After one hour the wine took on weight and continued to get stronger through the dinner. Black cherry and smooth mouth feel with sensual finish. The wine also exhibited old leather and cigar box due to age. We all enjoyed the bottle and there was minimal bricking around the edge. The wine will not get better and I suspect some fruit fade to start soon. Right now it is at the end of maturity and the perfect time to finish it up.
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Imbibed as part of a 4 year vertical of RR bottlings including 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2020. Showing its age compared to the others, this had a glyceric shell coating the strawberry, reds and pomegranates. Most correctly identified it as an older vintage blind.
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Opened and poured. Some bricking to edge but very dark ruby. Bruised strawberry, plum and blackberry on the nose. Roasted toasty oak notes as well. On the palate, a fresher tart, acidic burst. We have some sweetness, but not too overpowering. Red cherry, tart strawberry, and a citric note.
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Taking time to enjoy some nice pinots in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. The '06 KB RRV is garnet colored with a slight rust/orange tint at the ring. No settlement in the bottle. Fruity with strong alcohol nose which mellowed out after 40 minutes. Flavor is initially strong alcohol, but smoothed out after 40 min. Overall great glass of pinot...1 '06 left to consume.
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Just perfectly aged (properly stored) Pinot. Mellow, round and expressively fragrant. I am generally disappointed in pinot's, but this wine is singing right now...
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2006 Retrospective (Central Coast, CA): My second encounter with this wine, and the prior tasting (from a 375) was much more enjoyable. Flabby and undistinguished, with a clashing array of flavors: smoke, cherry cola and leather.
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Drinking window on this ended about five years ago but this wine was wonderful. Very smooth with wonderful flavor. Kosta Browne is most always terrific but this bottle was outstanding. Wish i had some more.
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Crumbly cork that took effort to remove cleanly. Surprisingly fresh, with cherry and dark red fruits yielding to ample spice and earthiness. A touch of heat but well balanced; tannins fully integrated.
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Smooth and flavorful but lost a bit of it’s punch. Cola notes still there but forward robust fruit is waning. Drank like an older european wine with mellowed tannins.
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2006 KOSTA BROWNE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR- we jumped up a few notches from light to medium bodied wines to some heavy hitters; this release came from 8 vineyards in the RRV; it seemed intense at first, but with time in the glass, it mellowed out and became actually charming; it was loaded with red fruit that had help from cola, cedar and spicy notes; initially some heat came in at the end before fading out; the alcohol level was an understated 14.9%.
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94 - loved loved loved this pinot. Aged beautifully, complex. rich with flavor. Fruit foward The wine looks violet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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PnP then followed over the course of three hours. Most notable for how quickly this evolved in glass - a lot of complexity here. Felt it was at its best after an hour and then started to flatten out after that. Big time notes of cola and root beer. Big bodied. Sassafras, spices, cranberry. Nice acidity, good texture. Medium finish. Drink these if you got 'em!
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Three Flights, With Pairings (Red Barn, Santa Ynez): From a 375. Pale red with some evident bricking on the rim. More fruity than floral on the nose. Ripe red fruit and a touch of smoke. Dense and chewy in style, more lush than I prefer.
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Medium red color with orange rim. Lovely nose of cherry and raspberry mixed with a floral note. With air, there is more depth on the nose. Slightly tart initially with dark cherry and some earthy notes. While I expected something plush, this wine was stern with a bitterness on the palate that feels like the byproduct of over extraction. With air, the bitterness fades and dark fruits, graham cracker, and cinnamon drive the palate. There is adequate acidity to handle this medium-bodied wine and no tannins to manage. Overall, I was disappointed by the initial bitterness of this wine, but with air, it began to show a more complete wine. Serving temperature, slightly chilled, is important to get the best from this wine.
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Took to a party and was quickly imbibed....only had a glass. Big and dense, chewy but evolved with bramble and some bitter chalky smoky notes. Plums and black cherry, some Syrah profile notes as well.
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Pushing the sweetness level for me (almost sensed residual sugar), but it stayed just in fair territory. Still full of cranberry and rhubarb notes with strawberry flavors to boot. Just enough tannin to hold it nicely together and a long finish, with some earthiness creeping in. Nice wine.
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Opened and vinturied into a decanter. Medium red in color and clear, with perfumed aromas of ripe black cherries, rose petal, and a touch of game. The palate shows flavors of ripe red and black fruits, cola, oak, and dry earth. Nice texture, plush fruits, and a medium-long finish.
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This was a bottle that has been stored with the last bottle I drank and it was a really good bottle of wine - clean, focused, well integrated. A classic Russian River Pinot. The only difference was the last bottle had been transported and this one was pulled straight out of the cellar. I never really believed the "bottle Shock" thing but I do now.
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Started out awful. Tons of heat, disjointed, over-ripe, almost pruney. Took a couple hours of air to get it going. Even now the heat is overpowering and the mid-pallet is not there at all. Hopefully it's better tomorrow. I think I pushed this one too long before drinking. My worst KB experience to date.
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Popped and poured with no decant or Vinturi aeration. Brought to a hight end restaurant so just wanted to get the night started quickly before delving into the cabs. Super smooth pinot with a nose of black cherry. On the palate, you get some spice box, black cherry, and cherry cola notes. A really pleasant spicy and lengthy finish as other noted with a great structure. At or near the end of the drinking window by my taste so drink within the next year or two. Highly recommended and enjoyed with friends who all loved it. Sadly my last bottle but a good way to go out.
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Another excellent bottle. On the nose, black cherry, rhubarb, and orange peel, with notes of baking spice and cola. Those notes continue to the palate, with rich black cherry counterbalanced by a citrus note. Finishes long and spicy, with a surprising amount of tannin. A nice melange.
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This wine shows why Kosta makes a good wine. The 2006 vintage was so-so as far as I can tell, yet this wine was just great. Although the fruit has receded (just a tad) there is still a density of flavor remaining at 7 years. The youthful density and ripe flavors of this wine have now matured into a more balanced, subtle wine which lost nothing in the 3-4 says I held the remainder in the bottle. If a wine holds up that long without falling apart, that says to me it's well made. although I've heard that 2006 was just a so-so vintage for California Pinot, I've had a few that have pleasantly surprised me at how they've held up. Recommended, but would not age more than 2-4 years.
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Very specific style of pinot that hit a good mark for me on this evening. The fruit and color of the wine seemed more aged than a 2006. Really nice cola and spice component to an elegant wine where the red fruit was second fiddle but supportive. Silky. Not what I usually get from KB. Not sure if there's much aging left - drink up.
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Ninth bottle from a case purchased on release, and possibly the best to date. On the nose, deep and rich notes of loamy black cherry, wet clay, black tea and baking spice. In the mouth, rich black cherry, with a spicy attack and notes of cola and limestone/mineral. Long finish, with alcohol in check. Showing no signs of decline, and should drink well for many more years.
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Medium garnet center with slight bricking at the rim. This wine has a wonderful nose of raspberry, black cherry, orange blossom, deft oak, and spice. On the palate, there is dark cherry, raspberry, and root beer. Structurally, this medium-bodied wine has balanced acidity and a touch of heat with air. The finish is long with lovely, dark fruit. Overall, this is amazingly young with deep fruit and good acidity. Well done.
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Nice clear ruby color. Aromas of dark cherry, baking spice and alcohol. Consistent flavors with black tea and cinnamon. Full body with lengthy finish. A little too big and fruity for my taste, but well made.
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Drinking well, decanted for half hour and very nice nose. Wife like it a lot. She had the nose as cranberry and apple. Apple notes, bright red fruit flavors.
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Quick TN. My last bottle. Popped and poured. Intoxicating nose of pure dark red/purple fruit with a hint of forest floor and baking spice, led to high hopes. But on the palate, a quick hit of dark cherry followed by searing acidity and heat. After the first glass I literally had to take a zantac due to the heartburn. Consumed with grilled turkey burgers, which helped moderate the acidity, but the heat on the back end remained. Over the course of 2 hours it didn't change at all. BUT, a friend stopped over and I poured a glass for him. He took a sip and was amazed by the dark cherry fruit, baking spices - proclaimed it a fantastic pinot. So, though not for me, this wine certainly has an audience. One bottle of the '06 SC left. Maybe I'll give it to my friend (or at least drink it with him).
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I've loved every bottle of KB I've tasted but this one was flat, maybe it had spoiled but it just seemed less balanced, sort of an after thought in terms of care.
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Drinking really well right now. Some secondary traits coming out now fruit and alcohol has dissipated somewhat. Do these age? More balanced than before.
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Dark color, very ripe, verging on syrah like flavors.. however was more balnced than I expected and the fruit was still pretty youthful. I find my tastes have really moved away from this style.
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Popped and poured for Thanksgiving. Lighter bodied, more Burgundian in style than other KB bottlings. Cherry & strawberry with light, toasted almonds. Suggest decanting for 2 + hours.
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I have always loved what Michael has done with the KB RR pinots and this bottle is no exception even with the 2006 vintage. A very nice pinot that has to be in it's prime since it's drinking so well.
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If you're looking for an objective note on this wine, I don't have one to offer tonight. My father's best friend passed away after a long illness, a man that I was proud to know and call a friend. Hell, to call family. Circumstances and many miles prevent me from being there. All I can do this evening is honor him as best I can, with a bottle and memories of many good years. Butch, we love you.
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Popped and poured. Bright cherries and great mouthfeel. Medium body. Don't see this getting much better and may in fact be on the decline. Plan to drink last bottle soon.
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Very good with cherry, Asian spices and floral notes on the nose and palate. A medium bodied offering with plenty of food friendly acidity and fairly resolved tannins.
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Popped and poured 30 min later. Served in Riedel Vinum Burgundy stems. @ 65 F . Medium intensity garnet color,pronounced nose and palate of baked black cherry, cola, vanilla oak . Medium body... Palate was dry with medium plus acidity and low to medium tannins, with a pronounced intensity of fruit. very new world fruit forward fuller bodied style pinot.
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My hit-n-miss history with KB continues - this one didn't work for me - not necessarily hot, but the fruit seems to be entering a secondary stage with subtle notes of brown sugar and cassis, while the alcohol is not subtle at all and shows a sharp edge. Not the balance that I like to see.
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Ruby colored. Bright red fruits, brown sugar, herbs, spice. Racy acidity. Not hot in any way at all. I think time is showing that the early vintages of KB do have the structure to age well.
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Consistent with prior notes. Still a youngster -- took time to open. Dusty raspberry and cranberry, with notes of chocolate and anise on the nose. Palate of raspberry and chocolate, with some mineral and a touch of spice. Not overly complex, but nice.
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Quick TN: Still have a few KBs left and thought I'd continue moving through them. Popped and poured, drank a few glasses over 3 hours. Color - looks like pinot, though on the darker end of the spectrum. Nose - hmmm, smells like pinot with a bit of 5 spice. Palate - upfront it has a soft entry like pinot, but then the mid-palate explodes with a big, brawny blast of dark fruit and acidity with just a bit of heat on the finish. Like the last bottle, not so great with dinner but as a before or after dinner drink it was okay. As I was discussing with a friend, nice bottle of wine, but I expect more for $54 or so when including shipping costs.
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Still going strong. Drank this without decanting. Initially there was nothing but acids and tannins, but then things came together. Spicy, sweet red fruit especially strawberry came out. Spicy nose too. This bottling probably had more life in it than was predicted. We saw no visible signs of aging.
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Yellowish on the rim; a light ruby color. Aromas of cherry, touches of strawberry and cranberry, spice, cola/oak. Similar flavors. Tannins are resolved. Elegant in the mouth; medium fruit concentration. A long finish, with a slight touch of heat on the back palate.
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Popped & poured. Drank beside a WS Westside Road from same vintage. What a difference. The KB was fuller, darker with more layers and roundness. Drinking better now than a year ago.
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Quite spicy with oak at first, but after it opened up it softened into correct Russian River pinot flavors of cherry and sassafras, with earthy, sous-bois undertones. Medium-bodied, not heavy, but with a somewhat clipped finish. Generally quite pleasant.
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Nose of spicy cranberry and raspberry, with some undertones of black cherry. Lots of fresh pine needle and some anise and mineral. Darker fruit on the palate -- black cherry and blackberry. A touch of cola with a spicy, peppery finish. Very solid and really nice.
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Still drinking well. A range of cherry started in the front with bing cherry and then going to a tart cherry no colabtaste. Was enjoyed by all. In it's drinking window NOW.
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Very nice cherry flavor and not too sweet; even a little earthiness. Everything has integrated quite well and there was no heat on the finish, which I've had with younger KB. Excellent wine.
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Light bodied and the fruit was a bit sweet. Cola and some spice on the palate. No heat. With a two hour decant was very well integrated. Delicious but very feminie and lacking wow.
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Great floral aroma on opening, rich and smooth with notes of both red and black fruit, a bit heavier than medium bodied...this one can stand on its own or with a meal...very enjoyable. Over dinner I decided to up my score to 95, for me the RRV is my sweet spot (figuratively and literally)just a touch of alcoholic heat after an hour in the air.
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Strangely this was much more alcohol forward that the bottle I had 18 months ago. While the time helped other elements, the balance was way off. Not sure these wine have the stones to be held (which makes sense given the decidedly CA bombing style). I have one more bottle and will give it another 18 months to test.
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Showing a little better than prev two bottles. More refined, less heat. Better over time and better once the wine gets a little warmer out of the cellar.
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I've been tough on KB lately, but I enjoyed this bottle for what it wasn't. It wasn't overextracted, over acoholic, or over the top. Typical KB profile but nice food friendly acidity. Gave this a 2 hour decant.....it may have helped.
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The additional time in the bottle seemed to serve this wine very well. The overall alcohol heat had greatly diminished and aromas of red raspberry, cherry, and red berries overall. Palate showed bright, ripe fruit with hints of spice and darker cherry flavors. Reduced heat added to enjoyment over prior bottles of this I had, best of the three. Nice full body and mouth-filling.
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Bright red nose, but also an aroma that reminds me of a freshly polished linoleum floor. Very full, soft and plush palate of ripe strawberries and raspberries. Nice acidity with soft tannins. Some heat in the finish. This is undeniably delicious. Crowd-pleasing style, a little straight-forward overall.
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Nice nose of red fruit, boozy flavors of cola and cherries on the palate though. Chilled the second half of the bottle and treated it like a chard. Might as well chuck an ice cube in it. Disappointing for 50, glad I've dropped that list. Anyone want to trade a couple bottles?
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Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of thatch, black berries, black cherries and a bit of spice. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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CT Wisconsin Offline (Madison, WI): Big dark fruit slightly candied and a cola component on the nose. Nice strawberry/raspberry with big tannins on the palate.
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Best of my 3 bottles, but compared to Merry Edwards Klopp this one is simple, light, and pales in comparison. However, it does have a very different profile and would appeal more to those who like a cola and red-fruit emphasis vs. dark fruit and earthy flavors. It's a nice summer red wine that is good with food as well as for sipping.
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Two years since last note and bottle and the time seems to have been well spent. Medium ruby. Even now opens with a bit of youthful exuberance, with spice, candy, red fruit, pepper, and cola. A big boy, not one to quaff, and as such it has a tendency to wear your palate down. Best with food and and several companions. Full finish, nice balance, lot to like but big.
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Drank with a steak and had enough acidity to hold up. Lots of bright red fruit along with racy acidity. However, my palate wore out pretty quickly as it was simply "too much of a good thing" for me. The fruit is simply much too sweet for my palate. Like AndrewSGHall, I enjoyed the first glass, but not so much the second or third glasses. Tough to score this one.
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Decanted for an hour, and drank with sauteed halibut and mushrooms. This bottle, my last, showed much better than the others. Lots of red berries and bright cherries, as well a spice and earth. The tannins and acidity aren't in line though and it finishes a bit thin.
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beautiful wine. decanted for about 30 minutes but the wine kept getting better...will drink my second bottle soon and decant for 45 minutes. elegant fruit with great body. held up well to an easter lamb roast.
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My last of these. Notes similar to previous bottles, though I feel like this is plateauing in terms of its ability to age as this bottle seemed a bit sweeter and fresh than past bottles.
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Pop and pour - drank over 3 hours. Ripe strawberries on the nose. Sweet red fruit and cola on the palate. This opened up with time but the alcohol also became more prevalent and this is a hot wine.
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PnP at 55 degrees due to CT feedback on decanting (less than stellar results). Minimal heat and alcohol most likely due to drinking this at the proper temperature. Rich cherry fruit and cola on the nose and palate. Nice structure with a clean, pure finish. Drink now or over the next 12-16 months.
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Needed a little time to open up, but was very good once it did. Drank a few Williams Selyem pinot's recently and they weren't showing quite as good as this.
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I'm beginning to wonder about bottle variation on these. I've had some excellent, and some that have totally fallen apart and exhibit raisin and port alcohol.
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Decanted this wine through a Vinturi into a decanter. This wine is just hot, hot, hot. Full of alcohol, very primary, little enjoyable fruit. After drinking and decanting over a few hours, this just didn't get any better. I really don't know how else to describe this other than one dimensional and disappointing. I don't think it was an off bottle, I just think it's how this bottling was made. I'm a KB fan, so not just hating on this wine or label.
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A nose of cherry and spice, medium amber in color. A smooth, medium to full bodied Pinot, raspberry, cherry cola, cinnamon and spice, bit of heat, a good Pinot Noir, decant for a hour or so.
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Pop n Pour and drank over 5+ hours. Full nose of cherry cola, brown sugar, herbs and spice. Juicy palate has bright and intense black cherry fruit. Plenty of acidic structure framing the medium-rich fruit. Finish is clean and slightly clipped. Balanced and flavorful, though on the simple side.
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Popped and poured. Very light red color, clear throughout. Nose was classic RRV with red fruits and a bit of cola. Nice mouthfeel and balance, as the alcohol seemed in check with this bottle.
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Raspeberry, sweet plum and strawberry notes on the nose. Flavors of dark cherry and spice predominate. A bit tannic and hot. Hints of vanilla on a sleek and supple delivery. Not overly complex and did not seem to evolve much in the bottle. Not a long or memorable finish.
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PnP. Clear, dark ruby color, good legs. Classic KB Pinot nose. This was a much better wine than the 06 Sonoma & Amber Ridge. Smooth, extremely well integrated/balanced, full bodied with typical cola & red fruit. Maybe a slight candy edge but nothing off. I was very pleased considering my disapointment with the others.
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A balanced, dark fruit pinot. I thought it concealed it's high alcohol well. The nosed opened the second day. This is not a jammy wine but more mature blend.
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Quick TN: Wanted something big and this was it. Big fruit, a modicum of pinot typicity, and heat. Not as enjoyable with food as I had hoped due to the alcohol but was okay as an after dinner cocktail. Paired with hash made with left over duck breast.
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Sweet, red fruits. Generally one-dimensional, but I like the dimension. Long, smooth finish. Drinking well now, not sure I see much benefit to bottle aging.
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Heavy alcohol burn. Hot and lacking balance. Dead finish, fruit struggles to come through. This showed much better a year and a half ago. In the grand scheme, not a bad wine but for 60 bucks I expect much more from Kosta Browne. For the same coin, I could do a lot better with a couple bottles from Vision Cellars or Siduri.
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My last tasting was ~18 months ago, and I thought more time would bring this together and make it a more complete wine... The nose reveals pomegranate juice with some sweet strawberries and cream and the end, it is surprising as how the wine seems as if it will be a tart experience initially, just from the nose. Drinking the wine reveals a pomegranate/cranberry juice cocktail, very red fruit dominated accentuated by alcohol and an unsmooth transition to the midpalate where moderate wood tannins bring out cedar and spice. One hour later the initial palate is demonstrating an earthy/mushroom component which is quite welcome, but still transitioning poorly. Here is to hoping 18-24 more months will do something positive. 50+4+13+15+6
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dissappointing. Flatter and less intense than the SC bottling we tasted a year or so ago, the wine was also more alcoholic and more boring. This definitely lacked verve. Though tasty, in the end the positives did not outweigh the negatives. I would not buy this again.
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This was a very nice wine. It didn't take long to open up. I really enjoy the mouthfeel of this wine. It has some red berry on the palate. I didn't sense the bitterness that others spoke about.
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Opened not decanted. Dark funk on the nose. Initial entry of dark spice, some vegetal notes with black fruit (black cherry, prunes, raisins), earth and funk on the mid palate and ends with a spicy, earthy finish. Good.
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10/23/10-Decent Pinot. Opened on Saturday and only a glass drank, then vacuum sealed. No real impression but felt it was very closed. 90 10/24/10-Now Sunday, deep dark color for pinot, nice balance to this one, as I suspected this wine requires air time to fully enjoy. Nice nose, taste is of cherry and something else. Feel though as if fruit is a little MIA. Cork was as dense as could be, which I really appreciate. Wife did like as well so is recommended. Legs run really nice on the sides of class, almost textbook and pretty to watch. 91 10/25/10-Now is beginning to see true color of this wine. Beautiful maroon color, almost lucent. Cherry flavors now coming out and I can see how some have said high alcohol prominent. But this is really nice today. A pleasant bitter taste on middle of tongue, but it fades after awhile. I think this may be the trait of the pinot grape. Feels somewhat coating in the mouth. And about 30 second finish. Nice acidity also, just the right amount for me. Also detecting sediment now, little black flakes. Bouquet is dense and musty. Very different from Oregon pinot, which for me is more fruit forward. Compared to my current favorite (Dumol RRV '07) this one is a lighter bodied wine that has a nice grip. 9
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Mouthwatering aromas of black raspberries, framboise, cola, and a hint of vanillin oak. Sweet on the palate with rich notes of ripe cherries. Gravelly and course on the midpalate and finish. Enjoyable for about the first hour or two but starts to decline and become disjointed by the third.
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Last of my 06's. 20 min decant. A little hot. While the 06 Sonoma transformed over a few years, the RRV never quite got there. A bit hot, cola and cherries, just not that exciting for a $60 pinot (and I generally enjoy KB)
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Today it came across as a merely decent pinot for my palate. Didnt seem to have the lushness or velvety feel I have experienced with other KB. Definitely has some heat which may be clipping the fruit. Really a lackluster performance not going to rate at this time, but based on todays sowing I cant see this getting better?
