fruit, though. Fresh. Kept on going back for more. Should wait a few more years before the next magnum to see what time does to this.
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5/23/2017 - arthrovine wrote: flawed
This bottle was slightly stewed, maderized and perhaps grossly cooked.
Its fundamentals were present, though it was flawed. Oh well, Benchmark Wines, You have delivered a 6 pack that is flawed. It is perhaps 3/4 bottles of this 6 bottle lot I purchased. I took a flyer and appear to have lost.
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4/22/2017 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful again - just fantastic. Layered notes of blueberry, plum and raspberry. Great balance and a medium, long finish. 93-94.
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3/25/2017 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Slightly corked. Still drinkable but no detailed notes or scoring.
Bummer as I know these older Thomas bottles are hard to find!
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3/4/2017 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, berries and cherries. Flavors of plums, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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1/1/2017 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Darker ruby. Nose of anise, plum, forest floor, violets, earth. Very young still and practically unformed on the palate for most of the evening, with layers of primary raspberry and black cherry fruit accompanied by firm tannin and strikingly austere structure. Freshening acidity and a bit of menthol with each sip. Longer finish of schist, red and black raspberry fruit, and bits of iron. Clearly a beautifully made wine, but a long decant might be necessary.
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12/6/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 96 Points
Same btl as R&Rler and my btl tonight. I choked a little bit paying $95 for this recently from a west coast retailer but I couldn't resist the opportunity to try a Thomas with some btl age. Now I wish I had grabbed all 3 that were available at the time! Not exactly a steal but, lets face it when a wine lives up to a big price tag, what more can you ask for? At least $95 isn't in the stratosphere ala DRC, Mugnier & Rousseau. For my palate Thomas is the best PN / "Burg" producer & specialist in the US, bar none. I'm so delighted that Oregon remains a step child to CA PNs in the view of most buyers. This wine has all the lift and terroir of Burgundy with just a touch more accessibility, richness and fruit. I can attest, having drank two 2013s this past year blind, that this wine is very difficult to pick as a domestic PN. PnP in Burg glass at low 60 degrees. I was excited that the color was a light cranberry crimson as it went into the glass and only darkened up a bit as I hit my desired pour level. As R&Rler said, the nose was incredible and worth the price of admission on its own. Count me as Thomas believer. See R&Rlers TN for his spot on descriptors.
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12/6/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 96 Points
Mixed WTDS at The Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Medium red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. This was simply sublime; it has everything I want in a pinot. This started off with an earthy perfume of modest brett, prominent leather, seductive spices and pretty red fruits. What was already an incredible nose becomes even more explosive with a high toned perfume of crushed flowers and sandalwood mixing with the exotic spices and hints of toasted embers. The palate is refined and elegant, medium bodied with excellent depth and intensity throughout. The red cherry and more subtle berry fruits seem perfectly balanced with the other elements and overall structure. This goes down so effortlessly and with building complexity. The spice and minerality builds on the finish with a charred oak note teasing as part of the long finish. Drank this next to a very good '07 Chevillon Vaucrain with many similarities, and the Thomas was in a different class. A beautiful bottle of wine, that was an absolute joy to savor. Another great example of what Oregon can be in the right hands. Masterful.
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11/9/2016 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicate floral and red berry aromas with flavors with pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with delicious acidity. Keeps opening up throughout the evening.
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10/14/2016 - texaswinelover wrote:
Last bottle from case I bought upon release. Beautiful mature development, prominent acidity, with more than adequate subdued red fruit. Earthy with smooth mouth feel. Old Worldy but riper and more enjoyable for my new world palate. Really glad I bought these and drank these over the last 12 years. Great job by John Thomas.
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10/3/2016 - kghaffar89 Likes this wine: 95 Points
A truly magnificent wine. Great structure, layered with raspberry, blackberry, and spices. A shame I have none left of the '05. Absolute pleasure to drink.