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Popped and poured. Def some heat on the open that did get better over the next 30-45 minutes. Should have paid attention to the below notes! Needs an hour in a decanter. After that good notes of spice and cola were present. Likely needs some more time to settle down - will not open my remaining 5 bottles for a a couple years.
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Rocky Mountain High - Pinot Style (Vail): Bright red core and a clear rim. Nose shows cream, cherry, red berry and a touch of barnyard. Medium-bodied and flat like a day-old cherry cola. Dull.
50+4+12+16+5
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Retirement dinner for cousin Anne. Slightly chilled before uncorking, aggressive decant then served. Voluptuous, heady, intense and extracted, this KB reveals the typical profile of strawberry, raspberry, cinnamon, and cola with a humid heat component as well. Fruit is lively, structure all there, delicious barrel program nuances, despite some tannic heat on the finish. There was a slight rhubarb component to this offering, perhaps influenced by the vintage in this tricky year. First of a case, will continue to let others evolve over the coming decades.
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Should have decanted based on feedback below. Was a bit restrained right out of the bottle but no blow off, just long cola/berry finish. Nose came up into the glass toward the end.
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Needs some air. After the heat dissipates you are left with flavors of ripe cherries and strawberries. I think this bottle will get better with another year.
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Took about ½ to open up. Medium ruby colored with a nice nose of smoky minerals, black cherry and cola that lead to a silky medium- to full-bodied mouth of fruit and oak. Enjoyed with oxtail bigoli pasta at Donato Enoteca. My 1st experience with an ’06 showed that these wines are ready to drink.
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Fairly dark in color. But FAR more restrained, both on the nose & palate, than all the hype had led me to expect. The nose is dominated by burnt cedar, though a little black cherry & clove do come across. Not particularly viscous. At most, medium bodied. The initial attack is unremarkable. Nice acidity, tannins, & effective use of oak saves this wine. All come together at just the right point on the otherwise "herbal" finish, giving a nice spicy grip. Was hoping this would be a little "bigger." Definitely needs air & might benefit from pairing with food. [14.9% abv.; $60.00].
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A little heat, not the cola of the Sonoma. This is the first of my bottles, but it is a consistent taste from other examples of this wine that i have tried fromt his vintage and others. More subdued, still strwberries come forward just not as much cherries and other dark fruits. I'm leaving thje rest alone until the weather cools down.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus ruby hue. Expressive aromas of ripe red fruits...think raspberry, black cherry, and red currant along with notes of spice and a touch of oak. Definitely has a bit of heat. Medium-plus body. A bigger, riper style of Pinot Noir on the palate, which is to be expected from Kosta Browne; the fruit is quite expressive but initially seemed to be marred by heat from alcohol. However, after 24 hours of aeration in bottle the alcohol seemingly integrated and allowed the ripe fruit to shine with flavors mirroring the nose. Very much a crowd pleasing style, with medium acidity and round, smooth tannins on the moderate-plus finish. A better showing than anticipated, and no doubt due to 24 hours aeration. Should hold well for another few years.
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Popped and poured and consumed over the course of a Friday evening dinner at home. A nice translucent garnet color, with the typical KB nose of rasberries and I did detect some earth on this one which adds to the picture. With KB wines you have to say they are consistent and I knew what type of wine I wanted to pair with grilled salmon with asian chinese cabbage and this fit the bill. After dinner the wine had been open about 3 hours and the last glass was full of ripe fruit, cherry-cola notes and was smooth and focused.
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Strong cola raspberry and spicy nose with strong alcohol note. Smooth highly concentrate hot almost jammy palate, with dark fruit profile and slight spice profile. The heat turns more to sweetness with air, but never resolves. Medium clipped finish. I continue to be disappointed in this bottling as it always comes across as hot and disjointed. Not worth the price for sure.
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I said we would wait a year to re-visit this wine, and it just so happens that tonight we decided to pop this a year and just a few days later. Popped and poured, and showing a great ruby color in the glass, the nose on this wine showed the typical Kosta Browne fruit profile, with that creamy Kosta Browne sweetness that we have grown to love. On the nose, there was some nice dark cherry, hints of cola, raspberry, and some cinnamon and spice. I could still sense a bit of alcohol on the nose, even more so than the last bottle we had. The nose was rounded out by some lavender and faint hints of cardamom. On the palate, as much as I hate to say it, this bottle just didn't perform like it did when we had it last year. It had some nice creaminess and acidity to it, with a bit of earthy elegance, some herb, cherry cola, and other berry fruits. It was the finish however that didn't seem nearly as smooth as it has been the many other times we have had this wine. There was still definitely some heat on the finish, which I attribute to the alcohol, and it just seemed to be a high octane, over extracted, over ripe wine to me. Many will say that I might just be growing out of this style of wine, but I know that is not the case. I will be the first to admit that I cannot drink this style of win on a regular basis, but I really was craving this style tonight. In short, I think that once again we'll let the remaining bottles lie on their sides in the cellar and sleep for another year before re-visiting, however, it may have just been the fact that this wine needed an aggressive decant before serving, which I did not do. The wine definitely mellowed out with time, and the last glass was definitely the best, so who knows for sure. For now, 88 points is the score that is awarded to this wine. Cheers!
14.9% alcohol. Now an extra year or so has truly benefited this wine. Showing beautifully now. Better at a cooler temperature. Terrific nose of jammy cherry fruit and spice, with an unmistakable cherry pie note wafting into your olfactory. In the mouth, plush and sumptuous, with pure and luscious cherry fruit, spice, and a strong finish. A bit of heat shows through. A-
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Massive but remains light on its toes - a very remarkable feat. Rich fruit accompanies baking spice and cola but there is sufficient acidity to keep things in balance. (Decanted for about 4 hours)
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my wife loves these but i find they are just not to my style and are not really improving. fruit is way too dark and they are lacking acid. creamy, aromatic and sensual - these are bimbos are meant to be used.
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nose is nice and fruity, but a bit of heat is evident on the nose. also a nice mint note on the nose that I am particularly fond of. med(+) tannins underpin a strong palate with raspberry, sour black cherry, and dark chocolate. very dark notes on the palate. The heat wasn't as prominent as expected from the nose -- but does appear after about 10s on the med(+) finish.
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A bit spicy from the get go, but after 30 minutes it rounded out very nicely. Very nice balance of cake spice. I guess when I open a KB I expect it to be over the top, and this was more balanced than expected. Very nice showing in a simple "I am pinot" kind of way.
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Opened and tasted and was just like the last bottle. Fruit at first moving to crap as it was finished in the same glass! Very glad it was my last bottle.
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Good color. Light aromatics on the nose, some noticeable EtOH as it warms up, less so when it is closer to 60F. Full bodied, cherry, low acidity, balanced.
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Popped poured and enjoyed over the course of 2-3 hours. Ruby red color. Cherry, cola, spice and hints of alcohol on the nose. Upon tasting the no noticeable alcohol, and everything else follows through. Seemed to be lacking a bit in the mid-palate and not much of a finish. As the night went on the alcohol seemed to start showing itself more. A good wine, but nothing special on this night.
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Opened for about 20 minutes. A bit of alcohol on the nose, as well as red fruit, mostly cherry. On the palate, it tasted a bit like cardomon, nutmeg and cinnamon (Christmas time) mixed with cherry kool-aid. A nice wine. It doesn't try to do too much, but what it does, it does very well. A little pricey, but such an easy wine for those who aren't wine nerds.
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Lots of cherry cola and spice. Took about 20-30 minutes for the alcohol to subside. A very tasty drink, but short on complexity. Not the best buy at $50, but still very enjoyable.
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the heat and alcohol overwhelmed the fruit initially - it took hours to balance out and for the RRV characteristics to shine through with dark cherry, cola, spice and baking powder. not at the standard set by the 2004.
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Did not decant. Cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, baking spice, cola. The alcohol was definitely noticeable, but if you managed the temperature of the wine it was not a problem. Medium to full-bodied wine that was quite a pleasure to drink. Drinking very well now.
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The most over-rated wine and winery I've had the displeasure of buying. Over extracted, fake tasting juice that masquarades as wine. Monolithic taste. No complexity. Nothing.
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Medium to full bodied. The party was in the mood for a fruit smoothy after a few cabernets, and this delivered. Pomegranate and raspberry with hint of evergreen. Good balance with no heat at this point, seems to be in it's groove. Don't drink if in a Burgundy mood.
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Loads of fruit with some nice spice levels. Definite EtOH heat and sweet which makes this wine more like having a cocktail, but not the less pleasurable for that. Great pairing (even with the alcohol) with a spicy chili that had steak in it.
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Pop and pour. In the glass, clear, dark purplish-red. On the nose, stone fruit and pinot spice. On the palate, initially cherries, cherries, and more cherries, but after 45 minutes, developed secondary nuances of vanilla, minerals, and smoke. Just the slightest hint of alcohol on the finish, but more balance than some notes led me to expect. I'm not sure this has a long life ahead of it, but it's quite pleasant now with a bit of air.
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Popped and poured. Nose of black cherry, ripe strawberry, cola, vanilla, black raspberry. On the palate, black cherry, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, raspberry. Finishes soft, some heat, decent acidity. Excellent. Overpriced.
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Despite recent reviews I really liked this bottle. Extremely smooth, balance and full bodied with a long wonderful finish. I pulled from the cellar, popped and poured. Followed the KB with a bottoe of 05 Hartford Sevens Bench and while enjoyable, there was no finish at all versus the KB. KB provided nice balance of strawberry, black raspberry, black cherry, a bit of cola with soft tanins.
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I did everything right...this was opened several hours early (plenty of time to open up) and it was served in nice Pinot glasses. If I had blind tasted this, I would have believed this was a mid-tier domestic pinot, not a big name allocated one. I know 2006 was a less than stellar year and my other KB's have held up well, so here is hoping it was an aberration. No tasting notes, but this was served for a table of 8- and no one seemed all that impressed.
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Not too impressed with this bottle. Opened for 30 minutes, but not decanted. Translucet ruby in color. I was surprised how "faint" everything was. Notes of strawberry, cherry, cream and cola are all there. Just all very muted. It was ok, but nothing special. And that is a disappointment. Very Good
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I cannot say that I specifically remember it last time, but I find it better than it was a year ago. Nice cherry nose with a subtle creamy strawberry character. Big big big on the palate with cherry and other red fruit but lacking the "roundness" of other vintages (2004, for example); some heat as well. Overall, very nice wine that I hope to improve.
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Popped and poured. Nose of black cherry, ripe strawberry, cola, vanilla, black raspberry. On the palate, black cherry, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, red raspberry. Finishes very soft, some heat. Drink now. Overpriced for this quality. Just not up to the usual standard for this. Still, an excellent bottle.
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Decanted for one hour, consumed over the next 90 minutes. Initially all fruit-forward bomb, it did pick up more nuance over-time. But make no mistake not for the faint of heart.
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Yikes. Just yikes.; 9/24/2009-9/25/2009 (Bowling Green, OH): Soft strawberry nose. Very smooth, light tannins, medium+ acidity, round body. Still a beautiful wine, but this has more heat than I remember, and is fairly hedonistic. I've been more into crisper Pinots lately. SECOND NIGHT: Same score, a little more chocolate milky. $70
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a solid performance. Popped and poured, great pinot flavor, a bit less cola than some (which I welcome) and better balance. great red fruits, vanilla etc.
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Served with a slight chill and allowed to open as the night evolved. Don't really understand the CT ratings. I agree with the experts on this one. This is a really good wine. Not usually a huge fan of KB's over the top style but this was nice. Exceeded my expectations by a long shot.
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Sally and I popped on a Wednesday night. We both were very disappointed. This did not match up to other KBs I'd had or my expectations. We've been drinking a lot of pinots lately and this was less impressive than most. Not a bad bottle, but lacking in complexity and intensity and really nothing special.
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Opened not decanted. Took to the Wood Tavern in Oakland. This needs about 1 hour of decanting. Still showing very youthful characteristics and needs time to breathe and / or a little more bottle age. Tight and taunt with sweet black fruit on the palate with some cinnamon and citrus; ends with a semi dry finish. Needs to plump out more. Good to Very Good right now.
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One of the few KBs I have not TNd and I have not drank this wine since purchase. I recall recently opening and liking the 2006 Koplen for its leaner profile, and some of that fruit is in here. Consumed with a slight chill, and allowed to warm up, which is how I prefer my pinot noir in the summer. Cherry cola, raspberry, a thicker texture on the palate than I recall on the Koplen, with a finish of ripe cherry and sweet apple and a zing of acid as the last note. Lingering finish. As for drink window, it's doing pretty well now and the acidity would allow for more aging but laying the fruit and acid together, it works well now.
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Lighter ruby than other vintages. Super, spicy oak and pinot fruit aromas. Very inviting. Initially out of whack – short / hot and a bit bitter on the finish. After an hour, it fleshes out well. Not my favorite vintage of this wine as the heat remains even with air. I liked the nose a bunch. (89)
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This was better than I remembered and showed well tonight against a 2003 Taz Fiddlestix. Still fruit forward and rich but a little more balanced (less jammy) than previous showings. This wine, although not my first choice, really does please a crowd like no other. Alcohol did not seem noticeable.
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A bit simple, but plush and velvety. A fair bit of acidity, backing up the cherries and spice. Don't think this one has a long life ahead of it--this one seemed to have everything already out on the line.
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Wonderful cherry and full fruit flavors. Good balance, nice acidity and not oppressive with the alchohol. Maybe one dimensional, but it is a very good dimension.
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Cherry, spice and cola on the nose. Finish bright with some backbone. Second day more raspberry on the nose. Decant and drink on the chilled side to avoid the heat.
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Did a lil side by side with an 07. The 07 was a better wine, better balance, better mouthfeel, less heat. But, the 06 was frickin' delish. A little hot on the backend but just fun to drink. Don't know if I can ever have Salmon again... w/o KB! Huge cherry cola, pine, mushroom, eucalyptus, sandalwood, vanilla, and pink sweetarts. Gigantic finish that just keep going. After a couple bottles now, becoming a huge fan of KB...hope their prices stay or go down a little. Would love to try this again in a yr or so.
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had this next to a bottle of the 07. Suprisingly I thought the 07 was in a better place then the 06. A lil unbalanced at this stage but not overwhelmingly. Huge nose of cola, baking spices, anise, red berries and eucalyptus. On the palate it was very concentrated with just a ton of baking spices and fruit but was a touch hot and almost hit the cough syrup phase but not quite. It was hard to score this and the 07. To me the 07 was an easy 92pts and this was around 90-91pt at this stage. But I really think this has the stuffing to surpass the 07 if everything comes together. Any way you slice I am a HUGE KB fan!!!
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14.9% alcohol. Easily the best showing for this wine so far. A bright nose of black cherry, blackberry, and spice, with just a touch of heat rising out of the glass. In the mouth, plush and velvety, with that beautiful texture Kosta Browne is so good at achieving. The fruit bursts forth, with a hint of red cherry and cherry pie coming through on the palate. Not overly complex, but there is a nice spice and earth hint. Good acidity. Very long finish, tinged by a little heat. These just needed time. A-
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I think this one has probably been beaten to death. My take, its a tasty cocktail type wine that should be a real crowd pleaser. Lush, fruity, and rich for pinot, has a bit of heat on the finish. Nice but this one isnt a wow wine.
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Expressive nose of raspberry, strawberry, and black cherries. Big bold palate with cola, cherry, and an herbal spiciness. Lengthy finish with cherries and lava rocks. Strikes me as monolithic and simple, although fun to drink. Hasn't developed like the Sonoma coast has to this point, but hides the alcohol well at slightly cooler than room temperature.
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When first opened this was kind of nasty, but after about an hour the fruit began to emerge. I have to assume that all the fuss over KB is coming from their single vineyard bottlings, because based on this I'm mystified. Bit heavy handed. I'd be embarrassed to serve it to friends who had high expectations.
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Much better than the 06 SC, and better than it was half a year ago. Of course, the fruit was big with some cola sweetness, but it was pretty well balanced with alcohol in the background, reasonable acidity and some cinnamon that helped give it some interest. Highly enjoyable, and the first non 2004 KB that hit the spot for me.
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Dark red color. The explosive nose is all about dark fruit - raspberry and plums. On the palate, it is hedonistic with tremendous red raspberry and chocolate, like a Tootsie Roll. Very big in the mouth with a plush mouthfeel. Overall, this wine has great fruit with pleasurable chocolate notes, but it does seem a little clunky.
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An absolutely delicious wine with classic Pinot Noir strawberries and dark cherries on the nose. Flippin' delicious on the palate- could drink all day. Probably guzzled this one too fast being the fourth wine of the night, but I can't say I regret it. Will buy more from Kosta Browne for sure.
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No formal notes, but had it with a 2005 Sonoma and this was definitely better. Great balance and just coates your tongue with liquid velvet. This bottle was opened at cellar temp and immediately consumed.
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A tale of two Pinot's...We drank this wine with grilled cedar plank salmon and it was fantastic. My son noticed right from the first sip that the wine had "depth". There was a lot going on, strawberry, oak, rasberries. Very well done. We followed this with an '05 Erath Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot which was more the traditional style. Always a great chance to compare different wines. The Oregon wine had a better nose but the KB won in the taste and palate.
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Consumed at lake cabin on vacation last week - notes from memory. First KB pinot. Nose: Mixture of red and dark fruits, vanilla, and a little smokiness. Palate: Meduim to full bodied with raspberry and blueberry. Decent finish - 10-15 seconds. I was hoping for a bit more from all the hype about KB, but it was still a very pleasant wine - and 2006 is not the best year for KB pinots.
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Very intriguing nose, marked by profuse purple flowers, followed by pine needle, cherry, and unexpected hints of apple and citrus. Palate is strongly structured, with strong acid and fairly unresolved tannins. Needs some time.
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Big and rich. Syrah like. Dark and brooding. Lots of dark cherry and oak. Loaded with fruit at every turn. Nice, but again, getting to be a style I'm weary of.
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nice fruit, plenty of spice, but a bit of heat on the finish which definitely detracted some pleasure on the finish. I loved teh sassafrass/cola and have come to expect it in my KB wines. I bit more lean that I expected from a KB RRV.
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Color: Pretty ruby red with rose colored red edges
Nose: Earth tone aromas, spicy pinot, in fact very pinot aromas, fresh cut flowers, bright red fruits such as strawberry and cherry, a dollop of oak adds a touch of creaminess
Palate: Red fruits such as cran and strawberry, some spice and minerality.
A tingle on the finish resulting from the more than necessary alcohol at 14.9%
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This has progressed a lot since the first bottle I opened 9 months ago -- a lot smoother, with rich and ripe red fruit flavors replacing the hot alcohol taste. I think it is coming into form.
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This was opened and left in the bottle for 2 hours. Started out really nice with berry fruit and sweet almost sugar cane. Then it got nasty! It got bitter and very ugly. Not a crowd pleaser.
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Beautiful clear garnet color. Touch of heat on the nose, with black licorice, cherry, and raspberry. Tannins step up to counter the obvious alcohol. Running this wine through a Vinturi aerator helps to soften it so the fruit can come through. Finish is powerful and long.
color 5/5 nose 8/10 taste 18/20 balance 8/10 finish 5/5
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This was my first taste of a 2006 RRV PN from KB. Opened and decanted. After all the hype about KB PNs I was disappointed. This wine had a bitter, almost rubber tire quality to it. It was not BIG at all, instead rather light in color and body. There was some element of berry and plum fruit present but over time the wine became "hot" in the glass. It was not a bad bottle of wine, just not what I expected. Have had much better (and less expensive) bottles from local Santa Barbara producers. Let's hope time helps this wine.
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Dark Ruby color upon opening. Smokey Vanilla (if there even is such a thing) really bright cherry with some raspberry component coming through as well and a very small touch of Cola. Hot at the beginning, although it mellowed out some over time. Still, this was a rather enjoyable wine. Medium bodied, not over the top, cherries and raspberries really coming through, with a nice long finish. Really great acidity and some tannins on the back end that gave this great balance overall although there was still a touch of heat on the finish towards the end of the bottle.
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This was good. Had with son in law over the course of 3 hours. Had small taste after opening, alcohol, some citrus with the back fruit on the nose. On the pallet some fruit, some sourness, like citrus. This improved over the next hour and then got even better by hour 3. The citrus/sourness completely abated, fruit and some soft tannis come through. Cherry, cola, current dominate the fruits.
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Coming into balance. Beautiful and tasty. Not overtly fruity at first, this wine filled out a structured frame over a two hour period, ending in a delicious example of balanced pinot. Drink or hold
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My initial reaction was that the wine was a bit astringent; it needs some air to flesh out the acidity. Ripe and fruity but a bit lean, with an oak and cedar component which doesn't quite give the wine weight. Tasty but not profound, with a rather hot finish.
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Opened not decanted. Showing some clarity at the edge of the glass.. On the nose: dark bramble fruit with some peach and strawberry. On the palate: initial attack of dark fruit; morphs towards semi-dried apricot fruit and ends with a semi-sweet, light, orange finish. Good to Very Good. Really an interesting and complex wine.
Added note: by the time the bottle was killed, this had really gotten darker, rounder, with more layers of spice. Very Good.
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This wine really needs air. Not the most potent KB I have ever had, but still has really nice, classy fruit and a great nose. Polished finish with a little bit of heat. Doesn't have any of the funk I really like in a pinot. Not built for the long haul, so if you have a bunch, maybe give one a try.
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OK, I liked this....lots of bright fruits and a long finish. Was really surprised how light this was when first poured. Packed some punch. Got better with time. This is a happy wine. Enjoyed with Ling Ling Potstickers.
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Snowy holiday home from work pinot. This was popped and decanted through the Vinturi into a decanter, and while pouring, it had that very seductive, very familiar, Kosta Browne nose. There is something about the nose on these wines that is so identifiable as Kosta Browne, and that is a beautiful thing! The cherry was overwhelming, and such a joy on the nose, with hints of raspberry, cinnamon, spice, and Zelda and Raph picked up hints of cardamom, which I could not pick out with my nose, but my nose is not nearly as sharp as hers. On the palate, more black cherry, candied cherry, hints of cola, creamy vanilla, and a bit of spice. This wine still seems to be very young, although it does have a nice creaminess to it. Regardless, there was a bit of heat on the finish, but this was much less noticable while the wine was still at cellar temp, but became more prevelant as the wine came to room temperature. Maybe this will will settle out with another year or so in the bottle, but I think this is just the way the '06's came out. Regardeless, another gorgeous offering from Kosta Browne, and one of the reasons we love pinot noir. Will revisit this wine after another year or so. 91 points. Cheers!
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Nose of smoke, berry and sage. Flavors of cola, cherry, raspberry, anise and herb. The spice adds another dimension, but the flavor profile is still a little too candied at this point. RRV fruit profile is very pure and nice. Time will tell what this develops to.
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Medium ruby, a bit light in color. Cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and spice on the nose. Very tight and a bit lean at first. Definitely needed time to open up. A bit warm on the finish. Classy fruit and an elegant wine with good flavor and structure.
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Popped and poured, and then consumed over 5 hours. Medium to full-bodied wine that is medium ruby in color. On the nose, cherries and x-mas spice. On the palate, cherry cola, red berries, citrus, and clove on the long 30-second finish. Excellent fruit and decent balance, but the palate is a little too candied right now. I’d give this some more time to see if it calms down in another year or two.
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Dark (Burgundy?) in color, a bit like red velvet. The nose was red fruited with baking spices of clove, cinnamon, and vanilla. There was also a subtle hint of wood. The wine was vibrant at opening. It was buzzing but settled down as time passed. The palate was medium bodied but full of sour cherries, strawberries, and cranberries. The length was good with a lovely mineral and sour cherry finish..
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Definateky needed the decant. Will wait @ least 6 mos. to try again.A big pinot that was garnet co;ored with a med. body, Had aromas of smoke a dn cola that progressed to berries. Very smooth mouthfeel withcola and red berriews. Anxious to try again.
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Popped and pour in large group wine tasting. The initial nose was dominated by barnyard/gym socks, but this settled down after 30 minutes o reveal nice bright strawberry and raspberry fruit. Initaily the strawberry and raspberry fruit was all I noticed on the palate, but again after some time, the the midpalate came together with and the finish was long and smooth. The wine definitely improved quickly, and I think another year in bottle will help. 50+4+14+17+6
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Not my style any more . . . either KB or I have changed since the '03 vintage which was the last time I loved this wine. Fairly sweet nose of cherries and vanilla. Palate is lush but borders on syrupy. Not much acidity to balance all that syrup. Pretty disappointing.
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I needed to leave this open for about an hour before the full flavor blossomed. When it did it was a bowl of cherries with beautiful structure and long finnish. It went great with by Chicken Stew.
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Cherry, black cherry and a little cola on the nose. Great mouthfeel, black cherry with bright mid palate lift. Nice long, mouth watering finish. A little heat on the finish, but I thought it was still delicious.
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Popped and poured. Medium plus ruby purple hue. Straightforward nose of assorted red fruits, touch of spice, and vanilla bean. Medium body, a little bit lighter on the palate since last tasted, with flavors of ripe cherry, raspberry, red currant, and fresh herbs. Soft tannins. Certainly much better integrated with regards to the oak and showing more elegance overall when compared to the last tasted in September.
I would opt for drinking this and the Sonoma Coast bottling over the short to mid-term, no reason to cellar when they could potentially start to lose the freshness of fruit that makes them so enjoyable.
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Up a notch from 8 months ago. Wine is integrating nicely, and promises a long and interesting life ahead. Classic RRV profile, with cola, forest floor, and cherry notes. Loved it.
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Decanted for 1-3 hours. Hot (14.9% alcohol; the hotness faded over time, but not the headiness caused by the alcohol) and not very complex. Quite a disappointment compared to previous vintages. Granted, '06 was a poor vintage in California, and the KB wines are in high demand; however, at $48 a bottle, this PN just won't cut it. Will wait at least another year before trying the other bottle. 88+ points; right now it's definitely not "outstanding", a category that starts at 90 points on the CT scale.
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I agree with the tart cherry notes. This is much more approachable than the 05's at this point. Not to complain but this is probably the least impressive bottle of KB I've had. Maybe i'll give this another year just to see if it comes together.
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Tart cherry flavor along with some asian spice and mineral. A bit hot. Nice wine. Opened with a bottle of the 2006 KB Keefer ranch. In comparison this seemed a little less rich and a little more disjointed.
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This was loaded with big, bright fruit. Cherries all over the palate, with a touch of vanilla. There was also no question this was a Pinot. Really enjoyed it.
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New Year's Weekend @ Rob & Lisa's; 1/1/2009-1/4/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): Similar to previous note. This wine has definitely settled some since the previous time I had it. Still the same spice box cinnamon and deep fruit flavors, but all of it has softened and balanced out. This is a very specific style of pinot and I can see how it might be polarizing. I enjoy it quite a lot, but I feel like I have to be in the mood for it.
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It's been about 6 months since I opened one of these and the wine shows the same characteristics as I noted in previous notes. However, that extra little bit of rest time seems to have helped things come together a bit as this showed slightly better integration of flavors. We'll see what another 6 or so months will do before opening another.
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Forest floor, flower petals, minerals, and subtle cherry nose. Good acidity, cherry, tart fruit skins, and some heat on the finish. Pared well with mustard crusted lamb.
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What a delicious wine! Nice raspberry, strawberry, cola, bubble-gum, green apple, and a lil alcohol on the nose. Nice acidity that held up to portobello lasagna in white sauce. Most of the nose came thru on the palate along with some rhubarb and vanilla. A lil heat on the back end with hopefully resolve itself with some time but damn this was fun to drink.
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This area gives the wine a spicy red fruit core with a rich, supple character. The aromas are intense raspberry, sweet plum and strawberry. On the palate the 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir initially delivers deep flavors of cola, dark cherry and sweet spices. Traces of vanilla bean crème brûlée pleasantly greet the midpalate. Touches of wet stone and sassafras add to the enjoyable texture and exhilarating finish. 100%Pinot Noir 14.7 %
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Pretty decent stuff. Medium ruby in color, decent nose of mixed dark fruit, a bit of spice on the finish with strawberry and pomegranate dominating the palate. Better as it sits open.
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14.9% alcohol. Opened three hours before serving. Dark red color. Initially, substantial heat on the otherwise pretty nose of black cherry and baking spice. Tossed it in the fridge to cool it off for a few minutes. That helped things appreciably. The heat reduced on the nose. In the mouth, lush and ripe and quite velvety. Plenty of ripe black cherry fruit, with a hint of blackberry, baking spice, and good acidity. Seems a bit closed down right now. The finish is rough -- lots of oak but also serious heat that leaves some bitterness. B+
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Opened not decanted. Orange rind with dark spice on the nose. On the palate: a little heat, floral notes with a orange citrus finish. Good. Drinking well now, would improve with some decanting.
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Beautiful juice. No notes, but we thoroughly enjoyed at Cochon in Philly. Strong midpalate and finish, plenty of finesse. A little hot but I decanted the night before for a couple hours. Can't wait to try my other bottle in another year or so.
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Bright red while straining into the decanter; medium red and clear in the glass. A perfume of floral and raspberry/cherry fruit scents are met on the palate by bright cherry pie, strawberries, and violets which have a primary, laser like focus. Light oak and herbal notes are woven throughout. Medium to full weighted, though not chewy or fat, with a concentrated feel and a staying finish. Nicely crafted and very compelling now, but lots of time remains on these '06's.
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Unbalanced and hot on the nose and in my throat, more unbalanced on 2nd day. Hoping for better performance in the future, but I'm not hopeful given the balance today.
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Highly concentrated out of the bottle. A little heat after a couple hours in the decanter but eventually blew off. Nice cherry cola and spice. Okay finish.
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Yep - though it may be a bit young, its great to drink this. Deep full flavors that expand into a bewitching finish. Detract for being just a teeny bit hot. Alone or with food, outstanding.
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decanted for 2 hours, loads of floral notes with strawberry. The wine is soft yet at the same time has that undercurrant of alcohol which is unappetizing. The finish is pretty short around 10-15 seconds but it's tasty, really bright vibrant ripe red berry flavors. Needs time and a half. 4 hours into it suddenly cocoa burst through to mix with creamy vanilla and strawberry, that was pretty interesting
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Decanted one hour and served at cellar temperature. Killer nose of red fruits and flowers. On the palate loads of raspberries an, cherries, also cola and spice. Delicious. Only downside was some noticeable heat and a relatively short finish, but this wine is drinking quite nicely in its youth.
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Big, full bodied pinot with Syrah like extract and not so subtle new oak. Super fruity- wild strawberry, raspberry and cherry with a vanilla tinged oak over lay. Very new world in style and may be too much for some. Drink now-2012. 88 pts.
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Color was ruby purple to the rim. The nose was floral with strawberries and cherries. The wine seems to have softened a bit since the last bottle. The body was medium, with sweet tannins, good red berry fruit, relatively low acidity, and a nice mineral length.
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I have to be in the right mood to enjoy KB Pinot and tonight was the right night. I decanted while I was cooking dinner and by the time it was served the wine was showing well. The favors are the usual cola, vanilla and spice-maybe cinnamon. Full and rich on the palate with just a touch of heat showing when the wine had warmed near 65 degrees. I am starting to think that 2006 is a very good vintage for KB, at least for my taste, it is not so over the top as 2005 and especially 2004. I don't have any experience with earlier vintages.
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14.9% alcohol. This is superior to the 2005 at all points in its evolution thus far. Opened four hours before drinking but not decanted. Initially reticent bouquet of black cherry, smoke, minerals, and a dark spiciness. Full, round, and plush in the mouth, but with excellent liveliness that keep the wine agile. Perhaps not as deeply fruited as the 2004, but overall a more appealing wine because of the liveliness of the acidity. Long finish with plenty of oak influence. No heat showing at all. Excellent effort. A-
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Pop and pour. Too hot. Cherry, earth and spice but too much heat on the nose and palate. Refrigerated an hour -- much better. Tamed the heat and it became a pleasant and enjoyable drink.
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Good, although I really expect it to improve. Nice cherry on the nose. Very full on the palate with more cherry, cola and spice at the end. A bit of heat on the finish. Good now, better for sure later. I don't expect this to be as good as the 2004 (or even the 2005), but I expect it to improve.
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If served at the right temperature this is more balanced than previous bottlings. Awesome nose of dark cherries and cola. This is full bodied-but not over the top. Really nice. What sets it apart from previous vintages is better balance and nice mouthfeel. This should be in its sweet spot with 2-3 more years of bottle age, but it is drinking well now.
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Popped and poured. Medium plus intensity in glass. Sour cherries, raspberry, kola nut, and spice jump out of the glass. Fairly concentrated, especially for a Pinot, with an array of jammy red fruits greeting the tongue, plus vanilla & cinnamon infused oak. I also noticed cassis and herbs as this wine opened. Big and structured. Touch of heat on the finish does detract. However, this one should definitely improve with another 8-14 months bottle age.
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Disappointing right out of the bottle -- monolithic and a little sharp, with sour cherry flavor. By the time we finished the bottle an hour later the wine was really starting to show some depth and complexity though. Definitely benefits from time in the air.
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A pleasant surprise. Light to medium bodied, well balanced CA pinot. I enjoyed drinking this and a good QPR at the right price point...mailing list price is borderline.
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Medium, red color. Very interesting contrast in aromas and flavors when served at different temperatures.
At 70 degrees (too warm), the aromas are muted with red raspberry, cherry, and spice. The palate seems less expressive than usual with raspberry, cherry, and cinnamon. Texturally, this did not display the wonderful mouthfeel and depth of fruit I have come to expect of these wines, and at times, the alcohol was more apparent.
At 58 degrees (perfect), everything becomes amplified. More explosive nose of red raspberry, cherry, musk, cola, and spice. In the mouth, there is much more depth with raspberry, cherry, cola, tart red apple skin, and cinnamon. The finish was fruit-driven with moderate length.
Overall, this was an educational experiment in serving temperatures. The too warm temperature was an 85 point wine while the proper temperature wine was easily a 90 point wine.
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Popped and poured. Open nose with cherry coke, plums, spice and oak. Palate was thick and rich for pinot (syrah?). Dried cherries, strawberries, cola, toasted oak and welcome earthy note. More balanced than previous vintages with no loss in fruit power. KB is not exactly my style, but I enjoyed this bottle for what it is. Drink or hold for the short term.
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This is, at the current stage, remarkably better than the Sonoma Coast bottling - no contest. I don't have a lot of experience with KB pinots, but this seems more elegant than what I recall, although I wouldn't say it is an 'elegant pinot', per se. On the nose, easily recognizable RRV spiciness, which I love, combined with some sweet toasted oak, lovely toasty vanilla, lilacs, and dark cherries, and some honey, which is an interesting component to the nose. The body is light, but not thin, and more cola, sweet toasted oak, apple peel, dark pitted fruits, and a slight bitter edge. I'm sure this will be very enjoyable in a few years, and even tomorrow after time in the refrigerator. Very nice.
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I love the nose on this sucker. Drags you in and helps you forget about any of the crap going on in the world. To me, this is like a warm home baked cherry pie with some nutmeg, spices and a touch of cola. Soft, seductive texture makes this a hedonists dream. Definately a wine that if you are in the mood for a little escape and hedonism, this is it.
This might just be my favorite of the applelation wines from the last three vintages (reserving judgement on the 2005's though).
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Opened and poured into a Riedel Burg glass. Color is lighter then past vintages of KB RRV Pinots, medium ruby red with clear clarity. Nose shows some heat and cherry and strawberry. In the mouth this wine shows promise but is a bit clunky right now a bit hot with dark fruit, Cola and spice with a light to medium mouth feel and a 25 second finish. I recorked the bottle after having a glass and a half and will drink the rest tomorrow.
Didn't make it back to this wine till day three. Much more integrated then the first night, less heat longer finnish. All in all a nice wine but a lousy QPR.
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Opened and decanted between 1 and 2 hours. Some heat and mustiness on the nose. Nice body weight with caramel and dark fruit notes with a dry citrus finish. Good.
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Just a great fun wine. Nice ruby pure color. Good nose with cherries, strawberries and a touch of cola. Very typical for a CA pinot but nice and not too over the top. Good palate with nice spiciness, fruit and a touch of complexity. An underlying nutty, cheesy earthy component. Good wine and good to drink now.
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Great cherry and spicy characteristics, this is a bit simple with a bit of heat still, but many is it tasty right now! Complexity is lacking so I can't rate it really high, but it's the type of wine that doesn't last long since it's just darn enjoyable.
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Double decanted about 3 hours ahead. Burlier than the W-S we drank it with. Bold cedar/cola/cherry on the nose. Maybe I imagined it, but I thought there was just a hint of VA (nail polish remover) at the onset, but it was gone later. Rich and creamy in the mouth. Maybe a bit hot, but very good overall.
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Too young. Dark ruby, medium bodied. Tasted like acai health drink mixed with a dash of coke, with a little nutmeg sprinkled on top. Doesn't sound too good, but it was very interesting, and will be good. Not overripe, but rough around the edges. Will get better and integrate.
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On the nose was strawberries sauteed in brown sugar and butte. The palate at the top had some strawberry finishing with some spice and cola qualities. I really enjoyed this.
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A dense essence of pinot noir, with a cherry and forest floor profile on the nose, adding dried cranberry and brown spices on the palate. A light, elegant, but fairly long finish keeps it interesting. 91-92.
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Opened and dumped into a decanter for 45 minutes. This was more approachable than I expected. Nose of cherry. Big red fruit, but not over the top. Very enjoyable.
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This needs time to open, as we learned when we tried the last sip and it was finally coming into form (after about an hour). I base the rating on that last sip, which had a great dark, rich cherry and spice scent on the nose with a smooth mouthfeel and finish.
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Outstanding, not extraordinary. I like the 2005 better. Having said that this was yummy stuff. To me this was a study in how wine changes. Upon opening, the nose was wonderfully full of forest, dark fruits and cherry. Initially on the pallet, it was almost overwhelmingly fruity, cola, cherry, current, fig. After, decanting for an hour, it really calmed down. The fruits became more subdued and integrated, you could get much more ability out of the wine. The nose became softer and the finish lengthened. So I guess if you like a modern style, fruit forward, drink immediately after opening, if you like a more classic, refined wine, decant it for an hour or two. It's going to be hard to not open another bottle for a year.
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Medium red with fairly even concentration of color. The nose has a darker feel to it with scents of brown sugar, raspberries, and spices. Medium weight on the palate with sweet ripe fruit some acidity that doesn't seem well integrated. As the wine warms up, some alcohol becomes aparent on the palate and finish. Serve this on the cool side, maybe 60 degrees F. Soft lush tannins. Pretty good now but it will hopefully be better integrated in a year or two. 50 + 4 + 12 + 15 + 7
After 24 hours in the decanter, this is a bit better. Less heat, more structure showing, acidity is better integrated. A bit more complex with well defined fruit on the palate. If drinking now, decant for 3+ hours but probably best to wait a year or two.
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Very good. Bright fruit forward nose of berries and flowers. On the palate, the wine offers nice fruit (almost sweet), some floral notes along with notes of what I can only describe as cherry coke and root beer. A touch of vanilla on the finish. This wine was excellent at cellar temp, although the alcohol showed a bit when our final glass had warmed.
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This is big and concentrated. There is a complex nose of cherries, strawberries, flowers and minerals. The wood and fruit are nicely integrated, and the palate is full and lingering with good berry focus. Not as delicate and nuanced as the SC, but still a well made wine.
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We couldn't really not drink a bottle of this wine tonight. After all, we had 4 bottles of KB travel across the country last week in the back of a Fedex truck and we just had to make sure it didn't get heat damaged right?? This is really great wine and I am now officially a Kosta Browne "fanboi". (look it up here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanboi). This wine is has wonderful color, wonderful concentration and amazing depth. It's simple and easy to enjoy yet complex and interesting enough to make you sit up and take notice. See my previous note for a detailed description of the profile, and then run out and find some for yourself.
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My first Kosta Brown. Served with grilled New York strip and Bouchon mac and cheese. Decanted about two hours before serving. Showed well from the moment it was poured. Great nose featuring red fruit, mineral, spice and cigar ash. The spice nose was particularly enticing. In the mouth this had a nice medium weight featuring mainly concentrated black fruit at the moment. Very tannic. Great finish. Much, much more elegant than I was expecting. I will give my remaining bottles 3-5 years but I suspect this will last, if not improve, for many years longer.
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Nose of strawberries and cherries. Some earthy flavors on the palate, but mostly red fruit coming forward. Tasted this next to an 03 Kosta Browne 4-Barrel which was more complex. Maybe this is just too young and not together yet, but I think I liked the 05 vintage of the KB RRV a little better. This is still an excellent wine though!
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At this point in time give this wine about 2 hrs in the decanter to open up. Great nose, nice complexity on the palate, balance and a moderate finish. The palate on this wine suggests a slight blend of Syrah in the wine.
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Very closed on the pop and pour. Not giving much up on the bouquet or palate. This wine did open up over the 3 hours in the glass/decanter and had a great nose that was more complex than the Kutch. However, the palate was richer and denser than the Kutch with less overt expression. The wine was great, but I agree with others that say it needs some time to come around and give its best. The key difference for me between the two wines was the palate; the Kutch was light and sexy while the KB was rich and muscular.
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Fresh strawberries, raspberries, and cherry with a touch of spice. Silky mouthfeel, good acidity. A bit monolithic but perhaps a year or two will give it some complexity.
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This wine is going to be GREAT, but do not drink it yet! Right now, the pieces are there, but they are not integrated. After 2 hours in the decanter, an initially-reticent nose revealed soft red fruit, pine needles, and cedar. Palate showed classic RRV notes, with earthy red fruit and a touch of cola. Everything is in place, but there is not the harmonious blend we've come to expect from this producer. Score based on this tasting. I expect it to go higher over time.
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Very enjoyable ripe, red fruit notes on the nose as well as palate. Had a faint background of spice that after a few years should be more apparent. This bottle was far from being at its peak drinking period yet was still very enjoyable.
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Maybe I have had my head in the sand for the past few years, but I hadn't even heard of this producer until a few days ago. I was told that people are, to steal a friend's term, going "cocobananas" for this wine and it is near impossible to get a hold of without paying a serious premium. Typically, you hear something like that, and while the wine maybe good, it hardly ever measures up to the hype. Not the case here. Medium to full bodied, dark cherries, blackberries, smoke, cinnamon, brown sugar, mint, forest floor, I could go on and on about the depth and complexity of the flavors. The amazing thing about this wine is that considering how good this is now, it is still a baby, and will definitely improve with a few years of bottle age. I wanted to turn the bottle upside down and suck the last drops out of it. To put it mildly, this wine is absolutely fantastic! Having been "into" wine for several years now, not many wines surprise me any more, at least not in a good way. This wine was shockingly good, and blew me away from start to finish. Wines like this are the reason why I love wine itself, every now and again something comes along that makes me fall in love with wine all over again. I am definitely going to search this stuff out, as it is worth the price tag and as well as the hype.
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Around about the time the 04 KBs were out and given their high 90s rating by Wine Spectator a couple of years ago, we attended Pinot Days in SF. Kosta Browne had a table there and were promptly mobbed by the crowd and ran out of wine within the first hour or so. No taste for us... Their wine became harder and harder to come by, virtually non existent on retail shelves and hugely marked up wherever you could find it. I did recently manage to acquire a few bottles of the 2006 RRV and the Sonoma Coast bottlings and now that I have had this wine, I finally see what all of the hype is about. This stuff is really fantastic. Classic RRV profile with nice ripe fruits, with some clove, pine forest underbrush, and a little cinnamon on the nose as well. The flavors are wonderfully complex and there's a little extra something in there that was hard to identify but really made this wine stand out from others we have had. Perhaps it is some secret ingredient labeled as "yummy goodness" in the KB winemaker's cookbook?