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8/20/2016 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Terrific again. Notes of raspberry, earth and Vanilla . Great structure and a long finish.
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7/30/2016 - Bakerbd Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first old Thomas, and confirms that I should let my '12s and '13s age... Raspberry, cherry, wild blueberry, sous bois. Fine, drying tannin. Unchanged overnight. Drinking well now, but I could easily see this going another 10 years.
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7/16/2016 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, this shows cherry, earth, white currant, spice and dark berry notes with a hint of earth underneath. Black cherry and spice on the palate; balanced. Long finish. It's definitely a crime to drink these before their tenth birthday.
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7/2/2016 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Just superb again. This is obviously an example of a great winemaker! Raspberry on the nose, with a smooth mouth-feel. Notes of raspberry and blackberry. 92-93, leaning to 93.
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6/4/2016 - Warren23 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful - layered, with notes of cherry, raspberry, spice with a medium finish. Spreads on the palate.
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5/16/2016 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Similar tasting note to the previous bottle.
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4/10/2016 - MObiker wrote:
I can't believe this is 10 years old. So much bright fruit, it's still a baby.
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2/18/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicate floral and red berry aromas with soft red berries, pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with delicious acidity.
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8/25/2015 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first Thomas experience with a friend who is a longtime fan. Wow. Like no other Oregon Pinot I have had. 10 years old and going strong, filled with complexity I have only seen in Burgundies. I can see why the hype exists. Hope I can get my hands in some more.
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4/5/2015 - JoeGolton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had with celebratory dinner of 4 different nice cheeses, salmon, roasted vegees. Perfectly balanced and clearly structured to last, but tight and with a weaker and shorter finish that I've experienced with past John Thomas wines. I think this was in a dumb phase as I never got a lot out of the aroma. Would have never guessed this had a gunflint aroma as is usually the case for John Thomas - just muted plum and a faint whiff of minerality and barnyard. The fruit was strong when first opened but muted with air. After 2 hours of air was still very subtle, though was an excellent food wine that had different flavors brought out with the different foods and cheeses. 90 for now but I'm expecting better in the future.
Passively cellared at 64 to 67 degrees over the past decade. This was the first of 12 bottles.
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3/8/2015 - rhalbert wrote: 93 Points
Coravined a taste to check in. Burgundy profile for sure with secondary flavors forming. Had with Wallis.
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1/1/2015 - MeMyself&I wrote: 92 Points
Decanted prior to our evening meal of poached Steelhead. Good fruit & lots of complexities. Most enjoyable!
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12/5/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
Very pretty nose but a bit tight overall. Needs a good decant to open up. Big structure and quite complex, would be hard to guess this as an Oregon pinot. Flavors of plum, little caramel, and cola (which I'm not a huge fan of). Overall I think this is very solid but doesn't carry the finesse or elegance of a good burgundy. Still have another bottle that I will hold and an 06' that look forward to trying.
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9/27/2014 - Muscomed Likes this wine: 95 Points
We were treated to a complimentary bottle last evening at the Herbfarm by our host of this amazing wine. Explosive cherry right from the get go, met by a second wave of flavors including forest floor and vanilla. The wine looked crimson colored, with medium legs and little to no sediment. The medium body quickly unrolls the deep and complex layering of the earthy, but polished texture. The most noted aspect of this wine for me was the multidimensional layering into it's long finish. I left the evening with a much greater example of what is meant by long finish and complexity. Now you'll have to excuse me while I go figure out how to contact Mr. Thomas with the hopes of getting on a mailing list!