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Very nice deep ruby color and where do we start...as this had a wandering nose that was strong on sharp ripe raspberry and dark cherry...and on opening for me a slight bit of heat on the edge...which faded over the evening leaving some subtle spice notes in the background. As you would imagine...firm, firm, firm fruit grip that did envelope the tounge with strong textures that are far from being resolved....good substance here, and a finish for me that had an interesting twang...not necessarily in a bad way, but it did stand out. Time on the clock...and it should be interesting to watch this evolve...making it worthy of opening now to check it out down the road.
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This will get better with age. A very young wine but the fruit is there, and with age and good decanting, this will really open up in a few years. Score should go up as well.
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A tasty early look at this wine! Loads of sweet cherry, cola nut, some cinnamon, and just enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. Round, full, and sweeter in profile than the Kutch that is was paired with. A nice wine if you enjoy the style. Now, I'll leave the remainder alone for a bit.
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The nose was cherry, raspberry and spice box. The flavors were bold and forward with ripe raspberry, cherry and vanilla leading the way. A touch of cola on the finish which is long andenjoyable. A very strong effort. Needs a little more time but is drinking well now.
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Agree with some of the posts below. Early on the wine didn't reveal much. Some defined Pinot notes on the nose, but seeminly light. Flavors at first (and I stress "at first") were not as rich and structures as I expected and what I remember of the 05.
Then with some time, this wine really began to open up. Flavors gained richness and depth. Definite red fruits and nice structure. Definitely more balanced than 05, though without as much power of fruit flavors. All in all a very good wine but one I would recommend waiting to drink until at least late this year, and perhaps longer.
I will taste more tonight to see if there is further evolution.
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wasn't able to decant so this wasn't able to show as well as it would/should have. nose of cherry, raspberry, spice, and earthiness. palate was dominated by fruit (cherry/raspberry), vanilla and spice. nice acidity, alchohol was a little strong which hopefully will fade with time.
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Opened @ Cesare's. Forward nose. Good balance on palate, straddling old and new worlds in some ways. Some tannins on the finish. Not as immediately approachable or seductive as I remembered of the '06 Rivers Marie opened a month or two ago.
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Decanted 1+hr’s. Tight, yet lightly pungent nose of rhubarb and vanilla with light earth and clove notes that follow through on the palate along with cinnamon spice and some black berry. Soft attack with some fullness on the mid-palate and a strong finish, but showing a touch of heat. Showing more than the ’05 was at this stage, but this could use some more time to open up.
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Light red, mild bouquet, cherry vanilla, light bodied, opened up well over an hour, a crowd pleaser with smooth slilghtly acidic finish. Well balanced even at this time
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Not a pinoy guy so wont rate it but this was very good. Strong finish but did not have that pinot funk I am not fond of. Wife said would make a great frozen popcicle
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I agree with other reviewers that there is too much alcohol. That said, the wine really is delicious. Decanted three hours. Vibrant cherry with brambly spice and some brown sugar. All four of us really liked it.
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Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Really wasn't doing much on the first night. Closed nose with some cherry and raspberry. Smooth palate, lighter bodied than expected, with the high alcohol adding heat but distracting and really detracts from the wine's subtlety. On the second night the nose really opened up, very full with fruit notes. Palate seemed to add weight with warm meaty characteristics. Very long finish saves this some. Won't try the other bottles for a couple of years. Tasting at the Kosta Brown table consistent with my bottle.
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Bigger and bolder, but not better, than the '06 Sonoma Coast. At the outset, it's intensely spicy on the nose, but there's a bit too much heady alcohol already. I love the notes of herbal tea, brown sugar, pomegranate, and olive that develop over the course of the evening. And I give it lots of points for complexity. Still, the heat is something of a problem; it comes across almost like vodka or shoe polish at one point. Don't get me wrong; this is a very good wine, especially because there's some juicy acidity to go along with the ripeness. I do think it's a bit off balance, though. (Tasted twice, on 3/26/08 and 1/31/09, with consistent notes. I notice more cola and spice this time than last. It's a little better integrated now, too, but the first glass even on this go-round seemed a bit tinny and needed lots of air to level out.)
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Opened and decanted for 1 hour prior to consumption. If not for the expectation and price of Kosta Brown, a fine example of Russian River pinot made in an sleek elegant style with sweet ripe fruit and a lengthy finish. I would have enjoyed this bottle much more if it were aptly priced at 1/3 of the retail as I have found Pinots in that range which if blind tasted alongside this wine would outshine this vintage's bottling.
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More prominent alcohol than expected, but opened up beautifully over the course of 3 hours. Question as to whether the heat will integrate over time or will continue to dominate.
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Not a big pinot fan but figured I would pop one just to see. Solid wine. Nice mouthfeel, with very soft tannins, and peppery, cinamon explosion on the initial attack.
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Tasted at the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Dinner for VinoCellar.com - (Sonoma area, California). Again a bit lighter ruby than previous vintages. More spicy than overtly fruity. Dark cherry fruit. Nice and should be a good buy.
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4/9/2023 - gboue Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aged well. Full bodied. Didn’t seem like it was losing flavor
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3/6/2023 - Jimaronson wrote: 92 Points
After one hour the wine took on weight and continued to get stronger through the dinner. Black cherry and smooth mouth feel with sensual finish. The wine also exhibited old leather and cigar box due to age. We all enjoyed the bottle and there was minimal bricking around the edge. The wine will not get better and I suspect some fruit fade to start soon. Right now it is at the end of maturity and the perfect time to finish it up.
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1/15/2023 - ozstef wrote: 90 Points
Old
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12/11/2022 - Senso-beak wrote:
Imbibed as part of a 4 year vertical of RR bottlings including 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2020. Showing its age compared to the others, this had a glyceric shell coating the strawberry, reds and pomegranates. Most correctly identified it as an older vintage blind.
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2/11/2022 - kris.h wrote: flawed
Sadly oxidized despite perfect storage since release.
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11/4/2021 - Senso-beak wrote: 88 Points
Opened and poured. Some bricking to edge but very dark ruby. Bruised strawberry, plum and blackberry on the nose. Roasted toasty oak notes as well. On the palate, a fresher tart, acidic burst. We have some sweetness, but not too overpowering. Red cherry, tart strawberry, and a citric note.
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4/3/2020 - cmoore64 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Taking time to enjoy some nice pinots in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. The '06 KB RRV is garnet colored with a slight rust/orange tint at the ring. No settlement in the bottle. Fruity with strong alcohol nose which mellowed out after 40 minutes. Flavor is initially strong alcohol, but smoothed out after 40 min. Overall great glass of pinot...1 '06 left to consume.
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9/8/2019 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 94 Points
Just perfectly aged (properly stored) Pinot. Mellow, round and expressively fragrant. I am generally disappointed in pinot's, but this wine is singing right now...
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2/7/2019 - winepog wrote: 91 Points
Drinking really well right now. A deluxe cherry jolly rancher. Plenty of life, this may have improved in the bottle.
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1/31/2019 - JonnyG Does not like this wine: 84 Points
2006 Retrospective (Central Coast, CA): My second encounter with this wine, and the prior tasting (from a 375) was much more enjoyable. Flabby and undistinguished, with a clashing array of flavors: smoke, cherry cola and leather.
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1/4/2019 - DBSingleton Likes this wine:
Drinking window on this ended about five years ago but this wine was wonderful. Very smooth with wonderful flavor. Kosta Browne is most always terrific but this bottle was outstanding. Wish i had some more.
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10/7/2018 - Andrew H Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crumbly cork that took effort to remove cleanly. Surprisingly fresh, with cherry and dark red fruits yielding to ample spice and earthiness. A touch of heat but well balanced; tannins fully integrated.
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6/21/2018 - drbirdie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth and flavorful but lost a bit of it’s punch. Cola notes still there but forward robust fruit is waning. Drank like an older european wine with mellowed tannins.
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3/30/2018 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Muted cherry. At peak. Very nice. Cherry cola. Smooth
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3/30/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red. Mature, cherry, some prune and raisin with nice balance.
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3/4/2018 - Blake Brown Likes this wine:
2006 KOSTA BROWNE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR- we jumped up a few notches from light to medium bodied wines to some heavy hitters; this release came from 8 vineyards in the RRV; it seemed intense at first, but with time in the glass, it mellowed out and became actually charming; it was loaded with red fruit that had help from cola, cedar and spicy notes; initially some heat came in at the end before fading out; the alcohol level was an understated 14.9%.
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11/14/2017 - William.Smyth Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still a very big Pinot with lots of fruit and spice.
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4/24/2017 - Orasiobecerra Likes this wine: 94 Points
94 - loved loved loved this pinot. Aged beautifully, complex. rich with flavor. Fruit foward
The wine looks violet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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4/8/2017 - Eric.S Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP then followed over the course of three hours. Most notable for how quickly this evolved in glass - a lot of complexity here.
Felt it was at its best after an hour and then started to flatten out after that.
Big time notes of cola and root beer. Big bodied. Sassafras, spices, cranberry. Nice acidity, good texture. Medium finish.
Drink these if you got 'em!
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5/11/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Three Flights, With Pairings (Red Barn, Santa Ynez): From a 375. Pale red with some evident bricking on the rim. More fruity than floral on the nose. Ripe red fruit and a touch of smoke. Dense and chewy in style, more lush than I prefer.
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4/10/2016 - Meerlust wrote: 90 Points
Medium red color with orange rim. Lovely nose of cherry and raspberry mixed with a floral note. With air, there is more depth on the nose. Slightly tart initially with dark cherry and some earthy notes. While I expected something plush, this wine was stern with a bitterness on the palate that feels like the byproduct of over extraction. With air, the bitterness fades and dark fruits, graham cracker, and cinnamon drive the palate. There is adequate acidity to handle this medium-bodied wine and no tannins to manage. Overall, I was disappointed by the initial bitterness of this wine, but with air, it began to show a more complete wine. Serving temperature, slightly chilled, is important to get the best from this wine.
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2/7/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sweet ripe Dr Pepper aromas. Lush pure dark cherry cholesterol. Smooth silky and nearly lush. Quite good.
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2/7/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
While this isn't my preferred style of Pinot, it is nicely balanced and very well made, still holding up nicely at this age.
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1/24/2016 - Senso-beak wrote: 90 Points
Took to a party and was quickly imbibed....only had a glass. Big and dense, chewy but evolved with bramble and some bitter chalky smoky notes. Plums and black cherry, some Syrah profile notes as well.
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12/30/2014 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 90 Points
Found this in the back row, a bit one dimensional but similar attributes, straight forward blueberry, cola pinot.
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12/1/2014 - BRR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pushing the sweetness level for me (almost sensed residual sugar), but it stayed just in fair territory. Still full of cranberry and rhubarb notes with strawberry flavors to boot. Just enough tannin to hold it nicely together and a long finish, with some earthiness creeping in. Nice wine.
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8/20/2014 - scott davis wrote: 92 Points
Opened and vinturied into a decanter. Medium red in color and clear, with perfumed aromas of ripe black cherries, rose petal, and a touch of game. The palate shows flavors of ripe red and black fruits, cola, oak, and dry earth. Nice texture, plush fruits, and a medium-long finish.
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5/1/2014 - mojowine wrote: 92 Points
This was a bottle that has been stored with the last bottle I drank and it was a really good bottle of wine - clean, focused, well integrated. A classic Russian River Pinot.
The only difference was the last bottle had been transported and this one was pulled straight out of the cellar. I never really believed the "bottle Shock" thing but I do now.
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4/15/2014 - mojowine Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Started out awful. Tons of heat, disjointed, over-ripe, almost pruney.
Took a couple hours of air to get it going. Even now the heat is overpowering and the mid-pallet is not there at all. Hopefully it's better tomorrow.
I think I pushed this one too long before drinking. My worst KB experience to date.
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3/29/2014 - travelme wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured with no decant or Vinturi aeration. Brought to a hight end restaurant so just wanted to get the night started quickly before delving into the cabs. Super smooth pinot with a nose of black cherry. On the palate, you get some spice box, black cherry, and cherry cola notes. A really pleasant spicy and lengthy finish as other noted with a great structure. At or near the end of the drinking window by my taste so drink within the next year or two. Highly recommended and enjoyed with friends who all loved it. Sadly my last bottle but a good way to go out.
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12/29/2013 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Another excellent bottle. On the nose, black cherry, rhubarb, and orange peel, with notes of baking spice and cola. Those notes continue to the palate, with rich black cherry counterbalanced by a citrus note. Finishes long and spicy, with a surprising amount of tannin. A nice melange.
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12/5/2013 - jimmythesaint wrote:
Still vibrant but maturing. Drinking well at the moment.
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12/2/2013 - pmarlo wrote: 92 Points
This wine shows why Kosta makes a good wine. The 2006 vintage was so-so as far as I can tell, yet this wine was just great. Although the fruit has receded (just a tad) there is still a density of flavor remaining at 7 years. The youthful density and ripe flavors of this wine have now matured into a more balanced, subtle wine which lost nothing in the 3-4 says I held the remainder in the bottle. If a wine holds up that long without falling apart, that says to me it's well made. although I've heard that 2006 was just a so-so vintage for California Pinot, I've had a few that have pleasantly surprised me at how they've held up. Recommended, but would not age more than 2-4 years.
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12/2/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
I'm tiring of the over ripe style of the KB's but Joan isn't. If you like the style you will love this wine. As Joan did. A well made Pinot for sure.
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11/12/2013 - Grape_ape wrote:
Still holiding up well , better than expected and surprisingly pretty balanced.
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11/10/2013 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 93 Points
This is in a nice drinking window right now....
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11/4/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
Very specific style of pinot that hit a good mark for me on this evening. The fruit and color of the wine seemed more aged than a 2006. Really nice cola and spice component to an elegant wine where the red fruit was second fiddle but supportive. Silky. Not what I usually get from KB. Not sure if there's much aging left - drink up.
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8/17/2013 - sunalsorises wrote: 92 Points
Well integrated fruit with good balance. Smooth long finish. Drinking well.
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8/16/2013 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Ninth bottle from a case purchased on release, and possibly the best to date. On the nose, deep and rich notes of loamy black cherry, wet clay, black tea and baking spice. In the mouth, rich black cherry, with a spicy attack and notes of cola and limestone/mineral. Long finish, with alcohol in check. Showing no signs of decline, and should drink well for many more years.
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8/5/2013 - tfharris Likes this wine: 88 Points
Seem to be lacking a bit from the other 2006 I have drank.
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7/31/2013 - Meerlust wrote: 91 Points
Medium garnet center with slight bricking at the rim. This wine has a wonderful nose of raspberry, black cherry, orange blossom, deft oak, and spice. On the palate, there is dark cherry, raspberry, and root beer. Structurally, this medium-bodied wine has balanced acidity and a touch of heat with air. The finish is long with lovely, dark fruit. Overall, this is amazingly young with deep fruit and good acidity. Well done.
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7/30/2013 - milwaukeewino Does not like this wine: 50 Points
Awful. Heady, alcoholic. Smells like nail polish remover. Fruit's dead. Hints of mushroom. Tastes ok I suppose. Why do people praise this?
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3/31/2013 - tfharris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Outstanding with Easter honey baked ham! Decanted 1 hour.
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3/25/2013 - tfharris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprisingly this was best in the first 45 minutes of drinking. The food pairing may have disrupted somewhat.
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2/19/2013 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
Nice clear ruby color. Aromas of dark cherry, baking spice and alcohol. Consistent flavors with black tea and cinnamon. Full body with lengthy finish. A little too big and fruity for my taste, but well made.
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2/16/2013 - Jadiii wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well, decanted for half hour and very nice nose. Wife like it a lot. She had the nose as cranberry and apple. Apple notes, bright red fruit flavors.
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2/5/2013 - JFish wrote:
Quick TN. My last bottle. Popped and poured. Intoxicating nose of pure dark red/purple fruit with a hint of forest floor and baking spice, led to high hopes. But on the palate, a quick hit of dark cherry followed by searing acidity and heat. After the first glass I literally had to take a zantac due to the heartburn. Consumed with grilled turkey burgers, which helped moderate the acidity, but the heat on the back end remained. Over the course of 2 hours it didn't change at all. BUT, a friend stopped over and I poured a glass for him. He took a sip and was amazed by the dark cherry fruit, baking spices - proclaimed it a fantastic pinot. So, though not for me, this wine certainly has an audience. One bottle of the '06 SC left. Maybe I'll give it to my friend (or at least drink it with him).
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2/3/2013 - topher18 wrote: 90 Points
Still quite delicious but not at its peak. Drink up now if you have any!
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2/2/2013 - BinVA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink them now
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1/20/2013 - tfharris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Love this wine every time.
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1/18/2013 - Jdubb wrote: 88 Points
I've loved every bottle of KB I've tasted but this one was flat, maybe it had spoiled but it just seemed less balanced, sort of an after thought in terms of care.
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1/7/2013 - twelch wrote: 92 Points
Drinking really well right now. Some secondary traits coming out now fruit and alcohol has dissipated somewhat. Do these age? More balanced than before.
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1/1/2013 - Acohen wrote: flawed
Just off and corked
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1/1/2013 - MillerRoad wrote: 90 Points
It's ready to drink. Not sure I would hold it much longer.
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12/31/2012 - Grape_ape wrote:
Dark color, very ripe, verging on syrah like flavors.. however was more balnced than I expected and the fruit was still pretty youthful. I find my tastes have really moved away from this style.
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12/28/2012 - tfharris Likes this wine: 91 Points
very smooth with good hint of spice.
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12/27/2012 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 93 Points
As good as a Pinot gets, dark, full with lots going on. Even better the next day.
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12/26/2012 - cobystilp wrote: 91 Points
While I liked this bottling younger it is still a great wine.
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12/25/2012 - Keytohwy wrote:
Served with Christmas ham. Really solid and opened up after about 30 minutes. 94 points.
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11/23/2012 - raydawgone wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured for Thanksgiving. Lighter bodied, more Burgundian in style than other KB bottlings. Cherry & strawberry with light, toasted almonds. Suggest decanting for 2 + hours.
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10/27/2012 - tfharris wrote: 92 Points
delicious. Needed 30 minutes to open up.
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9/19/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
I have always loved what Michael has done with the KB RR pinots and this bottle is no exception even with the 2006 vintage. A very nice pinot that has to be in it's prime since it's drinking so well.
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9/19/2012 - tfharris wrote: 92 Points
spectacular particularly after 30 minutes out of bottle. Spice and cherry are perfect.
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9/9/2012 - suburbanfrog wrote: 93 Points
This wine is drinking great right now. KB never disappoints. A wine to savor each sip.
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9/3/2012 - tfesmgk wrote: 93 Points
Getting even better. Let breathe for an hour. Drank with various strong cheeses. Outstanding!
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7/20/2012 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
If you're looking for an objective note on this wine, I don't have one to offer tonight. My father's best friend passed away after a long illness, a man that I was proud to know and call a friend. Hell, to call family. Circumstances and many miles prevent me from being there. All I can do this evening is honor him as best I can, with a bottle and memories of many good years. Butch, we love you.
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6/26/2012 - hanasowner wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Bright cherries and great mouthfeel. Medium body. Don't see this getting much better and may in fact be on the decline. Plan to drink last bottle soon.
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6/18/2012 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good with cherry, Asian spices and floral notes on the nose and palate. A medium bodied offering with plenty of food friendly acidity and fairly resolved tannins.
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6/9/2012 - VinoDiver Likes this wine:
Summer wine tasting: (3 first place votes)
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5/27/2012 - profiler54 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured 30 min later. Served in Riedel Vinum Burgundy stems. @ 65 F . Medium intensity garnet color,pronounced nose and palate of baked black cherry, cola, vanilla oak . Medium body... Palate was dry with medium plus acidity and low to medium tannins, with a pronounced intensity of fruit. very new world fruit forward fuller bodied style pinot.
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5/22/2012 - pgb67 wrote: 88 Points
My hit-n-miss history with KB continues - this one didn't work for me - not necessarily hot, but the fruit seems to be entering a secondary stage with subtle notes of brown sugar and cassis, while the alcohol is not subtle at all and shows a sharp edge. Not the balance that I like to see.
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5/3/2012 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Ruby colored. Bright red fruits, brown sugar, herbs, spice. Racy acidity. Not hot in any way at all. I think time is showing that the early vintages of KB do have the structure to age well.
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5/2/2012 - JOJ wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with prior notes. Still a youngster -- took time to open. Dusty raspberry and cranberry, with notes of chocolate and anise on the nose. Palate of raspberry and chocolate, with some mineral and a touch of spice. Not overly complex, but nice.
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4/30/2012 - tastark wrote:
Super extracted.
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4/24/2012 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very nicely right now.
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3/9/2012 - Hubduc wrote: 90 Points
Great wine!
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3/1/2012 - JFish wrote:
Quick TN: Still have a few KBs left and thought I'd continue moving through them. Popped and poured, drank a few glasses over 3 hours. Color - looks like pinot, though on the darker end of the spectrum. Nose - hmmm, smells like pinot with a bit of 5 spice. Palate - upfront it has a soft entry like pinot, but then the mid-palate explodes with a big, brawny blast of dark fruit and acidity with just a bit of heat on the finish. Like the last bottle, not so great with dinner but as a before or after dinner drink it was okay. As I was discussing with a friend, nice bottle of wine, but I expect more for $54 or so when including shipping costs.
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3/1/2012 - lvjohn wrote: 91 Points
Still going strong. Drank this without decanting. Initially there was nothing but acids and tannins, but then things came together. Spicy, sweet red fruit especially strawberry came out. Spicy nose too. This bottling probably had more life in it than was predicted. We saw no visible signs of aging.
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2/12/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
Yellowish on the rim; a light ruby color. Aromas of cherry, touches of strawberry and cranberry, spice, cola/oak. Similar flavors. Tannins are resolved. Elegant in the mouth; medium fruit concentration. A long finish, with a slight touch of heat on the back palate.
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2/11/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 89 Points
A very nice Pinot that's probably at it's peak. Wish I hadn't bought so many of 06 KBs.
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2/8/2012 - cobystilp wrote: 92 Points
Lush. Thick. Complex. Dripping in red fruit. I think I like this bottle a little more once it has some age on it.
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2/1/2012 - tfesmgk wrote: 93 Points
Popped & poured. Drank beside a WS Westside Road from same vintage. What a difference. The KB was fuller, darker with more layers and roundness. Drinking better now than a year ago.
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1/18/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
Very happy with the way this wine showed today at lunch. Seems to be at it's prime.
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12/31/2011 - ChrisR wrote: 87 Points
Quite spicy with oak at first, but after it opened up it softened into correct Russian River pinot flavors of cherry and sassafras, with earthy, sous-bois undertones. Medium-bodied, not heavy, but with a somewhat clipped finish. Generally quite pleasant.
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12/29/2011 - JOJ wrote: 92 Points
Nose of spicy cranberry and raspberry, with some undertones of black cherry. Lots of fresh pine needle and some anise and mineral. Darker fruit on the palate -- black cherry and blackberry. A touch of cola with a spicy, peppery finish. Very solid and really nice.
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12/25/2011 - jfkwines wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking well. A range of cherry started in the front with bing cherry and then going to a tart cherry no colabtaste. Was enjoyed by all. In it's drinking window NOW.
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12/24/2011 - jkad wrote: 91 Points
Very nice cherry flavor and not too sweet; even a little earthiness. Everything has integrated quite well and there was no heat on the finish, which I've had with younger KB. Excellent wine.
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12/4/2011 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
Light bodied and the fruit was a bit sweet. Cola and some spice on the palate. No heat. With a two hour decant was very well integrated. Delicious but very feminie and lacking wow.
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11/27/2011 - blaine wrote: 92 Points
Best one of these yet, much better-balanced than younger KBs. Let your KBs age for a few years!
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11/22/2011 - Double D wrote: 95 Points
Great floral aroma on opening, rich and smooth with notes of both red and black fruit, a bit heavier than medium bodied...this one can stand on its own or with a meal...very enjoyable. Over dinner I decided to up my score to 95, for me the RRV is my sweet spot (figuratively and literally)just a touch of alcoholic heat after an hour in the air.
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11/22/2011 - winetexan wrote: 92 Points
served @ wine tasting dinner, all enjoyed
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11/2/2011 - Jadiii wrote: 90 Points
drinking well after being decanted for about 45 minutes. no over the top alcohol or heat.
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10/23/2011 - stevenp22 wrote: 92 Points
Very nice, opened up nicely.
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10/19/2011 - bearsfan wrote: 88 Points
Strangely this was much more alcohol forward that the bottle I had 18 months ago. While the time helped other elements, the balance was way off. Not sure these wine have the stones to be held (which makes sense given the decidedly CA bombing style). I have one more bottle and will give it another 18 months to test.
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10/9/2011 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 90 Points
Showing a little better than prev two bottles. More refined, less heat. Better over time and better once the wine gets a little warmer out of the cellar.
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10/1/2011 - CADomer wrote: 91 Points
Similar notes to my previous bottle, very nice.
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9/17/2011 - brian przyzycki wrote: 92 Points
I've been tough on KB lately, but I enjoyed this bottle for what it wasn't. It wasn't overextracted, over acoholic, or over the top. Typical KB profile but nice food friendly acidity. Gave this a 2 hour decant.....it may have helped.
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8/26/2011 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 91 Points
The additional time in the bottle seemed to serve this wine very well. The overall alcohol heat had greatly diminished and aromas of red raspberry, cherry, and red berries overall. Palate showed bright, ripe fruit with hints of spice and darker cherry flavors. Reduced heat added to enjoyment over prior bottles of this I had, best of the three. Nice full body and mouth-filling.
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8/17/2011 - gripNsip wrote: 88 Points
Bright red nose, but also an aroma that reminds me of a freshly polished linoleum floor. Very full, soft and plush palate of ripe strawberries and raspberries. Nice acidity with soft tannins. Some heat in the finish. This is undeniably delicious. Crowd-pleasing style, a little straight-forward overall.
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8/15/2011 - timdrex wrote: 90 Points
Big fruit. I could definitely taste the 14.9% alcohol.
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8/7/2011 - brian przyzycki wrote: 91 Points
Im a big KB fan, but this also didnt wow me. 06 was just a bad year for them IMO. Unadventful.
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8/7/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote:
Leslie visits Cleveland - Part 2: I did not get to try this one but I thought I would include it for posterity.
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8/6/2011 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote:
Popped and poured. Very good but not great bottle of wine. Fruity although not the intense fruit bomb. Not particularly well integrated. Overpriced.
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7/4/2011 - Wineshington wrote: 93 Points
Still lots of fruit. Tasted younger than it's age. Red fruit and limited cola. Very enjoyable, with at least a few years remaining.
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7/2/2011 - atun53 wrote: 85 Points
Nice nose of red fruit, boozy flavors of cola and cherries on the palate though. Chilled the second half of the bottle and treated it like a chard. Might as well chuck an ice cube in it. Disappointing for 50, glad I've dropped that list. Anyone want to trade a couple bottles?
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6/26/2011 - MK62 wrote: 90 Points
Solid Pinot for the $50 price range, balance maybe a bit off....was hyped up for it, was mildly disappointed.
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6/25/2011 - floydtp wrote: 89 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a large wine dinner. Mostly cherry on the nose. More cherries on the palate but very hot overall and fairly tannic. Hold this one for another year or so.
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6/25/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part Three - Grand Finale (Madison, WI): WIML92+
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of thatch, black berries, black cherries and a bit of spice. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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6/25/2011 - petitblanc wrote:
CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): As usual, lots of inviting ripe fruit on the nose, numbing heat on the palate. Not scored.
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6/25/2011 - IWineAlot wrote: 92 Points
CT Wisconsin Offline (Madison, WI): Big dark fruit slightly candied and a cola component on the nose. Nice strawberry/raspberry with big tannins on the palate.
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6/21/2011 - wine4ever wrote: 90 Points
Best of my 3 bottles, but compared to Merry Edwards Klopp this one is simple, light, and pales in comparison. However, it does have a very different profile and would appeal more to those who like a cola and red-fruit emphasis vs. dark fruit and earthy flavors. It's a nice summer red wine that is good with food as well as for sipping.
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6/18/2011 - wm3395 wrote: 94 Points
This is a great Pinot. Red Cherry and rasberry on the palet, ripe fruit and mushroom on the nose. Drinking very well now.
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6/13/2011 - smphelps wrote: 92 Points
Two years since last note and bottle and the time seems to have been well spent. Medium ruby. Even now opens with a bit of youthful exuberance, with spice, candy, red fruit, pepper, and cola. A big boy, not one to quaff, and as such it has a tendency to wear your palate down. Best with food and and several companions. Full finish, nice balance, lot to like but big.
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6/9/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Drank with a steak and had enough acidity to hold up. Lots of bright red fruit along with racy acidity. However, my palate wore out pretty quickly as it was simply "too much of a good thing" for me. The fruit is simply much too sweet for my palate. Like AndrewSGHall, I enjoyed the first glass, but not so much the second or third glasses. Tough to score this one.
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5/29/2011 - markjahnke wrote: 90 Points
Happy Memorial Day weekend!
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5/15/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Wordwide Pinots Blind plus a few more (Levain (Mpls)): Just got a small pour of this, but it was really nice. Elegant, balanced, very well made. Bright red fruits. Nice finish. Yummy.
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5/14/2011 - Kmonkey wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour, and drank with sauteed halibut and mushrooms. This bottle, my last, showed much better than the others. Lots of red berries and bright cherries, as well a spice and earth. The tannins and acidity aren't in line though and it finishes a bit thin.
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5/7/2011 - CADomer wrote: 91 Points
Very nice wine. Very aromatic with bright red fruit. Showed red berries and spice on the palate.
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4/26/2011 - Ladalove wrote: 93 Points
beautiful wine. decanted for about 30 minutes but the wine kept getting better...will drink my second bottle soon and decant for 45 minutes. elegant fruit with great body. held up well to an easter lamb roast.
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4/22/2011 - philipmac wrote: 93 Points
Full of pepper and other deep spices. Decanted 30 minutes. I agree with others, it's beautiful now. Probably don't want this to rest much longer.
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4/2/2011 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Candied kirsch-y fruit. Liked for a glass very much - like a cocktail as it does have the acid needed - and then I don't so much.
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3/27/2011 - B Paul wrote:
My last of these. Notes similar to previous bottles, though I feel like this is plateauing in terms of its ability to age as this bottle seemed a bit sweeter and fresh than past bottles.
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3/20/2011 - Knicksfan wrote: 91 Points
"Classic KB RR" whatever that means... bursting with ripe fruit which I like.
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3/6/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Popped and poured. No notes taken. Consistent with my previous notes, but entering a good early drinking window.
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3/3/2011 - cookie7 wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour - drank over 3 hours. Ripe strawberries on the nose. Sweet red fruit and cola on the palate. This opened up with time but the alcohol also became more prevalent and this is a hot wine.
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2/21/2011 - Mr. Muga wrote: 93 Points
PnP at 55 degrees due to CT feedback on decanting (less than stellar results). Minimal heat and alcohol most likely due to drinking this at the proper temperature. Rich cherry fruit and cola on the nose and palate. Nice structure with a clean, pure finish. Drink now or over the next 12-16 months.
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2/8/2011 - lynarthur wrote: 92 Points
Needed a little time to open up, but was very good once it did. Drank a few Williams Selyem pinot's recently and they weren't showing quite as good as this.
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2/5/2011 - Weej wrote: 95 Points
Complex, rich Pinot with fruit,tea and long finish.
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2/2/2011 - cbero wrote: flawed
I'm beginning to wonder about bottle variation on these. I've had some excellent, and some that have totally fallen apart and exhibit raisin and port alcohol.
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1/25/2011 - DC202 wrote:
Decanted this wine through a Vinturi into a decanter. This wine is just hot, hot, hot. Full of alcohol, very primary, little enjoyable fruit. After drinking and decanting over a few hours, this just didn't get any better. I really don't know how else to describe this other than one dimensional and disappointing. I don't think it was an off bottle, I just think it's how this bottling was made. I'm a KB fan, so not just hating on this wine or label.
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1/24/2011 - corkscrews wrote: 90 Points
A nose of cherry and spice, medium amber in color. A smooth, medium to full bodied Pinot, raspberry, cherry cola, cinnamon and spice, bit of heat, a good Pinot Noir, decant for a hour or so.
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1/22/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
No notes taken but this was consistent with the previous bottle. Still far too young, but enjoyable now and there's no guarantee it will improve.
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1/21/2011 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Last bottle, and continues to drink well.
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1/20/2011 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Pop n Pour and drank over 5+ hours. Full nose of cherry cola, brown sugar, herbs and spice. Juicy palate has bright and intense black cherry fruit. Plenty of acidic structure framing the medium-rich fruit. Finish is clean and slightly clipped. Balanced and flavorful, though on the simple side.
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1/18/2011 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Very light red color, clear throughout. Nose was classic RRV with red fruits and a bit of cola. Nice mouthfeel and balance, as the alcohol seemed in check with this bottle.
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1/16/2011 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 90 Points
Raspeberry, sweet plum and strawberry notes on the nose. Flavors of dark cherry and spice predominate. A bit tannic and hot. Hints of vanilla on a sleek and supple delivery. Not overly complex and did not seem to evolve much in the bottle. Not a long or memorable finish.
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1/10/2011 - Barry Notes wrote: 91 Points
PnP. Clear, dark ruby color, good legs. Classic KB Pinot nose. This was a much better wine than the 06 Sonoma & Amber Ridge. Smooth, extremely well integrated/balanced, full bodied with typical cola & red fruit. Maybe a slight candy edge but nothing off. I was very pleased considering my disapointment with the others.
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1/10/2011 - tfesmgk wrote: 90 Points
A balanced, dark fruit pinot. I thought it concealed it's high alcohol well. The nosed opened the second day. This is not a jammy wine but more mature blend.
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1/6/2011 - Baggio wrote: 92 Points
Very good California pinot. Complex, with a quite sensational texture/mouthfeel. Hints of Burgundy?
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1/2/2011 - ljl203 wrote: 90 Points
All cinnamon, mace and cloves. Densely made - a bit too monolithic and hot to go higher for me.
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1/1/2011 - psmith wrote:
Sweet cherry fruit. A touch of spritz. Candied and sappy. Very red. Enjoyable.
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12/26/2010 - JFish wrote:
Quick TN: Wanted something big and this was it. Big fruit, a modicum of pinot typicity, and heat. Not as enjoyable with food as I had hoped due to the alcohol but was okay as an after dinner cocktail. Paired with hash made with left over duck breast.
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12/21/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 85 Points
This is not pinot. Pruney, alcoholic, no varietal character. Hopefully they move from this style or I won't be a customer much longer.
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12/10/2010 - Texas Jerky wrote: 92 Points
Classic RRV flavor profilie, with cherry, cola, and earthy notes, all in delicate balance. Still has several years ahead on it.
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12/2/2010 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Pretty good to begin with but really needed a couple of hours to open up. 88 to begin with and 92 or better after 4 hours.
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11/25/2010 - fjv3 wrote: 91 Points
Great balance of fruits (strawberry, raspberry), cola and tannic backbone. Not quite the stunner as other KB bottlings, but enjoyable nonetheless.
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11/25/2010 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 90 Points
Similar notes to last bottle - just something a little askew with this wine. Its fine, a nice bottle but expect more from KB and for $60.
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11/17/2010 - glg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet, red fruits. Generally one-dimensional, but I like the dimension. Long, smooth finish. Drinking well now, not sure I see much benefit to bottle aging.
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11/11/2010 - jeffal66 wrote: 86 Points
Heavy alcohol burn. Hot and lacking balance. Dead finish, fruit struggles to come through. This showed much better a year and a half ago. In the grand scheme, not a bad wine but for 60 bucks I expect much more from Kosta Browne. For the same coin, I could do a lot better with a couple bottles from Vision Cellars or Siduri.
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11/11/2010 - ecnemergut wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with previous notes.
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11/7/2010 - psirah wrote: 88 Points
My last tasting was ~18 months ago, and I thought more time would bring this together and make it a more complete wine...
The nose reveals pomegranate juice with some sweet strawberries and cream and the end, it is surprising as how the wine seems as if it will be a tart experience initially, just from the nose. Drinking the wine reveals a pomegranate/cranberry juice cocktail, very red fruit dominated accentuated by alcohol and an unsmooth transition to the midpalate where moderate wood tannins bring out cedar and spice. One hour later the initial palate is demonstrating an earthy/mushroom component which is quite welcome, but still transitioning poorly. Here is to hoping 18-24 more months will do something positive.
50+4+13+15+6
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11/6/2010 - tarheel17 wrote: 85 Points
dissappointing. Flatter and less intense than the SC bottling we tasted a year or so ago, the wine was also more alcoholic and more boring. This definitely lacked verve. Though tasty, in the end the positives did not outweigh the negatives. I would not buy this again.
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11/6/2010 - ListenToMeWine wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle. For most at our get together this was the wine of the night. Deep, dense and brooding.
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11/1/2010 - pjhr wrote: 91 Points
Not quite up to the previous bottles with a hint of bitterness on the finish.
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10/30/2010 - Troon Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was a very nice wine. It didn't take long to open up. I really enjoy the mouthfeel of this wine. It has some red berry on the palate. I didn't sense the bitterness that others spoke about.
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10/26/2010 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Dark funk on the nose. Initial entry of dark spice, some vegetal notes with black fruit (black cherry, prunes, raisins), earth and funk on the mid palate and ends with a spicy, earthy finish. Good.
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10/25/2010 - pmarlo wrote: 92 Points
10/23/10-Decent Pinot. Opened on Saturday and only a glass drank, then vacuum sealed. No real impression but felt it was very closed. 90
10/24/10-Now Sunday, deep dark color for pinot, nice balance to this one, as I suspected this wine requires air time to fully enjoy. Nice nose, taste is of cherry and something else. Feel though as if fruit is a little MIA. Cork was as dense as could be, which I really appreciate. Wife did like as well so is recommended. Legs run really nice on the sides of class, almost textbook and pretty to watch. 91
10/25/10-Now is beginning to see true color of this wine. Beautiful maroon color, almost lucent. Cherry flavors now coming out and I can see how some have said high alcohol prominent. But this is really nice today. A pleasant bitter taste on middle of tongue, but it fades after awhile. I think this may be the trait of the pinot grape. Feels somewhat coating in the mouth. And about 30 second finish. Nice acidity also, just the right amount for me. Also detecting sediment now, little black flakes. Bouquet is dense and musty. Very different from Oregon pinot, which for me is more fruit forward. Compared to my current favorite (Dumol RRV '07) this one is a lighter bodied wine that has a nice grip. 9
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10/16/2010 - lbrent wrote: 86 Points
Pleasant, cherry, red berry with cola. Missing spice or earth.
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10/13/2010 - Paul Lin wrote: 87 Points
Mouthwatering aromas of black raspberries, framboise, cola, and a hint of vanillin oak. Sweet on the palate with rich notes of ripe cherries. Gravelly and course on the midpalate and finish. Enjoyable for about the first hour or two but starts to decline and become disjointed by the third.
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10/11/2010 - caboychuck wrote:
Pretty nose of cherry, and other red berries, cola, cinnamon, and a little stem. Flavors mirror nose. Big fruit, with vibrant acidity.
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10/2/2010 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Another solid, consistent bottle. See notes from 5/09, 1/09. and 6/08. Shows no signs of age and should have a number of years left to go.
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9/27/2010 - cookie7 wrote:
1 hour decant. Big fruit forward style. A touch of heat.
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9/21/2010 - Zonk wrote: 89 Points
Last of my 06's. 20 min decant. A little hot. While the 06 Sonoma transformed over a few years, the RRV never quite got there. A bit hot, cola and cherries, just not that exciting for a $60 pinot (and I generally enjoy KB)
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9/19/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 88 Points
An enjoyable pinot with some heat on the finish.
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9/10/2010 - Ekoostik wrote:
Today it came across as a merely decent pinot for my palate. Didnt seem to have the lushness or velvety feel I have experienced with other KB. Definitely has some heat which may be clipping the fruit. Really a lackluster performance not going to rate at this time, but based on todays sowing I cant see this getting better?
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8/29/2010 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous tasting note.
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8/29/2010 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Def some heat on the open that did get better over the next 30-45 minutes. Should have paid attention to the below notes! Needs an hour in a decanter. After that good notes of spice and cola were present. Likely needs some more time to settle down - will not open my remaining 5 bottles for a a couple years.
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8/27/2010 - bigdogflow wrote: 92 Points
Aging did this bottle well. Beautiful depth of flavors, rasberry, strawberry with some cola and spice notes. Medium finish.
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8/12/2010 - S. Lorin wrote: 91 Points
Better than the last two bottles - heat has settled down, lots of dark fruit and cola - better on day #2
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8/12/2010 - N2Vin wrote: 87 Points
Thin and austere.
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7/25/2010 - jim_crane Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Rocky Mountain High - Pinot Style (Vail): Bright red core and a clear rim. Nose shows cream, cherry, red berry and a touch of barnyard. Medium-bodied and flat like a day-old cherry cola. Dull.
50+4+12+16+5
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7/25/2010 - cns wrote: 91 Points
Heat has settled down ... give it a bit of air, though. Wonderful wine!
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7/11/2010 - galewskj wrote: 87 Points
Initially a bit abrasive and alcoholic. Eventually calms down to a yummy and semi-plain pinot. Doesn't really go anywhere the next day.
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7/10/2010 - Senso-beak wrote: 93 Points
Retirement dinner for cousin Anne. Slightly chilled before uncorking, aggressive decant then served. Voluptuous, heady, intense and extracted, this KB reveals the typical profile of strawberry, raspberry, cinnamon, and cola with a humid heat component as well. Fruit is lively, structure all there, delicious barrel program nuances, despite some tannic heat on the finish. There was a slight rhubarb component to this offering, perhaps influenced by the vintage in this tricky year. First of a case, will continue to let others evolve over the coming decades.
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7/6/2010 - dtirsell wrote: 90 Points
Should have decanted based on feedback below. Was a bit restrained right out of the bottle but no blow off, just long cola/berry finish. Nose came up into the glass toward the end.
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7/6/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with previous notes
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7/5/2010 - Mrbuzz wrote:
Needs air....too much heat for pop-n-pour.
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6/20/2010 - ecnemergut wrote: 89 Points
Very ripe.
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6/12/2010 - Saintaz wrote: 92 Points
Needs some air. After the heat dissipates you are left with flavors of ripe cherries and strawberries. I think this bottle will get better with another year.
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6/2/2010 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Pretty good with some air, needs another couple years of bottle to really sing.
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5/26/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Candied kirsch-y fruit. Liked for a glass very much - like a cocktail as it does have the acid needed - and then I don't so much.
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5/26/2010 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 91 Points
Took about ½ to open up. Medium ruby colored with a nice nose of smoky minerals, black cherry and cola that lead to a silky medium- to full-bodied mouth of fruit and oak. Enjoyed with oxtail bigoli pasta at Donato Enoteca. My 1st experience with an ’06 showed that these wines are ready to drink.
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5/24/2010 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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5/19/2010 - TwistedArmadillo wrote: 93 Points
Still agree with my 93 rating. This wine is smooth and well balanced. I do enjoy this better than the Sonoma 06 which is also an outstanding wine.