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8/21/2014 - KPB wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured, which turned out to be a shame; this wine really opened up over a two hour period, and if we had pulled the cork 24 hours earlier, I bet it would have been superb -- once I rated this 95 points and I suspect that with time to breath slowly, it might still be there. Anyhow, fairly pale rose, rather pretty color, with a tawny note on the rim. Spicy, waxy, red current nose. Lovely balance here, and delicious to drink (I'll call it cranberries), long finish. Ends on a tiny hint of bitterness that I enjoyed. #2 WOTN
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7/20/2014 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Brilliant ruby hue. Bracing, fresh nose of cranberry, sea air, flint, anise, cinnamon, violets. Vibrant and lively on the palate with layers of red raspberry, cherry, and mulberry fruit laced with iron and briar notes. Acidity quite refreshing, with tamed but structured tannins balancing the live wire fruit. Long finish of raspberry and cinnamon rippling with stony soil notes. Dances with adolescent energy, a total pleasure to drink.
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5/10/2014 - ghostofgotham wrote: 95 Points
Nothing short of magnificent. I have been drinking Thomas' Pinots for years and they nearly always age elegantly. But this is special. I get a bit of cinnamon and cardamom on the nose, to go with the characteristic red fruits. The acidity of this vintage is intact, providing great structure. I am thankful I have one more.
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4/19/2014 - texaswinelover wrote: 92 Points
Got to say, I really enjoyed this..
Very light, almost translucent as others have noted, nicely developed with fading funk. I'd call this Burgundian with calif fruit. Glad to have another bottle.
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4/12/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 93 Points
My, has this improved with time. Sniffing this is pure joy, still very berrydriven but with some pinosity/complexity pleasantness. On the palate, this is an unabashed new world, warm fruit pinot but has freshness and elegance. the last of my three magnums will be saved for later.
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4/3/2014 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
The '05 is a light ruby red in color. Almost translucent. 13.4% ABV. Red fruits, Christmas spice and forest floor on the nose. Light in body with great acidity. Complex and structured. The palate has tart red cherries, blood orange, fruitcake and a great spicy component. The finish literally lasts for a minute or more. Super wine right now but it will clearly age for another 2-3 years. One of the best Oregon Pinot Noirs I have ever had.
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3/23/2014 - Pinotphile wrote: 86 Points
Very light raspberry color, not deep. Promising nose of black cherry and raspberry, but very light and acidic on the palate. Not much fruit at all. Tannic, tart, lacking fruit. Tight, dry, taught finish.
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11/10/2013 - joe d wrote:
Very good. I've only had Thomas Pinots from the 2004 vintage onward, and only '04, '05, and '06 to date. Among perhaps 10 bottles, only one has shown other than excellent to my palate. I've heard the complaints of inconsistency but have not experienced it.
Thomas remains the benchmark American pinot noir to me
This particular bottle had the typical bright ruby color, great nose, a little very fine tannin. Great fruit and the tannins smoothed out over an hour or so.
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11/9/2013 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Brilliant ruby color. Nose of mulberry, briars, pine forest, red earth. A blast of tart red cherry and raspberry fruit on the tongue joined after a few hours by a lash of sweet grip fanning out on the back end. Big but smoothed-out tannins, ample acidity. Finish is notable for succulent waves of pure red fruit. Powerful and intense despite the low alcohol signature, a veritable ringing chime. This has years to go.
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7/12/2013 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Another fabulous bottle of Thomas. Tart red fruits, great acidity, perfect balance, and wonderful nose. Sad to be close to the end of my 05's. Couldn't ask for more listening to the CSO (with guest pianist Emanuel Ax) at Ravinia on a perfect July evening.
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7/11/2013 - RJ&JJ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb Oregon pinot - all you would like to have in one bottle of delicious, subtle, full mouth-feel pinot.
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2/16/2013 - arthrovine wrote: 91 Points
Agree with others notes suggesting improvement with aeration. This bottle was firm and rather unyielding. Nice acids and glimpses of complex flavors and aromas. Needs time.
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12/16/2012 - sakemakibug Likes this wine: 95 Points
needed a little air/time 30 min to blow off some alcohol and sl index hot tannis, but smoothed to elegant classic earthy OR pinot
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10/3/2012 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over a couple of days.