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5/14/2010 - Bacchant wrote: 89 Points
Fairly dark in color. But FAR more restrained, both on the nose & palate, than all the hype had led me to expect. The nose is dominated by burnt cedar, though a little black cherry & clove do come across. Not particularly viscous. At most, medium bodied. The initial attack is unremarkable. Nice acidity, tannins, & effective use of oak saves this wine. All come together at just the right point on the otherwise "herbal" finish, giving a nice spicy grip. Was hoping this would be a little "bigger." Definitely needs air & might benefit from pairing with food. [14.9% abv.; $60.00].
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5/11/2010 - jfkwines wrote:
A little heat, not the cola of the Sonoma. This is the first of my bottles, but it is a consistent taste from other examples of this wine that i have tried fromt his vintage and others. More subdued, still strwberries come forward just not as much cherries and other dark fruits. I'm leaving thje rest alone until the weather cools down.
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5/9/2010 - winepog wrote: 92 Points
Very nice, smooth and enjoyable. Notes of cherry cola and well balanced. This appears to be drinking well right now.
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4/26/2010 - Winetex Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rather nicely balanced Pinot. This was better on Day 2 after being opened. Better than an '06 KB Garys'.
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4/24/2010 - mgl wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, fruitful, classic pinot noir - really enjoyed again.
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4/22/2010 - Patsdynasty wrote: 91 Points
Had with Sally, Kelly and Kim before dinner at Wash Tavern. This was much better than the prior bottle - much more complex.
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4/13/2010 - Kmonkey wrote: 89 Points
Drank a few days ago. Didn't take notes. Did show better than the last bottle. Have one more will wait at least six months.
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4/7/2010 - emf Likes this wine:
@ blackfish with duck tasting menu, smoke on the nose with cherry. In the mouth there was smoke, red fruit and cola. Very good .
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4/5/2010 - *Vine* wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Medium-plus ruby hue. Expressive aromas of ripe red fruits...think raspberry, black cherry, and red currant along with notes of spice and a touch of oak. Definitely has a bit of heat. Medium-plus body. A bigger, riper style of Pinot Noir on the palate, which is to be expected from Kosta Browne; the fruit is quite expressive but initially seemed to be marred by heat from alcohol. However, after 24 hours of aeration in bottle the alcohol seemingly integrated and allowed the ripe fruit to shine with flavors mirroring the nose. Very much a crowd pleasing style, with medium acidity and round, smooth tannins on the moderate-plus finish. A better showing than anticipated, and no doubt due to 24 hours aeration. Should hold well for another few years.
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4/2/2010 - Arch57 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured and consumed over the course of a Friday evening dinner at home. A nice translucent garnet color, with the typical KB nose of rasberries and I did detect some earth on this one which adds to the picture. With KB wines you have to say they are consistent and I knew what type of wine I wanted to pair with grilled salmon with asian chinese cabbage and this fit the bill. After dinner the wine had been open about 3 hours and the last glass was full of ripe fruit, cherry-cola notes and was smooth and focused.
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3/30/2010 - gzim wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours before serving. Nice profile, a bit one dimensional, some cola and cranberry... just didn't seem like a $60 bottle.
Very nice but no wow.
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3/26/2010 - Nutty08 wrote: 87 Points
Strong cola raspberry and spicy nose with strong alcohol note. Smooth highly concentrate hot almost jammy palate, with dark fruit profile and slight spice profile. The heat turns more to sweetness with air, but never resolves. Medium clipped finish. I continue to be disappointed in this bottling as it always comes across as hot and disjointed. Not worth the price for sure.
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3/6/2010 - markjahnke wrote: 88 Points
I said we would wait a year to re-visit this wine, and it just so happens that tonight we decided to pop this a year and just a few days later. Popped and poured, and showing a great ruby color in the glass, the nose on this wine showed the typical Kosta Browne fruit profile, with that creamy Kosta Browne sweetness that we have grown to love. On the nose, there was some nice dark cherry, hints of cola, raspberry, and some cinnamon and spice. I could still sense a bit of alcohol on the nose, even more so than the last bottle we had. The nose was rounded out by some lavender and faint hints of cardamom. On the palate, as much as I hate to say it, this bottle just didn't perform like it did when we had it last year. It had some nice creaminess and acidity to it, with a bit of earthy elegance, some herb, cherry cola, and other berry fruits. It was the finish however that didn't seem nearly as smooth as it has been the many other times we have had this wine. There was still definitely some heat on the finish, which I attribute to the alcohol, and it just seemed to be a high octane, over extracted, over ripe wine to me. Many will say that I might just be growing out of this style of wine, but I know that is not the case. I will be the first to admit that I cannot drink this style of win on a regular basis, but I really was craving this style tonight. In short, I think that once again we'll let the remaining bottles lie on their sides in the cellar and sleep for another year before re-visiting, however, it may have just been the fact that this wine needed an aggressive decant before serving, which I did not do. The wine definitely mellowed out with time, and the last glass was definitely the best, so who knows for sure. For now, 88 points is the score that is awarded to this wine. Cheers!
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3/5/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
14.9% alcohol. Now an extra year or so has truly benefited this wine. Showing beautifully now. Better at a cooler temperature. Terrific nose of jammy cherry fruit and spice, with an unmistakable cherry pie note wafting into your olfactory. In the mouth, plush and sumptuous, with pure and luscious cherry fruit, spice, and a strong finish. A bit of heat shows through. A-
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3/3/2010 - mclgreenville wrote: 91 Points
cola and cinnamon galore. Such a tasty wine that anyone would love. Splash decanted for 2 friends and they loved it.
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2/20/2010 - madeiradog wrote: 92 Points
Massive but remains light on its toes - a very remarkable feat. Rich fruit accompanies baking spice and cola but there is sufficient acidity to keep things in balance. (Decanted for about 4 hours)
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2/15/2010 - puterdewd wrote: 89 Points
the 06 kb certainly aren't living up to expectations. not very balanced and the finish is disappointing.
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2/15/2010 - rherman wrote: 88 Points
my wife loves these but i find they are just not to my style and are not really improving. fruit is way too dark and they are lacking acid. creamy, aromatic and sensual - these are bimbos are meant to be used.
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2/7/2010 - Fatso wrote:
drank with Ola
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2/6/2010 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
nose is nice and fruity, but a bit of heat is evident on the nose. also a nice mint note on the nose that I am particularly fond of. med(+) tannins underpin a strong palate with raspberry, sour black cherry, and dark chocolate. very dark notes on the palate. The heat wasn't as prominent as expected from the nose -- but does appear after about 10s on the med(+) finish.
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2/6/2010 - jrobs7777 wrote: 90 Points
A Second Snowed In Saturday (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Anise, herbs and cola on nose. Good concentration but not over the top. Nice blend of darker berries and dark chocolate. Juicy finish with a nip of heat on the finish.
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2/3/2010 - gzim wrote: 90 Points
A bit spicy from the get go, but after 30 minutes it rounded out very nicely. Very nice balance of cake spice. I guess when I open a KB I expect it to be over the top, and this was more balanced than expected. Very nice showing in a simple "I am pinot" kind of way.
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1/30/2010 - drycab wrote: 83 Points
Opened and tasted and was just like the last bottle. Fruit at first moving to crap as it was finished in the same glass! Very glad it was my last bottle.
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1/24/2010 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 89 Points
Good color. Light aromatics on the nose, some noticeable EtOH as it warms up, less so when it is closer to 60F. Full bodied, cherry, low acidity, balanced.
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1/23/2010 - ChillyWino wrote: 84 Points
Popped poured and enjoyed over the course of 2-3 hours. Ruby red color. Cherry, cola, spice and hints of alcohol on the nose. Upon tasting the no noticeable alcohol, and everything else follows through. Seemed to be lacking a bit in the mid-palate and not much of a finish. As the night went on the alcohol seemed to start showing itself more. A good wine, but nothing special on this night.
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1/23/2010 - Domer99 wrote: 89 Points
Opened for about 20 minutes. A bit of alcohol on the nose, as well as red fruit, mostly cherry. On the palate, it tasted a bit like cardomon, nutmeg and cinnamon (Christmas time) mixed with cherry kool-aid. A nice wine. It doesn't try to do too much, but what it does, it does very well. A little pricey, but such an easy wine for those who aren't wine nerds.
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1/17/2010 - wine4ever wrote: 90 Points
Lots of cherry cola and spice. Took about 20-30 minutes for the alcohol to subside. A very tasty drink, but short on complexity. Not the best buy at $50, but still very enjoyable.
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1/1/2010 - S. Lorin wrote: 89 Points
the heat and alcohol overwhelmed the fruit initially - it took hours to balance out and for the RRV characteristics to shine through with dark cherry, cola, spice and baking powder. not at the standard set by the 2004.
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12/30/2009 - SMG wrote: 92 Points
Did not decant. Cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, baking spice, cola. The alcohol was definitely noticeable, but if you managed the temperature of the wine it was not a problem. Medium to full-bodied wine that was quite a pleasure to drink. Drinking very well now.
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12/27/2009 - mdstenner wrote: 70 Points
The most over-rated wine and winery I've had the displeasure of buying. Over extracted, fake tasting juice that masquarades as wine. Monolithic taste. No complexity. Nothing.
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12/25/2009 - leadpencil wrote: 94 Points
Medium to full bodied. The party was in the mood for a fruit smoothy after a few cabernets, and this delivered. Pomegranate and raspberry with hint of evergreen. Good balance with no heat at this point, seems to be in it's groove. Don't drink if in a Burgundy mood.
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12/24/2009 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Loads of fruit with some nice spice levels. Definite EtOH heat and sweet which makes this wine more like having a cocktail, but not the less pleasurable for that. Great pairing (even with the alcohol) with a spicy chili that had steak in it.
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12/12/2009 - TwistedArmadillo wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding wine. Pared with a vegetable soup; complimented each other well.
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12/9/2009 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour. In the glass, clear, dark purplish-red. On the nose, stone fruit and pinot spice. On the palate, initially cherries, cherries, and more cherries, but after 45 minutes, developed secondary nuances of vanilla, minerals, and smoke. Just the slightest hint of alcohol on the finish, but more balance than some notes led me to expect. I'm not sure this has a long life ahead of it, but it's quite pleasant now with a bit of air.
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12/6/2009 - AZ Cat wrote:
(2+) Beautiful nose with a ton of cherry. Palate was nice but didn’t quite deliver as much as the nose did.
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12/6/2009 - hpollack wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoyed
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12/6/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of black cherry, ripe strawberry, cola, vanilla, black raspberry. On the palate, black cherry, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, raspberry. Finishes soft, some heat, decent acidity. Excellent. Overpriced.
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12/2/2009 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
As delicious as the first bottle.
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11/25/2009 - spretzer wrote: 89 Points
Disappointed not well balanced no structure too fruit forward 07 should be much better
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11/25/2009 - emf wrote:
Improved from last bottle, medium bodied with smoke and red berries. Tasted a smokiness and red plums and berries. Very good.
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11/20/2009 - tgkswine wrote: 92 Points
Despite recent reviews I really liked this bottle. Extremely smooth, balance and full bodied with a long wonderful finish. I pulled from the cellar, popped and poured. Followed the KB with a bottoe of 05 Hartford Sevens Bench and while enjoyable, there was no finish at all versus the KB. KB provided nice balance of strawberry, black raspberry, black cherry, a bit of cola with soft tanins.
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11/18/2009 - wineislife wrote: 86 Points
I did everything right...this was opened several hours early (plenty of time to open up) and it was served in nice Pinot glasses. If I had blind tasted this, I would have believed this was a mid-tier domestic pinot, not a big name allocated one. I know 2006 was a less than stellar year and my other KB's have held up well, so here is hoping it was an aberration. No tasting notes, but this was served for a table of 8- and no one seemed all that impressed.
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11/17/2009 - Mrbuzz wrote:
Killer KB style, tasty Pinot....tn-ed to death.
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11/15/2009 - mwagner7700 wrote:
Not too impressed with this bottle. Opened for 30 minutes, but not decanted. Translucet ruby in color. I was surprised how "faint" everything was. Notes of strawberry, cherry, cream and cola are all there. Just all very muted. It was ok, but nothing special. And that is a disappointment. Very Good
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11/7/2009 - cadamson wrote: 89 Points
Same as my last note. Last one of these 06's and I am glad for that. Getting boring.
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11/1/2009 - Beck wrote: 92 Points
Great wine. smooth start, flavorful with little noticeable acid. soft tannions flow into a great long finish.
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10/30/2009 - ecnemergut wrote: 90 Points
I cannot say that I specifically remember it last time, but I find it better than it was a year ago. Nice cherry nose with a subtle creamy strawberry character. Big big big on the palate with cherry and other red fruit but lacking the "roundness" of other vintages (2004, for example); some heat as well. Overall, very nice wine that I hope to improve.
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10/25/2009 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Best bottle to date.
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10/24/2009 - BonnieM wrote:
Shared again with Yeargans and Dad. Drinking great, fruity but not jammy. Wonderful mouthfeel. This wine hits the spot.
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10/24/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of black cherry, ripe strawberry, cola, vanilla, black raspberry. On the palate, black cherry, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, red raspberry. Finishes very soft, some heat. Drink now. Overpriced for this quality. Just not up to the usual standard for this. Still, an excellent bottle.
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10/18/2009 - lbrent wrote: 87 Points
Picks up nuance over time, but lacks earth tones or complexity to be very enjoyable.
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10/16/2009 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Fruit forward with cola and cherry notes.
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10/16/2009 - cookie7 wrote:
Decanted for one hour, consumed over the next 90 minutes. Initially all fruit-forward bomb, it did pick up more nuance over-time. But make no mistake not for the faint of heart.
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10/12/2009 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Typical KB profile, ripe and rich with some cherry cola highlights. Always a crowd pleaser.
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10/8/2009 - Javier wrote: 91 Points
Exceptional wine. Lots of flavor and character. Had with abalone
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9/26/2009 - Neuman wrote:
wine,chocolate & cheese dinner star
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9/26/2009 - Mr Cabernet wrote: 90 Points
Very nice with, but slightly too tart.
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9/24/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 92 Points
Yikes. Just yikes.; 9/24/2009-9/25/2009 (Bowling Green, OH): Soft strawberry nose. Very smooth, light tannins, medium+ acidity, round body. Still a beautiful wine, but this has more heat than I remember, and is fairly hedonistic. I've been more into crisper Pinots lately. SECOND NIGHT: Same score, a little more chocolate milky. $70
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9/23/2009 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Similar notes to previous bottle.
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9/21/2009 - twelch wrote: 92 Points
Similiar to previous bottle
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9/18/2009 - quagland wrote:
My first KB
I didnt think it was as over the top as many of the other posters report.
It wasnt subtle, but I wasnt offended either.
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9/14/2009 - gzim wrote: 90 Points
a solid performance. Popped and poured, great pinot flavor, a bit less cola than some (which I welcome) and better balance.
great red fruits, vanilla etc.
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9/12/2009 - JoshuaG wrote: 90 Points
Served with a slight chill and allowed to open as the night evolved. Don't really understand the CT ratings. I agree with the experts on this one. This is a really good wine. Not usually a huge fan of KB's over the top style but this was nice. Exceeded my expectations by a long shot.
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9/10/2009 - Patsdynasty wrote: 87 Points
Sally and I popped on a Wednesday night. We both were very disappointed. This did not match up to other KBs I'd had or my expectations. We've been drinking a lot of pinots lately and this was less impressive than most. Not a bad bottle, but lacking in complexity and intensity and really nothing special.
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9/6/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Took to the Wood Tavern in Oakland. This needs about 1 hour of decanting. Still showing very youthful characteristics and needs time to breathe and / or a little more bottle age. Tight and taunt with sweet black fruit on the palate with some cinnamon and citrus; ends with a semi dry finish. Needs to plump out more. Good to Very Good right now.
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9/4/2009 - BigPoppaMD wrote: 93 Points
Excellent Pinot Noir! Didn't hold up on day 2.
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9/4/2009 - spineguy wrote: 90 Points
Slightly Burgundian. Plesant nose. Black cherry. Limited complexity.
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8/28/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
One of the few KBs I have not TNd and I have not drank this wine since purchase. I recall recently opening and liking the 2006 Koplen for its leaner profile, and some of that fruit is in here. Consumed with a slight chill, and allowed to warm up, which is how I prefer my pinot noir in the summer. Cherry cola, raspberry, a thicker texture on the palate than I recall on the Koplen, with a finish of ripe cherry and sweet apple and a zing of acid as the last note. Lingering finish. As for drink window, it's doing pretty well now and the acidity would allow for more aging but laying the fruit and acid together, it works well now.
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8/23/2009 - dbkitc wrote: 89 Points
Lighter ruby than other vintages. Super, spicy oak and pinot fruit aromas. Very inviting. Initially out of whack – short / hot and a bit bitter on the finish. After an hour, it fleshes out well. Not my favorite vintage of this wine as the heat remains even with air. I liked the nose a bunch. (89)
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8/22/2009 - rralls wrote: 90 Points
Overly extracted, and lacking a smooth finish. Will be interesting to see if time with take some of the bite off the finish.
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8/16/2009 - glg wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well. Cherry and abundant red fruits.
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8/10/2009 - rherman wrote: flawed
This was better than I remembered and showed well tonight against a 2003 Taz Fiddlestix. Still fruit forward and rich but a little more balanced (less jammy) than previous showings. This wine, although not my first choice, really does please a crowd like no other. Alcohol did not seem noticeable.
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8/8/2009 - ruddy wrote: 91 Points
A bit simple, but plush and velvety. A fair bit of acidity, backing up the cherries and spice. Don't think this one has a long life ahead of it--this one seemed to have everything already out on the line.
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8/7/2009 - dionysis wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful cherry and full fruit flavors. Good balance, nice acidity and not oppressive with the alchohol. Maybe one dimensional, but it is a very good dimension.
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8/7/2009 - jimmythesaint wrote: 91 Points
Cherry, spice and cola on the nose. Finish bright with some backbone. Second day more raspberry on the nose. Decant and drink on the chilled side to avoid the heat.
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8/3/2009 - Vinsant wrote: 91 Points
Did a lil side by side with an 07. The 07 was a better wine, better balance, better mouthfeel, less heat. But, the 06 was frickin' delish. A little hot on the backend but just fun to drink. Don't know if I can ever have Salmon again... w/o KB! Huge cherry cola, pine, mushroom, eucalyptus, sandalwood, vanilla, and pink sweetarts. Gigantic finish that just keep going. After a couple bottles now, becoming a huge fan of KB...hope their prices stay or go down a little. Would love to try this again in a yr or so.
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8/3/2009 - redderthanred wrote:
Decanted for about an hour or so.
Nose was very nice with strawberries, cherry and baking spices.
Palate was very good with balaced acidity with a rich long finish...classic RRV notes with cherry and spices!
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8/2/2009 - bajayngo wrote: 90 Points
had this next to a bottle of the 07. Suprisingly I thought the 07 was in a better place then the 06. A lil unbalanced at this stage but not overwhelmingly. Huge nose of cola, baking spices, anise, red berries and eucalyptus. On the palate it was very concentrated with just a ton of baking spices and fruit but was a touch hot and almost hit the cough syrup phase but not quite. It was hard to score this and the 07. To me the 07 was an easy 92pts and this was around 90-91pt at this stage. But I really think this has the stuffing to surpass the 07 if everything comes together. Any way you slice I am a HUGE KB fan!!!
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7/28/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
14.9% alcohol. Easily the best showing for this wine so far. A bright nose of black cherry, blackberry, and spice, with just a touch of heat rising out of the glass. In the mouth, plush and velvety, with that beautiful texture Kosta Browne is so good at achieving. The fruit bursts forth, with a hint of red cherry and cherry pie coming through on the palate. Not overly complex, but there is a nice spice and earth hint. Good acidity. Very long finish, tinged by a little heat. These just needed time. A-
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7/27/2009 - Javier wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle of wine. Smooth yet rich
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7/24/2009 - spretzer wrote: 90 Points
Drank in cali with family, liked it but heat was a liitel strong for it be really good. Dad loved it.
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7/19/2009 - Ekoostik wrote: 90 Points
I think this one has probably been beaten to death. My take, its a tasty cocktail type wine that should be a real crowd pleaser. Lush, fruity, and rich for pinot, has a bit of heat on the finish. Nice but this one isnt a wow wine.
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7/11/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
Expressive nose of raspberry, strawberry, and black cherries. Big bold palate with cola, cherry, and an herbal spiciness. Lengthy finish with cherries and lava rocks. Strikes me as monolithic and simple, although fun to drink. Hasn't developed like the Sonoma coast has to this point, but hides the alcohol well at slightly cooler than room temperature.
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7/10/2009 - Deb293 wrote: 88 Points
When first opened this was kind of nasty, but after about an hour the fruit began to emerge. I have to assume that all the fuss over KB is coming from their single vineyard bottlings, because based on this I'm mystified. Bit heavy handed. I'd be embarrassed to serve it to friends who had high expectations.
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6/28/2009 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the 06 SC, and better than it was half a year ago. Of course, the fruit was big with some cola sweetness, but it was pretty well balanced with alcohol in the background, reasonable acidity and some cinnamon that helped give it some interest. Highly enjoyable, and the first non 2004 KB that hit the spot for me.
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6/23/2009 - Meerlust wrote: 88 Points
Dark red color. The explosive nose is all about dark fruit - raspberry and plums. On the palate, it is hedonistic with tremendous red raspberry and chocolate, like a Tootsie Roll. Very big in the mouth with a plush mouthfeel. Overall, this wine has great fruit with pleasurable chocolate notes, but it does seem a little clunky.
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6/21/2009 - RobertDwyer wrote: 92 Points
An absolutely delicious wine with classic Pinot Noir strawberries and dark cherries on the nose. Flippin' delicious on the palate- could drink all day. Probably guzzled this one too fast being the fourth wine of the night, but I can't say I regret it. Will buy more from Kosta Browne for sure.
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6/20/2009 - budman wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine, but dominated by heat!!
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6/13/2009 - MWes wrote: 93 Points
No formal notes, but had it with a 2005 Sonoma and this was definitely better. Great balance and just coates your tongue with liquid velvet. This bottle was opened at cellar temp and immediately consumed.