Garnet color in the glass, pretty clear looking. Nose of red berries, raspberries and a hint of underbrush. Flavors of red berries, raspberries and a hint of cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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9/23/2012 - sakemakibug wrote: 96 Points
agree wi other note re tannins; this wine still somewhat young. but damn good at present.
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5/18/2012 - joe d wrote: 90 Points
A Long Weekend of Burgs and a Few Others; 5/17/2012-5/20/2012 (Scottsdale, AZ): Great showing. Opened a couple of hours in advance and was delicious right out of the gate. Very pale rosy color and an absolutely dynamite nose. Fruit, spice, great complexity and a good long finish. This held its own and then some among some pretty good company from the Cote d'Or.
My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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4/24/2012 - tarheel17 wrote: 91 Points
STG does Oregon Pinot (Ed's house): This was fascinating - I could not stop smelling the wine because it smelled to me EXACTLY like Christmas fruitcake. THe kind that comes all cellophane-up and lasts for years in the pantry. I very much liked this wine, my first from Thomas, but it acted quite tight and tannic. I imagine it could benefit from a bit more cellar time.
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3/24/2012 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Really nice. My buddy worked as a winemaker in Burgundy and loved it. Always a treat to pop a Thomas.
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11/25/2011 - briquette wrote: 93 Points
opened an 05 and 06 for Thanksgiving dinner. Both vintages were very impressive with the 05 being less fruity but more elegant. The 05 should be able to cellar well for a number of years. By a slight margin the general verdict was that my family liked the 06 better
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11/11/2011 - jwsmith wrote: 94 Points
There is no question to what is the bast , most classic totally enjoyable pinot in north america.. This wine rocks and will age for ten years or more, Drink or hold...
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10/22/2011 - zinnut wrote: 94 Points
This is a great wine. Beautiful color, garnet. Expressive nose and bright fruit. I love it.
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5/23/2011 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Very closed when first opened, but blossomed after a couple of hours. Delicate floral and red berry aromas with soft red berries, pine needles and mineral notes on the palate finishing with delicious tannins and acidity. Incredibly well balanced and should only improve with age.
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5/4/2011 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dallas 2nd Wednesday Group - Dinner with guest chef Sharon Hage (Urbano Cafe, Dallas, Texas): WIML93-94
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Very nice nose of spices, earth, smoke, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black berries, black cherries and a bit of raspberry. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink with air or continue to hold.
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4/22/2011 - briquette wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced Burgundian style Pinot. Should get better with more age.
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3/17/2011 - KC Bloodlines wrote:
Outstanding. This was all incense, minerals, cherries, kirsch liqueur, wet stone, roses and some cola. Great aromatics and complexity. Lithe and beautifully textural, this one has plenty of life left.
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1/2/2011 - S. Lorin wrote: 85 Points
I have yet to have a good bottle of this vintage (my third). Underlying some simple floral fruit was a weak background, high acidity and slightly metallic taste.
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12/20/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 86 Points
2005 Oregon Pinot review (Lou's): This was my bottle and actually had been a gift from R. Trimpi a few years ago (thanks). My first time trying this vintage although I do like this producer. It was the lightest color on the table. I have had Rose's that were deeper in color. Not much nose at first, slightly earthy. It took a lot of time to open up and then there was some earthy notes and some light cherry juice. With air a cherry powdered drink mix shows up on the palate. Also a citrus quality. It kept getting better all night long, but I think this is partially shut down. That is admittedly based more on the label. The group liked it more than I, but in this setting, it left me looking for complexity. I never quite got it.
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12/7/2010 - sakemakibug wrote: 96 Points
fleshy full bodied smoky mature fruit nice
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12/1/2010 - brucegrayseattle@gmail.com wrote:
Drank a magnum of this with Thanksgiving dinner and have been thinking about it ever since. I had bright cranberry/rasberry notes on the nose with a background of wet forest floor and a bright, lithe taste that danced with acidity and berry flavors. I'd agree with the previous taster's notes. Such good stuff.
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11/15/2010 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose of sweet blackberry, sea air, licorice, earthiness. Drenched with dark fruit on the palate with berry infusion, black tea notes, cola, plum, and saline minerality. Quite acidic and powerful, with structured tannins counterpointing the dense array of fruit. Finish grippy and full of earthy blackberry elements. A dramatic showing displaying primary flavors and youthful power.
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11/14/2010 - Ali wrote: 91 Points
Lighter in color and style. Well balanced with flavors cranberry and tea leaves. A good foood wine, but probably not enough concentration to stand on it's own.
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11/13/2010 - jc510 wrote: 91 Points
Great example of Burgundian style Oregon Pinot, light on the stink, good acid, earthy, with raspberry and strawberry. Improved with food, Truffle Fries!! Very well balanced.
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11/10/2010 - KC Bloodlines wrote: 95 Points
Amazing. A great example of 2005 Oregon Pinot. Beautiful aromatics and texture to die for. Has plenty of life left.
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11/5/2010 - wineismylife wrote:
CellarTracker Texas Offline II - Part One (oskiwawa's house in McKinney, Texas): Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. It stops. There is something off about this bottle. It isn't corked but it doesn't smell or taste anything like a typical Thomas Pinot. No rating.
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11/5/2010 - petitblanc wrote: flawed
CT Texas Offline #2; 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (McKinney, TX): Signs of seepage. Chalky, muted nose. Thin, simple palate. No score.
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10/27/2010 - gripNsip wrote: 91 Points
This is coming off mega-floral, like a garden filled with roses, along with dirt and red licorice. Lots of acidity right off the bat, something slightly green, but with a ripe red core that presents itself as you swallow it. Balanced structure, strong floral again on the medium-long finish. This is delicious!
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9/22/2010 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Vivid candy red color. Nose is rather quiet, but showing some sweet raspberry and earth. Pure red fruits on the palate, with raspberry, cherry, and licorice most prominent. Intense earth and clay character, with briary spice and clove leading into a lengthy finish of earth and spice. Was very angular and disjointed upon opening with a prominent flash of heat on the backend, but this smoothed out after an hour in the glass. Still, it was an odd wine, for lack of a better term. Well made and enjoyable overall, does seem a little simple.
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9/5/2010 - rnellans wrote: 90 Points
Slightly lighter color than the 04. Big, more rustic with tannins more evident than most of the other wines. Long on the palate. Somewhat 4-square to me and not sure how this wine is going to age.
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6/7/2010 - ianinvirginia wrote: 88 Points
DCWineDinners' (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dcwinedinners/) Pinot Noir Dinner at Dino (Dino Restaurant, Washington, DC): Light colored and light bodied, lots of cinnamon and cherry on the nose, bright cherries in the mouth, just a hint of clove, but pretty straightforward - the acidity and dry finish, along with that brightness might portend a more interesting wine in a few years.
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3/25/2010 - Kirk Grant wrote: flawed
Bottle had a lot of promise...and then I realized it was sadly corked. I think this really could have been a really special bottle. It's a shame to loose a bottle to something so sad.
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1/1/2010 - sakemakibug wrote: 92 Points
always rock solid what OR pinot should be
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11/21/2009 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, paired with baked king salmon. Darker ruby color. Youthful, full nose of blackberries, smoke, and cinnamon, with alpine florals thrown in. Brimming with energy on the palate, showing black raspberry, bing cherry, licorice, earth, and cola. Truly brisk acidity, structured tannins, and a ringing, grippy finish complementing the still primary fruit. Terrific example of a wine seemingly quite powerful made graceful by its sheer balance. Wow.
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10/31/2009 - Ali wrote: 91 Points
Elegant pinot without a trace of heat. Great food wine
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9/23/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted September 23, 2009 at an offline.