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6/8/2009 - caboychuck wrote:
Cherry, cola and a little pine needle on the nose. Cherry fruit, bright acidity, nice weight, long. Cola on the finish.
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6/6/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 93 Points
A tale of two Pinot's...We drank this wine with grilled cedar plank salmon and it was fantastic. My son noticed right from the first sip that the wine had "depth". There was a lot going on, strawberry, oak, rasberries. Very well done.
We followed this with an '05 Erath Dundee Hills Oregon Pinot which was more the traditional style. Always a great chance to compare different wines. The Oregon wine had a better nose but the KB won in the taste and palate.
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6/1/2009 - prasm wrote: 90 Points
Consumed at lake cabin on vacation last week - notes from memory. First KB pinot. Nose: Mixture of red and dark fruits, vanilla, and a little smokiness. Palate: Meduim to full bodied with raspberry and blueberry. Decent finish - 10-15 seconds. I was hoping for a bit more from all the hype about KB, but it was still a very pleasant wine - and 2006 is not the best year for KB pinots.
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5/31/2009 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Another solid bottle. Consistent with prior notes.
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5/30/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 90 Points
Very intriguing nose, marked by profuse purple flowers, followed by pine needle, cherry, and unexpected hints of apple and citrus. Palate is strongly structured, with strong acid and fairly unresolved tannins. Needs some time.
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5/25/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 89 Points
Big and rich. Syrah like. Dark and brooding. Lots of dark cherry and oak. Loaded with fruit at every turn. Nice, but again, getting to be a style I'm weary of.
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5/21/2009 - Deb293 wrote: 89 Points
Got the berry thing going but not very elegant. Not in the same league as the Martinelli Three Sisters of the same vintage.
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5/18/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Solid performance for an "off" vintage.
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5/18/2009 - yui wrote: 89 Points
Fun wine to drink, dangerous wine. High alcohol, but really the heat is hidden. Cola notes but a bit boring
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5/16/2009 - twelch wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this. Nice asian spice, dark ripe red fruits, wild strawberry on the nose. Very rich; at my threshold.
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5/11/2009 - gzim wrote: 91 Points
much better than the bottle a few nights ago. More up front fruit and cola like expected, and less of that lean acidic core.. this is more like it.
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5/10/2009 - gzim wrote: 89 Points
nice fruit, plenty of spice, but a bit of heat on the finish which definitely detracted some pleasure on the finish. I loved teh sassafrass/cola and have come to expect it in my KB wines.
I bit more lean that I expected from a KB RRV.
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5/7/2009 - tkoby11 wrote: 86 Points
Color: Pretty ruby red with rose colored red edges
Nose: Earth tone aromas, spicy pinot, in fact very pinot aromas, fresh cut flowers, bright red fruits such as strawberry and cherry, a dollop of oak adds a touch of creaminess
Palate: Red fruits such as cran and strawberry, some spice and minerality.
A tingle on the finish resulting from the more than necessary alcohol at 14.9%
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5/6/2009 - dionysis wrote: 93 Points
This has progressed a lot since the first bottle I opened 9 months ago -- a lot smoother, with rich and ripe red fruit flavors replacing the hot alcohol taste. I think it is coming into form.
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5/3/2009 - drycab wrote: 83 Points
This was opened and left in the bottle for 2 hours. Started out really nice with berry fruit and sweet almost sugar cane. Then it got nasty! It got bitter and very ugly. Not a crowd pleaser.
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4/24/2009 - topher18 wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful clear garnet color. Touch of heat on the nose, with black licorice, cherry, and raspberry. Tannins step up to counter the obvious alcohol. Running this wine through a Vinturi aerator helps to soften it so the fruit can come through. Finish is powerful and long.
color 5/5
nose 8/10
taste 18/20
balance 8/10
finish 5/5
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4/19/2009 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
As delicious as the first bottle. Drinking well now!
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4/14/2009 - bistro wrote: 91 Points
A little shy at first but rounded into form with some time. This is a very good but not great CA pinot with impressive length.
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4/13/2009 - whynblog wrote: 93 Points
Still excellent. See previous notes.
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4/10/2009 - bpj87 wrote: 89 Points
Spice, cola, cherry, and that false sense of carbonation that I find in so many RRV pinots. This was a bit too extracted for my tastes.
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3/29/2009 - Grape Stuff wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes. Very good, but a bit sweet/candied.
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3/27/2009 - Wineholio wrote: 86 Points
This was my first taste of a 2006 RRV PN from KB. Opened and decanted. After all the hype about KB PNs I was disappointed. This wine had a bitter, almost rubber tire quality to it. It was not BIG at all, instead rather light in color and body. There was some element of berry and plum fruit present but over time the wine became "hot" in the glass. It was not a bad bottle of wine, just not what I expected. Have had much better (and less expensive) bottles from local Santa Barbara producers. Let's hope time helps this wine.
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3/26/2009 - B Paul wrote: 90 Points
Notes same as before, although I noticed more of a herbal flavor in this bottle.
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3/23/2009 - yonster24 wrote:
Dark Ruby color upon opening. Smokey Vanilla (if there even is such a thing) really bright cherry with some raspberry component coming through as well and a very small touch of Cola. Hot at the beginning, although it mellowed out some over time. Still, this was a rather enjoyable wine. Medium bodied, not over the top, cherries and raspberries really coming through, with a nice long finish. Really great acidity and some tannins on the back end that gave this great balance overall although there was still a touch of heat on the finish towards the end of the bottle.
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3/22/2009 - jcurl wrote: 91 Points
This was good. Had with son in law over the course of 3 hours. Had small taste after opening, alcohol, some citrus with the back fruit on the nose. On the pallet some fruit, some sourness, like citrus. This improved over the next hour and then got even better by hour 3. The citrus/sourness completely abated, fruit and some soft tannis come through. Cherry, cola, current dominate the fruits.
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3/20/2009 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Cinnamon, vanilla, and cherry. Yum!!!
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3/20/2009 - cns wrote: 90 Points
Nicely balanced Pinot. There's a bit of heat coming through, and it has quite a lot of alc.
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3/16/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 92 Points
Coming into balance. Beautiful and tasty. Not overtly fruity at first, this wine filled out a structured frame over a two hour period, ending in a delicious example of balanced pinot. Drink or hold
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3/7/2009 - mgl wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, fruitful, classic pinot noir flavor. Looking forward to the remaining bottles.
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3/6/2009 - Deb293 wrote: 89 Points
My initial reaction was that the wine was a bit astringent; it needs some air to flesh out the acidity. Ripe and fruity but a bit lean, with an oak and cedar component which doesn't quite give the wine weight. Tasty but not profound, with a rather hot finish.
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3/5/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Showing some clarity at the edge of the glass.. On the nose: dark bramble fruit with some peach and strawberry. On the palate: initial attack of dark fruit; morphs towards semi-dried apricot fruit and ends with a semi-sweet, light, orange finish. Good to Very Good. Really an interesting and complex wine.
Added note: by the time the bottle was killed, this had really gotten darker, rounder, with more layers of spice. Very Good.
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3/5/2009 - dannyk8232 wrote: 90 Points
This wine really needs air. Not the most potent KB I have ever had, but still has really nice, classy fruit and a great nose. Polished finish with a little bit of heat. Doesn't have any of the funk I really like in a pinot. Not built for the long haul, so if you have a bunch, maybe give one a try.
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3/4/2009 - scooter260 wrote: 92 Points
OK, I liked this....lots of bright fruits and a long finish. Was really surprised how light this was when first poured. Packed some punch. Got better with time. This is a happy wine. Enjoyed with Ling Ling Potstickers.
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3/3/2009 - cgseldin wrote: 90 Points
Fine, a little hot. Doesn't live up to all the fuss. Or the price, for that matter.
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3/2/2009 - markjahnke wrote: 91 Points
Snowy holiday home from work pinot. This was popped and decanted through the Vinturi into a decanter, and while pouring, it had that very seductive, very familiar, Kosta Browne nose. There is something about the nose on these wines that is so identifiable as Kosta Browne, and that is a beautiful thing! The cherry was overwhelming, and such a joy on the nose, with hints of raspberry, cinnamon, spice, and Zelda and Raph picked up hints of cardamom, which I could not pick out with my nose, but my nose is not nearly as sharp as hers. On the palate, more black cherry, candied cherry, hints of cola, creamy vanilla, and a bit of spice. This wine still seems to be very young, although it does have a nice creaminess to it. Regardless, there was a bit of heat on the finish, but this was much less noticable while the wine was still at cellar temp, but became more prevelant as the wine came to room temperature. Maybe this will will settle out with another year or so in the bottle, but I think this is just the way the '06's came out. Regardeless, another gorgeous offering from Kosta Browne, and one of the reasons we love pinot noir. Will revisit this wine after another year or so. 91 points. Cheers!
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2/28/2009 - matthen wrote: 90 Points
Nose of smoke, berry and sage. Flavors of cola, cherry, raspberry, anise and herb. The spice adds another dimension, but the flavor profile is still a little too candied at this point. RRV fruit profile is very pure and nice. Time will tell what this develops to.
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2/25/2009 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 90 Points
Medium ruby, a bit light in color. Cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and spice on the nose. Very tight and a bit lean at first. Definitely needed time to open up. A bit warm on the finish. Classy fruit and an elegant wine with good flavor and structure.
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2/21/2009 - mclgreenville wrote: 92 Points
Decant for at least an hr. All of the heat blows off. Wonderful wine once that happens. Concentrated. Yum.
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2/16/2009 - DFC wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured, and then consumed over 5 hours. Medium to full-bodied wine that is medium ruby in color. On the nose, cherries and x-mas spice. On the palate, cherry cola, red berries, citrus, and clove on the long 30-second finish. Excellent fruit and decent balance, but the palate is a little too candied right now. I’d give this some more time to see if it calms down in another year or two.
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2/15/2009 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Dark (Burgundy?) in color, a bit like red velvet. The nose was red fruited with baking spices of clove, cinnamon, and vanilla. There was also a subtle hint of wood. The wine was vibrant at opening. It was buzzing but settled down as time passed. The palate was medium bodied but full of sour cherries, strawberries, and cranberries. The length was good with a lovely mineral and sour cherry finish..
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2/15/2009 - shadow wrote: 90 Points
Good solid pinot, over priced, probably pass on the current mailer
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2/14/2009 - emf wrote:
Definateky needed the decant. Will wait @ least 6 mos. to try again.A big pinot that was garnet co;ored with a med. body, Had aromas of smoke a dn cola that progressed to berries. Very smooth mouthfeel withcola and red berriews. Anxious to try again.
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2/14/2009 - psirah wrote: 91 Points
Popped and pour in large group wine tasting. The initial nose was dominated by barnyard/gym socks, but this settled down after 30 minutes o reveal nice bright strawberry and raspberry fruit. Initaily the strawberry and raspberry fruit was all I noticed on the palate, but again after some time, the the midpalate came together with and the finish was long and smooth. The wine definitely improved quickly, and I think another year in bottle will help.
50+4+14+17+6
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2/12/2009 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
A bit disjointed and hot when first opened, but with a bit of air opened up beautifully with similar notes to the previous bottle.
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2/11/2009 - ruddy wrote: 91 Points
A very solid wine, loaded to the gills with flavor. Spicy, creamy, medium finish, great cola notes. Dig it.
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2/10/2009 - SUN-J wrote: 87 Points
Not my style any more . . . either KB or I have changed since the '03 vintage which was the last time I loved this wine. Fairly sweet nose of cherries and vanilla. Palate is lush but borders on syrupy. Not much acidity to balance all that syrup. Pretty disappointing.
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2/9/2009 - blaine wrote: 90 Points
Very good, typical KB profile. Will wait another year before touch my others.
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2/7/2009 - DesMarteau wrote: 92 Points
flavors are melding together nicely...still a little syrupy and hot. will be better this summer
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2/7/2009 - Lou wrote: 90 Points
I needed to leave this open for about an hour before the full flavor blossomed. When it did it was a bowl of cherries with beautiful structure and long finnish. It went great with by Chicken Stew.
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2/7/2009 - ajaffee wrote: 89 Points
06 was a challange for RRV pinots. I can't wait to try the 07, for which the early reports are that it's an excellent vintage, which KB nailed.
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2/6/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Very satisfying Pinot.
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2/2/2009 - caboychuck wrote:
Cherry, black cherry and a little cola on the nose. Great mouthfeel, black cherry with bright mid palate lift. Nice long, mouth watering finish. A little heat on the finish, but I thought it was still delicious.
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2/2/2009 - *Vine* wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Medium plus ruby purple hue. Straightforward nose of assorted red fruits, touch of spice, and vanilla bean. Medium body, a little bit lighter on the palate since last tasted, with flavors of ripe cherry, raspberry, red currant, and fresh herbs. Soft tannins. Certainly much better integrated with regards to the oak and showing more elegance overall when compared to the last tasted in September.
I would opt for drinking this and the Sonoma Coast bottling over the short to mid-term, no reason to cellar when they could potentially start to lose the freshness of fruit that makes them so enjoyable.
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2/1/2009 - hkfoebee wrote:
a bit hot compared to the others in flight but nothing unusual for a KB. Came in 5 of 6. Hopefully will show better with some more cellar time.
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2/1/2009 - budman wrote: 89 Points
This bottle just didn't do it for me. My first disappointing KB in a LONG time.
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2/1/2009 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Up a notch from 8 months ago. Wine is integrating nicely, and promises a long and interesting life ahead. Classic RRV profile, with cola, forest floor, and cherry notes. Loved it.
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1/24/2009 - joraesque wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 1-3 hours. Hot (14.9% alcohol; the hotness faded over time, but not the headiness caused by the alcohol) and not very complex. Quite a disappointment compared to previous vintages. Granted, '06 was a poor vintage in California, and the KB wines are in high demand; however, at $48 a bottle, this PN just won't cut it. Will wait at least another year before trying the other bottle. 88+ points; right now it's definitely not "outstanding", a category that starts at 90 points on the CT scale.
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1/24/2009 - g-man wrote: 89 Points
I agree with the tart cherry notes. This is much more approachable than the 05's at this point. Not to complain but this is probably the least impressive bottle of KB I've had. Maybe i'll give this another year just to see if it comes together.
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1/19/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 91 Points
Tart cherry flavor along with some asian spice and mineral. A bit hot. Nice wine. Opened with a bottle of the 2006 KB Keefer ranch. In comparison this seemed a little less rich and a little more disjointed.
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1/17/2009 - BonnieM wrote:
Opened for Yeargans and Lavys. Total yumminess. Big fruit but restrained, touch of heat which did not detract. Bottle was emptied in short order.
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1/14/2009 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Moderately hot on the nose and finish. Medium color. Typical big style of KB. Cherry vanilla coke with spice. Still needs time in the bottle.
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1/2/2009 - pkbackman wrote: 90 Points
This was loaded with big, bright fruit. Cherries all over the palate, with a touch of vanilla. There was also no question this was a Pinot. Really enjoyed it.
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1/2/2009 - jhannah27 wrote:
New Year's Weekend @ Rob & Lisa's; 1/1/2009-1/4/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): Similar to previous note. This wine has definitely settled some since the previous time I had it. Still the same spice box cinnamon and deep fruit flavors, but all of it has softened and balanced out. This is a very specific style of pinot and I can see how it might be polarizing. I enjoy it quite a lot, but I feel like I have to be in the mood for it.
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1/2/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote:
It's been about 6 months since I opened one of these and the wine shows the same characteristics as I noted in previous notes. However, that extra little bit of rest time seems to have helped things come together a bit as this showed slightly better integration of flavors. We'll see what another 6 or so months will do before opening another.
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1/1/2009 - B Paul wrote: 91 Points
Notes same as prior; a 90 the first night and a 91 when finished the next night.
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12/31/2008 - sbwino wrote: 90 Points
Extremely fruity, with ripe raspberry, vanilla, and some spice. A little too much of a "Kool Aid Fruit Punch" for me.
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12/29/2008 - yovinny wrote: 91 Points
Forest floor, flower petals, minerals, and subtle cherry nose. Good acidity, cherry, tart fruit skins, and some heat on the finish. Pared well with mustard crusted lamb.
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12/27/2008 - Vinsant wrote: 92 Points
What a delicious wine! Nice raspberry, strawberry, cola, bubble-gum, green apple, and a lil alcohol on the nose. Nice acidity that held up to portobello lasagna in white sauce. Most of the nose came thru on the palate along with some rhubarb and vanilla. A lil heat on the back end with hopefully resolve itself with some time but damn this was fun to drink.
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12/25/2008 - oski wrote: 93 Points
A beautiful expression of pinot, bright and focused. Good depth and style
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12/22/2008 - Caeldavis wrote:
This area gives the wine a spicy red fruit core with a rich, supple character. The aromas are intense raspberry, sweet plum and strawberry. On the palate the 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir initially delivers deep flavors of cola, dark cherry and sweet spices. Traces of vanilla bean crème brûlée pleasantly greet the midpalate. Touches of wet stone and sassafras add to the enjoyable texture and exhilarating finish.
100%Pinot Noir 14.7 %
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12/21/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 90 Points
Came in 3rd behind Hansel and Littorai, ahead of Flowers
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12/21/2008 - cadamson wrote: 89 Points
Pretty decent stuff. Medium ruby in color, decent nose of mixed dark fruit, a bit of spice on the finish with strawberry and pomegranate dominating the palate. Better as it sits open.
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12/17/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
14.9% alcohol. Opened three hours before serving. Dark red color. Initially, substantial heat on the otherwise pretty nose of black cherry and baking spice. Tossed it in the fridge to cool it off for a few minutes. That helped things appreciably. The heat reduced on the nose. In the mouth, lush and ripe and quite velvety. Plenty of ripe black cherry fruit, with a hint of blackberry, baking spice, and good acidity. Seems a bit closed down right now. The finish is rough -- lots of oak but also serious heat that leaves some bitterness. B+
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12/16/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Orange rind with dark spice on the nose. On the palate: a little heat, floral notes with a orange citrus finish. Good. Drinking well now, would improve with some decanting.
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12/14/2008 - grapemaven wrote: 89 Points
Angular , but somewhat promising over the next few years.
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12/7/2008 - jeffal66 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful juice. No notes, but we thoroughly enjoyed at Cochon in Philly. Strong midpalate and finish, plenty of finesse. A little hot but I decanted the night before for a couple hours. Can't wait to try my other bottle in another year or so.
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11/27/2008 - jdoakpark wrote: 88 Points
ok....overpriced juice in my book.
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11/27/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Coming around after seeming very angular last February. Ripe, touch of alcohol, quaffed with Thanksgiving dinner and it did not dissapoint.
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11/25/2008 - scott davis wrote: 92 Points
Bright red while straining into the decanter; medium red and clear in the glass. A perfume of floral and raspberry/cherry fruit scents are met on the palate by bright cherry pie, strawberries, and violets which have a primary, laser like focus. Light oak and herbal notes are woven throughout. Medium to full weighted, though not chewy or fat, with a concentrated feel and a staying finish. Nicely crafted and very compelling now, but lots of time remains on these '06's.
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11/11/2008 - fisk15 wrote: 88 Points
Unbalanced and hot on the nose and in my throat, more unbalanced on 2nd day. Hoping for better performance in the future, but I'm not hopeful given the balance today.
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11/9/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
November 2008 Napa Trip; 11/7/2008-11/10/2008 (Napa): With dinner at Bouchon, delicious
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11/9/2008 - wine4ever wrote: 89 Points
Very good, just not outstanding. Ruby colored. Medium bodied. Lovely nose. Tastes of cola, strawberries, and spice. Will revisit in a year.
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11/9/2008 - B Paul wrote: 90 Points
At this point the RRV is drinking better than the Sonoma Coast.
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11/5/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 91 Points
Balance is superb
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11/2/2008 - jnanz wrote: 92 Points
See previous note. Floral component was more noticible, while cola notes were more muted. Enjoyed very much.
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10/27/2008 - jimmythesaint wrote: 90 Points
Highly concentrated out of the bottle. A little heat after a couple hours in the decanter but eventually blew off. Nice cherry cola and spice. Okay finish.
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10/26/2008 - NotNYC wrote: 91 Points
Yep - though it may be a bit young, its great to drink this. Deep full flavors that expand into a bewitching finish. Detract for being just a teeny bit hot. Alone or with food, outstanding.
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10/20/2008 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Intriguing nose with rich red cherry and dark berry flavors with hint of earthy and spice notes. Wonderful mouth feel and long finish.
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10/12/2008 - clayfu wrote: 90 Points
decanted for 2 hours, loads of floral notes with strawberry. The wine is soft yet at the same time has that undercurrant of alcohol which is unappetizing. The finish is pretty short around 10-15 seconds but it's tasty, really bright vibrant ripe red berry flavors. Needs time and a half. 4 hours into it suddenly cocoa burst through to mix with creamy vanilla and strawberry, that was pretty interesting
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10/12/2008 - shapida wrote:
Decanted one hour and served at cellar temperature. Killer nose of red fruits and flowers. On the palate loads of raspberries an, cherries, also cola and spice. Delicious. Only downside was some noticeable heat and a relatively short finish, but this wine is drinking quite nicely in its youth.
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10/11/2008 - riccodog13 wrote: 88 Points
Big, full bodied pinot with Syrah like extract and not so subtle new oak. Super fruity- wild strawberry, raspberry and cherry with a vanilla tinged oak over lay. Very new world in style and may be too much for some. Drink now-2012. 88 pts.
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10/7/2008 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Color was ruby purple to the rim. The nose was floral with strawberries and cherries. The wine seems to have softened a bit since the last bottle. The body was medium, with sweet tannins, good red berry fruit, relatively low acidity, and a nice mineral length.
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10/3/2008 - wineack wrote: 90 Points
I have to be in the right mood to enjoy KB Pinot and tonight was the right night. I decanted while I was cooking dinner and by the time it was served the wine was showing well. The favors are the usual cola, vanilla and spice-maybe cinnamon. Full and rich on the palate with just a touch of heat showing when the wine had warmed near 65 degrees. I am starting to think that 2006 is a very good vintage for KB, at least for my taste, it is not so over the top as 2005 and especially 2004. I don't have any experience with earlier vintages.