Light garnet to garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of dust, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of red berries and red cherries. Bright acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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9/23/2009 - brooklynguy wrote: 84 Points
Oregon Pinot: This is just one big disappointment. Everyone said the same thing - the alcohol dominates the nose, and when it settles a bit, the wine is simple, a one note tune of red fruit with very little else going on. You can scream all you want about too young, but this was open for four hours and did not improve at all. i've had good wine by this producer, but not from 2005.
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6/7/2009 - 2treeline wrote: 94 Points
Great balance and structure. Gives the impression of volume without weight. Aromatics are excellent, finish lingers. Only negative is a slight bit of heat on the finish - I'm hoping this will resolve itself with a couple of more years in the cellar.
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4/12/2009 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
obvious how much rich fruit there is in this wine which is elegant if a bit monosyllabic. However, there is something not entirely correct - and it is not corked, neither a description for something actually appealing. Could not enjoy. Have two more magnums which I hope are not ruined. It is very funny. three of the eight or so Thomas I have opened during the last few years have been off. Not sure what this is about and would not want to wage a guess either if it relates to transport storage winery issues or my own lack of appreciation for the really fine wines of this world.
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2/28/2009 - Mlawrence wrote: 91 Points
Great pinot nose. Light ruby in the glass. Plenty of red fruit mixed with a dash of baking spices. When we first tried this in June of 08 the wine was not as balanced as it is now. It was young and had effervescence in the glass. The fizz seems to have settled down leaving a wine with balanced acidity and tannins. Amazing how much this wine has matured over the last year and there is still potential for more.
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1/9/2009 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
Good slightly hot nice wine
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12/6/2008 - BGStahnke wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful effort that needs some more time in the bottle. This was very smooth and elegant with tart cherry and raspberry on day 1, and on day 2 this turned more brooding with some structure and a concentrated core of fruit still lurking underneath. Not totally resolved yet, this should develop nicely over the next 5 - 10+ years
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8/9/2008 - jsokel wrote: 88 Points
There was an oddity to this wine. Well made and flavorful, but something was a little off. A little too much alcohol, and little tart. Still enjoyed it, but am not wishing I had more.
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8/2/2008 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
Big Pinot funk and earth on the nose with red fruit aromas and dark spice accents. The palate was consistent with the nose with a leathery flavor coming out at the finish. Medium bodied with a medium length finish. This didn't show as well as the 03 Thomas that I tasted last year.
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7/21/2008 - brooklynguy wrote: 87 Points
what a disappointment! the last time i had a thomas wine was the 02, which i liked very much at the time. i had high expectations here, and what a let down. sure, it's perfectly good, but it is simple and one dimensional with very little true pinot complexity or character. i let it stand for 3 hours in the decanter hoping for growth and found very little. lots of alcohol heat too, considering it claims 13.5%. good sweet red fruit and a soft texture - good wine, but only within the oregon spectrum, and even there, no complexity. not a rebuy.
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6/14/2008 - rstark wrote: 92 Points
Brought to SD offline. I really like the high acidity (and agree that it causes it to be slightly effervescent). It's great red fruit, and finishes with a bretty earthiness.
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5/24/2008 - win wrote:
Deep red, with nice acidity. Seemed to have a bit of effervescence, which was interesting. NR
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3/24/2008 - Sky King wrote: 90 Points
Somewhat lighter in color than I expected, but that's no foul here as I have been drinking a fair amount of 2005 Red Burgundies lately which may have my expectations slightly off. The wine has a lovely, somewhat slightly reduced profile aromatically. I was a little confused whether my perception of reduction was accurate or whether this was a result of the barrel program...but, as the reduction seemed to withdraw with time in the decanter I'll give the wine the benefit of the doubt. In the mouth, the wine enters quite sweet and seemless, this is very Oregon in character and without the grip and structure for long aging. Nice wine and I was not disappointed but I don't think this is a great Thomas in the tradition of the 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002. Nevertheless, it is too early too damn this with faint praise and I am thrilled to own the wine and support an independent guy with the guts to say publicly he blows off the "advice" of certain New York based Burgundy retailers (as he did several vintages ago). I will check back on this in approximately 3 years, in the meantime I have got the 1998, 1999 and 2003 in the shoot.