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9/30/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
14.9% alcohol. This is superior to the 2005 at all points in its evolution thus far. Opened four hours before drinking but not decanted. Initially reticent bouquet of black cherry, smoke, minerals, and a dark spiciness. Full, round, and plush in the mouth, but with excellent liveliness that keep the wine agile. Perhaps not as deeply fruited as the 2004, but overall a more appealing wine because of the liveliness of the acidity. Long finish with plenty of oak influence. No heat showing at all. Excellent effort. A-
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9/22/2008 - rsepulve wrote: 88 Points
Pop and pour. Too hot. Cherry, earth and spice but too much heat on the nose and palate. Refrigerated an hour -- much better. Tamed the heat and it became a pleasant and enjoyable drink.
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9/21/2008 - ecnemergut wrote: 88 Points
Good, although I really expect it to improve. Nice cherry on the nose. Very full on the palate with more cherry, cola and spice at the end. A bit of heat on the finish. Good now, better for sure later. I don't expect this to be as good as the 2004 (or even the 2005), but I expect it to improve.
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9/18/2008 - yotaiwan wrote: 88 Points
too sweet and not much character at this point. prabably way too young.
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9/14/2008 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Great stuff. It's a shame that the cost is skyrocketing. :(
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9/9/2008 - popquizkid wrote: 92 Points
If served at the right temperature this is more balanced than previous bottlings. Awesome nose of dark cherries and cola. This is full bodied-but not over the top. Really nice. What sets it apart from previous vintages is better balance and nice mouthfeel. This should be in its sweet spot with 2-3 more years of bottle age, but it is drinking well now.
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9/9/2008 - itsallgone wrote: 91 Points
Exquisite color, medium-bodied wine. The nose is lovely with raspberries. Dark fruit taste, and balanced. A classic Pinot.
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9/7/2008 - *Vine* wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Medium plus intensity in glass. Sour cherries, raspberry, kola nut, and spice jump out of the glass. Fairly concentrated, especially for a Pinot, with an array of jammy red fruits greeting the tongue, plus vanilla & cinnamon infused oak. I also noticed cassis and herbs as this wine opened. Big and structured. Touch of heat on the finish does detract. However, this one should definitely improve with another 8-14 months bottle age.
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8/27/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 90 Points
Disappointing right out of the bottle -- monolithic and a little sharp, with sour cherry flavor. By the time we finished the bottle an hour later the wine was really starting to show some depth and complexity though. Definitely benefits from time in the air.
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8/26/2008 - jerhardt wrote: 90 Points
A pleasant surprise. Light to medium bodied, well balanced CA pinot. I enjoyed drinking this and a good QPR at the right price point...mailing list price is borderline.
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8/24/2008 - Meerlust wrote:
Medium, red color. Very interesting contrast in aromas and flavors when served at different temperatures.
At 70 degrees (too warm), the aromas are muted with red raspberry, cherry, and spice. The palate seems less expressive than usual with raspberry, cherry, and cinnamon. Texturally, this did not display the wonderful mouthfeel and depth of fruit I have come to expect of these wines, and at times, the alcohol was more apparent.
At 58 degrees (perfect), everything becomes amplified. More explosive nose of red raspberry, cherry, musk, cola, and spice. In the mouth, there is much more depth with raspberry, cherry, cola, tart red apple skin, and cinnamon. The finish was fruit-driven with moderate length.
Overall, this was an educational experiment in serving temperatures. The too warm temperature was an 85 point wine while the proper temperature wine was easily a 90 point wine.
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8/23/2008 - keelegl wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Open nose with cherry coke, plums, spice and oak. Palate was thick and rich for pinot (syrah?). Dried cherries, strawberries, cola, toasted oak and welcome earthy note. More balanced than previous vintages with no loss in fruit power. KB is not exactly my style, but I enjoyed this bottle for what it is. Drink or hold for the short term.
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8/23/2008 - Todd French wrote: 93 Points
This is, at the current stage, remarkably better than the Sonoma Coast bottling - no contest. I don't have a lot of experience with KB pinots, but this seems more elegant than what I recall, although I wouldn't say it is an 'elegant pinot', per se. On the nose, easily recognizable RRV spiciness, which I love, combined with some sweet toasted oak, lovely toasty vanilla, lilacs, and dark cherries, and some honey, which is an interesting component to the nose. The body is light, but not thin, and more cola, sweet toasted oak, apple peel, dark pitted fruits, and a slight bitter edge. I'm sure this will be very enjoyable in a few years, and even tomorrow after time in the refrigerator. Very nice.
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8/22/2008 - Mrbuzz wrote: 94 Points
Better on day 2. Very tasty...one of the best RRV yet!
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8/21/2008 - tim_c wrote: 92 Points
I love the nose on this sucker. Drags you in and helps you forget about any of the crap going on in the world. To me, this is like a warm home baked cherry pie with some nutmeg, spices and a touch of cola. Soft, seductive texture makes this a hedonists dream. Definately a wine that if you are in the mood for a little escape and hedonism, this is it.
This might just be my favorite of the applelation wines from the last three vintages (reserving judgement on the 2005's though).
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8/19/2008 - Seanr7 wrote: 90 Points
Opened and poured into a Riedel Burg glass. Color is lighter then past vintages of KB RRV Pinots, medium ruby red with clear clarity. Nose shows some heat and cherry and strawberry. In the mouth this wine shows promise but is a bit clunky right now a bit hot with dark fruit, Cola and spice with a light to medium mouth feel and a 25 second finish. I recorked the bottle after having a glass and a half and will drink the rest tomorrow.
Didn't make it back to this wine till day three. Much more integrated then the first night, less heat longer finnish. All in all a nice wine but a lousy QPR.
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8/17/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened and decanted between 1 and 2 hours. Some heat and mustiness on the nose. Nice body weight with caramel and dark fruit notes with a dry citrus finish. Good.
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8/14/2008 - tyvoodoo wrote: 90 Points
Just a great fun wine. Nice ruby pure color. Good nose with cherries, strawberries and a touch of cola. Very typical for a CA pinot but nice and not too over the top. Good palate with nice spiciness, fruit and a touch of complexity. An underlying nutty, cheesy earthy component. Good wine and good to drink now.
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8/11/2008 - pakabear wrote: 91 Points
Great cherry and spicy characteristics, this is a bit simple with a bit of heat still, but many is it tasty right now! Complexity is lacking so I can't rate it really high, but it's the type of wine that doesn't last long since it's just darn enjoyable.
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8/10/2008 - ruddy wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted about 3 hours ahead. Burlier than the W-S we drank it with. Bold cedar/cola/cherry on the nose. Maybe I imagined it, but I thought there was just a hint of VA (nail polish remover) at the onset, but it was gone later. Rich and creamy in the mouth. Maybe a bit hot, but very good overall.
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8/8/2008 - Jack wrote: 90 Points
Lean and hot to begin with (86) but did improve over a couple of hours. I don't think this has the fruit to be great but should improve some with age.
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8/7/2008 - winegr wrote: 92 Points
Needed a bit of air, but great balance. Smoothed out with air.
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8/2/2008 - leadpencil wrote: 92 Points
Too young. Dark ruby, medium bodied. Tasted like acai health drink mixed with a dash of coke, with a little nutmeg sprinkled on top. Doesn't sound too good, but it was very interesting, and will be good. Not overripe, but rough around the edges. Will get better and integrate.
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8/2/2008 - mulder wrote: 93 Points
On the nose was strawberries sauteed in brown sugar and butte. The palate at the top had some strawberry finishing with some spice and cola qualities. I really enjoyed this.
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8/1/2008 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
A dense essence of pinot noir, with a cherry and forest floor profile on the nose, adding dried cranberry and brown spices on the palate. A light, elegant, but fairly long finish keeps it interesting. 91-92.
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7/30/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote:
No need for more notes on this one. The previous notes say it all. Same score as well. Only 1 bottle left. Time to conserve. (Good luck with that)
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7/28/2008 - cookie7 wrote: 92 Points
Opened and dumped into a decanter for 45 minutes. This was more approachable than I expected. Nose of cherry. Big red fruit, but not over the top. Very enjoyable.
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7/18/2008 - dionysis wrote: 91 Points
This needs time to open, as we learned when we tried the last sip and it was finally coming into form (after about an hour). I base the rating on that last sip, which had a great dark, rich cherry and spice scent on the nose with a smooth mouthfeel and finish.
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7/5/2008 - jcurl wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding, not extraordinary. I like the 2005 better. Having said that this was yummy stuff. To me this was a study in how wine changes. Upon opening, the nose was wonderfully full of forest, dark fruits and cherry. Initially on the pallet, it was almost overwhelmingly fruity, cola, cherry, current, fig. After, decanting for an hour, it really calmed down. The fruits became more subdued and integrated, you could get much more ability out of the wine. The nose became softer and the finish lengthened. So I guess if you like a modern style, fruit forward, drink immediately after opening, if you like a more classic, refined wine, decant it for an hour or two. It's going to be hard to not open another bottle for a year.
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6/27/2008 - kris.h wrote: 88 Points
Medium red with fairly even concentration of color. The nose has a darker feel to it with scents of brown sugar, raspberries, and spices. Medium weight on the palate with sweet ripe fruit some acidity that doesn't seem well integrated. As the wine warms up, some alcohol becomes aparent on the palate and finish. Serve this on the cool side, maybe 60 degrees F. Soft lush tannins. Pretty good now but it will hopefully be better integrated in a year or two. 50 + 4 + 12 + 15 + 7
After 24 hours in the decanter, this is a bit better. Less heat, more structure showing, acidity is better integrated. A bit more complex with well defined fruit on the palate. If drinking now, decant for 3+ hours but probably best to wait a year or two.
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6/20/2008 - jnanz wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Bright fruit forward nose of berries and flowers. On the palate, the wine offers nice fruit (almost sweet), some floral notes along with notes of what I can only describe as cherry coke and root beer. A touch of vanilla on the finish. This wine was excellent at cellar temp, although the alcohol showed a bit when our final glass had warmed.
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6/18/2008 - mebydef wrote: 94 Points
This is big and concentrated. There is a complex nose of cherries, strawberries, flowers and minerals. The wood and fruit are nicely integrated, and the palate is full and lingering with good berry focus. Not as delicate and nuanced as the SC, but still a well made wine.
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6/15/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
We couldn't really not drink a bottle of this wine tonight. After all, we had 4 bottles of KB travel across the country last week in the back of a Fedex truck and we just had to make sure it didn't get heat damaged right?? This is really great wine and I am now officially a Kosta Browne "fanboi". (look it up here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanboi). This wine is has wonderful color, wonderful concentration and amazing depth. It's simple and easy to enjoy yet complex and interesting enough to make you sit up and take notice. See my previous note for a detailed description of the profile, and then run out and find some for yourself.
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6/14/2008 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
My first Kosta Brown. Served with grilled New York strip and Bouchon mac and cheese. Decanted about two hours before serving. Showed well from the moment it was poured. Great nose featuring red fruit, mineral, spice and cigar ash. The spice nose was particularly enticing. In the mouth this had a nice medium weight featuring mainly concentrated black fruit at the moment. Very tannic. Great finish. Much, much more elegant than I was expecting. I will give my remaining bottles 3-5 years but I suspect this will last, if not improve, for many years longer.
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6/13/2008 - last chance wrote: 91 Points
Nose of strawberries and cherries. Some earthy flavors on the palate, but mostly red fruit coming forward. Tasted this next to an 03 Kosta Browne 4-Barrel which was more complex. Maybe this is just too young and not together yet, but I think I liked the 05 vintage of the KB RRV a little better. This is still an excellent wine though!
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6/13/2008 - sumshark wrote: 92 Points
At this point in time give this wine about 2 hrs in the decanter to open up. Great nose, nice complexity on the palate, balance and a moderate finish. The palate on this wine suggests a slight blend of Syrah in the wine.
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6/7/2008 - jflanagan wrote:
Very closed on the pop and pour. Not giving much up on the bouquet or palate. This wine did open up over the 3 hours in the glass/decanter and had a great nose that was more complex than the Kutch. However, the palate was richer and denser than the Kutch with less overt expression. The wine was great, but I agree with others that say it needs some time to come around and give its best. The key difference for me between the two wines was the palate; the Kutch was light and sexy while the KB was rich and muscular.
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6/6/2008 - rsepulve wrote: 89 Points
Fresh strawberries, raspberries, and cherry with a touch of spice. Silky mouthfeel, good acidity. A bit monolithic but perhaps a year or two will give it some complexity.
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6/3/2008 - JOJ wrote: 92 Points
This wine is going to be GREAT, but do not drink it yet! Right now, the pieces are there, but they are not integrated. After 2 hours in the decanter, an initially-reticent nose revealed soft red fruit, pine needles, and cedar. Palate showed classic RRV notes, with earthy red fruit and a touch of cola. Everything is in place, but there is not the harmonious blend we've come to expect from this producer. Score based on this tasting. I expect it to go higher over time.
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5/31/2008 - mgl wrote: 92 Points
Consumed on cruise on Silver Sea - Silver Wind - great
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5/29/2008 - joshwoodward wrote: 96 Points
Acidic edge. Huge! Tannic. Medium body. Mint chocolate. Rich, juicy. Salmon color. $70
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5/28/2008 - TexAg07 wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable ripe, red fruit notes on the nose as well as palate. Had a faint background of spice that after a few years should be more apparent. This bottle was far from being at its peak drinking period yet was still very enjoyable.
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5/24/2008 - jhannah27 wrote: 95 Points
Maybe I have had my head in the sand for the past few years, but I hadn't even heard of this producer until a few days ago. I was told that people are, to steal a friend's term, going "cocobananas" for this wine and it is near impossible to get a hold of without paying a serious premium. Typically, you hear something like that, and while the wine maybe good, it hardly ever measures up to the hype. Not the case here. Medium to full bodied, dark cherries, blackberries, smoke, cinnamon, brown sugar, mint, forest floor, I could go on and on about the depth and complexity of the flavors. The amazing thing about this wine is that considering how good this is now, it is still a baby, and will definitely improve with a few years of bottle age. I wanted to turn the bottle upside down and suck the last drops out of it. To put it mildly, this wine is absolutely fantastic! Having been "into" wine for several years now, not many wines surprise me any more, at least not in a good way. This wine was shockingly good, and blew me away from start to finish. Wines like this are the reason why I love wine itself, every now and again something comes along that makes me fall in love with wine all over again. I am definitely going to search this stuff out, as it is worth the price tag and as well as the hype.
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5/24/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
Around about the time the 04 KBs were out and given their high 90s rating by Wine Spectator a couple of years ago, we attended Pinot Days in SF. Kosta Browne had a table there and were promptly mobbed by the crowd and ran out of wine within the first hour or so. No taste for us... Their wine became harder and harder to come by, virtually non existent on retail shelves and hugely marked up wherever you could find it. I did recently manage to acquire a few bottles of the 2006 RRV and the Sonoma Coast bottlings and now that I have had this wine, I finally see what all of the hype is about. This stuff is really fantastic. Classic RRV profile with nice ripe fruits, with some clove, pine forest underbrush, and a little cinnamon on the nose as well. The flavors are wonderfully complex and there's a little extra something in there that was hard to identify but really made this wine stand out from others we have had. Perhaps it is some secret ingredient labeled as "yummy goodness" in the KB winemaker's cookbook?
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5/22/2008 - Tejano wrote:
Very nice deep ruby color and where do we start...as this had a wandering nose that was strong on sharp ripe raspberry and dark cherry...and on opening for me a slight bit of heat on the edge...which faded over the evening leaving some subtle spice notes in the background. As you would imagine...firm, firm, firm fruit grip that did envelope the tounge with strong textures that are far from being resolved....good substance here, and a finish for me that had an interesting twang...not necessarily in a bad way, but it did stand out. Time on the clock...and it should be interesting to watch this evolve...making it worthy of opening now to check it out down the road.
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5/10/2008 - monkeylug wrote: 91 Points
This will get better with age. A very young wine but the fruit is there, and with age and good decanting, this will really open up in a few years. Score should go up as well.
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4/28/2008 - Moorese wrote: 91 Points
A tasty early look at this wine! Loads of sweet cherry, cola nut, some cinnamon, and just enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. Round, full, and sweeter in profile than the Kutch that is was paired with. A nice wine if you enjoy the style. Now, I'll leave the remainder alone for a bit.
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4/21/2008 - whynblog wrote: 93 Points
The nose was cherry, raspberry and spice box. The flavors were bold and forward with ripe raspberry, cherry and vanilla leading the way. A touch of cola on the finish which is long andenjoyable. A very strong effort. Needs a little more time but is drinking well now.
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4/20/2008 - mreinitz wrote:
Consistent with previous notes.
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4/20/2008 - Big_Al wrote: 92 Points
Even at this young age, a superb pinot!! Loads of fruit, spice and depth - outstanting effort!
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4/18/2008 - flight wrote: 93 Points
The spirt of a outstanding cab, with the finesse of a Pinot
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4/17/2008 - agbailey wrote: 90 Points
Agree with some of the posts below. Early on the wine didn't reveal much. Some defined Pinot notes on the nose, but seeminly light. Flavors at first (and I stress "at first") were not as rich and structures as I expected and what I remember of the 05.
Then with some time, this wine really began to open up. Flavors gained richness and depth. Definite red fruits and nice structure. Definitely more balanced than 05, though without as much power of fruit flavors. All in all a very good wine but one I would recommend waiting to drink until at least late this year, and perhaps longer.
I will taste more tonight to see if there is further evolution.
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4/13/2008 - dky wrote: 92 Points
wasn't able to decant so this wasn't able to show as well as it would/should have. nose of cherry, raspberry, spice, and earthiness. palate was dominated by fruit (cherry/raspberry), vanilla and spice. nice acidity, alchohol was a little strong which hopefully will fade with time.
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4/13/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Opened @ Cesare's. Forward nose. Good balance on palate, straddling old and new worlds in some ways. Some tannins on the finish. Not as immediately approachable or seductive as I remembered of the '06 Rivers Marie opened a month or two ago.
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4/12/2008 - GreenDrazi wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1+hr’s. Tight, yet lightly pungent nose of rhubarb and vanilla with light earth and clove notes that follow through on the palate along with cinnamon spice and some black berry. Soft attack with some fullness on the mid-palate and a strong finish, but showing a touch of heat. Showing more than the ’05 was at this stage, but this could use some more time to open up.
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4/5/2008 - kennyg wrote: 91 Points
Light red, mild bouquet, cherry vanilla, light bodied, opened up well over an hour, a crowd pleaser with smooth slilghtly acidic finish. Well balanced even at this time
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4/4/2008 - mike_d wrote: 91 Points
Delicious; didn't need to breathe. Quintessial RRV Pinot; well balanced. --rea
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4/4/2008 - mike_d wrote: 93 Points
Light color on pour; ready to drink right out of the bottle; wine is excellent; berry flavors on the nose and in the mouth. --MD
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3/31/2008 - WineForRob wrote:
Not a pinoy guy so wont rate it but this was very good. Strong finish but did not have that pinot funk I am not fond of. Wife said would make a great frozen popcicle
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3/29/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 91 Points
I agree with other reviewers that there is too much alcohol. That said, the wine really is delicious. Decanted three hours. Vibrant cherry with brambly spice and some brown sugar. All four of us really liked it.
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3/28/2008 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Really wasn't doing much on the first night. Closed nose with some cherry and raspberry. Smooth palate, lighter bodied than expected, with the high alcohol adding heat but distracting and really detracts from the wine's subtlety.
On the second night the nose really opened up, very full with fruit notes. Palate seemed to add weight with warm meaty characteristics. Very long finish saves this some. Won't try the other bottles for a couple of years.
Tasting at the Kosta Brown table consistent with my bottle.
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3/26/2008 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
Bigger and bolder, but not better, than the '06 Sonoma Coast. At the outset, it's intensely spicy on the nose, but there's a bit too much heady alcohol already. I love the notes of herbal tea, brown sugar, pomegranate, and olive that develop over the course of the evening. And I give it lots of points for complexity. Still, the heat is something of a problem; it comes across almost like vodka or shoe polish at one point. Don't get me wrong; this is a very good wine, especially because there's some juicy acidity to go along with the ripeness. I do think it's a bit off balance, though. (Tasted twice, on 3/26/08 and 1/31/09, with consistent notes. I notice more cola and spice this time than last. It's a little better integrated now, too, but the first glass even on this go-round seemed a bit tinny and needed lots of air to level out.)
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3/23/2008 - cseanb1 wrote: 90 Points
Opened and decanted for 1 hour prior to consumption. If not for the expectation and price of Kosta Brown, a fine example of Russian River pinot made in an sleek elegant style with sweet ripe fruit and a lengthy finish. I would have enjoyed this bottle much more if it were aptly priced at 1/3 of the retail as I have found Pinots in that range which if blind tasted alongside this wine would outshine this vintage's bottling.
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3/22/2008 - mmurry wrote: 91 Points
The nose had a beautiful mixture of forest floor, cherry, strawberry, and spice. The palate was smooth and had cherry, earth, and a good spice finish.
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3/19/2008 - Rob A wrote: 90 Points
More prominent alcohol than expected, but opened up beautifully over the course of 3 hours. Question as to whether the heat will integrate over time or will continue to dominate.
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3/15/2008 - PontetCanet wrote: 88 Points
Not a big pinot fan but figured I would pop one just to see. Solid wine. Nice mouthfeel, with very soft tannins, and peppery, cinamon explosion on the initial attack.
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2/9/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com; 2/8/2008-2/10/2008 (Various Sonoma County Locations): Served as part of the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com. Soft and approachable with lots of spice and citrus fruit notes. Very Good.
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2/9/2008 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Dinner for VinoCellar.com - (Sonoma area, California). Again a bit lighter ruby than previous vintages. More spicy than overtly fruity. Dark cherry fruit. Nice and should be a good buy.
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