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3/10/2008 - noiregonian wrote: 91 Points
No formal notes taken -drank with great dinner at Nick's. First tasted after about 20 minutes and very closed. Opened up nicely during meal..medium to light body, more fruit than usual from aThomas but refined and delicate as always. Would love to go back and try in another two years; but where to find it?
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2/20/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 90 Points
I am a big fan of Thomas, this was very good and typical Thomas, however, very high in alcohol. Maybe in a dumb stage. However, this reminds me of 1998 and 2001 versions whihc closed down a couple of years into evolution.
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2/5/2008 - wjs wrote: 92 Points
A very nice wine. The winner of the second flight. Light in color - but solid with structure, acid & fruit. A very well made wine. Floyd Mayweather of Oregon pinot. The remaining 5 will rest for sometime, but very much looking forward to them.
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1/9/2008 - colvill_wine wrote:
way too young. Had to try one. This was better the next day but still noticable tannins. It's all there and in a few years will be a special bottle. Will bury the rest in the cellar
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1/2/2008 - joe d wrote: 90 Points
Didn't take notes but this seems better than the 2004 at a similar stage, which I loved. Great balance and fruit, a little tannin but very fine. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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12/19/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93+
Tasted December 19, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately. Nose of black cherries, berries and a little rubber underneath like I tend to pick up in a Volnay. Perfume like finish almost. Flavors of black cherries with a hint of a sulphuric like finish. Vibrant acidity, good tannins, medium body. Well balanced and pleasant to taste. Hold.
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12/9/2007 - rhalbert wrote: 94 Points
I believe this is the best Orgeon Pinot that I own. I have had it twice now and have to say it is exceptional. The first time was a "pop and pour" and the second I drank it gradually over 4 days. It only gets better and better over that period. Great fruit and structure. The color is very light which tricks you into thinking it is watery. Au contraire, it packs a punch full of rasberries and cherries and more complexity than is typical in Oregon. This is the most ageworthy pinot that I have seen come out of the NW. This will be a staple in my cellar going forward.
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12/8/2007 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Popped the cork 3 hours before serving, but this really hits its stride at the 5-6 hour mark. Bright ruby color, with aromas of cherry, gunpowder and spice undertones. Bright cherry fruit on the palate, with good acidity and a long, spice tinged finish. Excellent stuff.
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12/7/2007 - dfeiner wrote: 92 Points
First exposure to a Thomas. Noticably light in color. Wonderful nose, citrus, spice and maybe herbs. Earthy rather than sweet. Nice acidity balanced by fruitiness and that citrus again. A bit of brown sugar or molasses. Slight, but not unenjoyable bitterness in the long finish. I like this a lot.
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12/4/2007 - KPB wrote: 95 Points
Couldn't resist so I pulled a cork seconds after my bottles arrived. A fine, medium-light ruby. Nose is elegant and spicy; I get crunchy red berries, maybe ripe currents, beeswax, hints of cloves or other "warm" spices. On the palate, has a distinctively sweet attack, then endless waves of fruit. Modest tannins and balanced acidity. One of the best Oregon PNs I've ever tried! This is a wine you can drink young, but I think it will gain a lot of complexity over the next five or eight years. I may try to buy a few more... [Note to self: The wine really opened up with air. Splash decant a few hours early...]
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11/23/2007 - cfe wrote: 93 Points
From the list at Nick's Cafe. Lovely pale crimson purple. Rose petal and cinnamon, with currant. Lovely nose. Young wine, with great finesse. Beguiling aromatics. Very nimble, light on its feet, extremely well balanced, with avids and fruit in harmony. Lithe, lovely curranty and spice scentd pinto flavors create a lovely palate one moment soft, the next firm, and a long finish. Expect this wine to shut down at some point, but willl age well. Glad I had the chance to taste from a wine list.
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