Deep red. Soil driven, black raspberry, chocolate and brown spices. Dense across the palate with ripe sweet red fruit and spun sugar in tension with mouth coating tannins. The wine has faded a bit from my first tasting 3 years ago. I think that this is probably one that showed a bit better young but my memory may be fooling me bit. The first time I had this wine was late night on vacation when it was pouring rain out side. I was not expecting much and was happily surprised by the quality of the wine. I do not remember the current lovely brown spices and earthy tones of the wine, but there were some much stronger sweet orange notes I loved on the first visit which have dissipated. Clearly a california pinot. In the end this moves me to uncork the wines while they are still young (but I will not be unhappy to come across forgotten bottles in the cellar down the road).
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Very well integrated bouquet. It really has an aroma that it can call its own - if I have to describe components (which I really rather would not), it is a combination of fruit, spice and wood. Completely devoid of the "alcoholic" aroma common to many wines. Some will tease a few earth tones - but that is an exercise in deconstruction. The flavor contrasts the bouquet pleasantly. It is decidedly lighter, with light red and sweet fruit on the palate. After you get a complete appreciation of the flavor, the finish develops politely. Honestly, it will actually wait for you. It contains some spicy tannins with excellent length. The finish is warmer than the mineral coolness of Burgundy, and a bit stronger than the flavor. Last impressions count! The visual on my wine - translucent ruby red, imperceptible halo. Brown was only in the name and the color of the label.
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Garnet with an orange undertone. Great nose of strawberry, cinnamon, and cedar. Medium to full bodied, it still has the texture I noted last time, but today the fruit is much more pronounced than before. Crushed raspberries, cherry cola, tea, well integrated tannins, good acid, spices, a touch of milk chocolate, and a medium to long finish. Enjoyable and tasty.
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Good red berry fruit. Strawberry and cranberry. Medium Bodied. Not overly extracted and definitely not sappy. Good finesse. Complex nose that improves with time in the glass.
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Slightly brown around a translucent garnet core. Strawberry, mulled spices, and hints of cedar on the nose. Medium+ bodied, sun-dried cherries, crushed, dirty raspberries, herbs, smoothed out tannins, good acid, a touch of (Dr.) pepper, and a medium to long finish. Right now this seems more about texture than fruit, so it's more interesting than tasty.
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This wine has continued to evolve in the glass over the last 5 hours. Decant. Save a few bottles for the next few years. Beautiful brick red color that is just beginning to move away from the rim. Normal for pinot, light colored, not opaque. Nose starts off with red cherry. For a while there, I was getting eucalyptus but that has blown away. Now there is a deeper earthier tone. A very well made wine from both the color and the complexity of the nose. Continues to evolve. Lots of cherry taste and some strawberry, on the extended finish, a strong bit of marked acidity and smooth tannins. a nice velvety, average weighted mouth feel. A lingering, mouth puckering finish. Not powerful, more finesse than many Carneros pinots. Much, much better than the '06 STanley ranch, more flavor and a more individual wine. typical of the Carneros pinot for me is the "tropical" cherry. Not many earth tones, no cola, not the rich cherry of RRV, reminds me of Etude with not as much intensity. I have not really been a Saintsbury fan. I enjoy many of other producers in Carneros at their various price points.
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Light ruby red with aromas of strawberries, raspberries and spices. It was balanced, dry, and rich with red fruit flavors and a little spice. The finish was long.
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Much better than my first bottle I opened last summer. This was more interesting and better integrated. Still not as complex as previous brown ranches I've had but redeeming after last bottles disappointment.
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I am amazed by the amountbof strawberry here despite previous reviews! This is a subtle earthy Pinot that can stand up to a hearty salmon or even a pork tenderloin. Has a lovely flowery bouquet and vanilla finish. Enjoyed every drop.
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A terrific California Pinot. Decanted for about 1/2 hour. Brownish red color and on the lighter side. Strawberry and cherry flavors, fruit not overpowering. I nice long finish with everything in balance.
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Reminds me of picking strawberries growing up and sneaking a bunch of those strawberries in my mouth. It has polish and class with some nice red fruit and a silky finish.
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This wine was a bit rubbery upon opening and first taste. But, as it breathed, it developed more strawberry, floral, and spice overtones. It was a really good complement to dinner appetizers,as I knew it would be. The finish was bright and peppery with fruity floral overtones, but never really went to the next level. The last two bottles I had were better. It is still a great wine, since the bad bottles (such as this one) are still acceptable.
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The nose reminds me of eating a fresh strawberry from a strawberry patch filled with spring flowers and bumblebees. The taste is light strawberry jam with some nutmeg and cinnamon. The finish lasts for about 25 seconds and is full of spice and clove with a dash of charred cedarwood. This is a great, light California pinot that doesn't try to wow you with overextraction, but rather impresses you with the lightheartedness of the grape.
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Light to medium in color, with dried fruits on the nose. This wine was perfectly matched with roasted pork loin, exhibiting mellowed tannins, cherries, and clean earth. Very well integrated and approachable.
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huge disappointment. I've had several previous vintages and it has never failed to be a favorite until now. I was worried after the poor reviews. Watery, strawberry, off, per my wife, she wouldn't even drink it. Not just light but no substance what so ever.
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I still think it presents in a feminine floral style that lacks sufficient depth or complexity to really pull it off. I agree with the "watery" description below. Light cherry. Both 2005 and 2007 are superior.
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Decanted 1 hour. Light/medium color. Very good bright cherry taste with some rasberry and a hint of spice and cola. A small dose of acidity at the end. Light finish.
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Purchased as part of a flight at the Press Club Wine Bar in SF. Candy nose. On the palate: watery notes with noticeable alcohol and thin fruit. Mediocre. No winners in the flight.
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A good wine, but I don't get a lot of classic pinot characteristics. Sappy rhubarb and strawberry, cinnamon, with medium body and very few tannins. A wine to go with food, but I was expecting more.
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9/19/2018 - short and confused wrote:
Last tasted in 2013 when, according to my note, I really liked it. This is my last bottle and it tastes pretty well dead and gone. Ah well.
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7/31/2013 - short and confused wrote: 92 Points
Deep red. Soil driven, black raspberry, chocolate and brown spices. Dense across the palate with ripe sweet red fruit and spun sugar in tension with mouth coating tannins. The wine has faded a bit from my first tasting 3 years ago. I think that this is probably one that showed a bit better young but my memory may be fooling me bit. The first time I had this wine was late night on vacation when it was pouring rain out side. I was not expecting much and was happily surprised by the quality of the wine. I do not remember the current lovely brown spices and earthy tones of the wine, but there were some much stronger sweet orange notes I loved on the first visit which have dissipated. Clearly a california pinot. In the end this moves me to uncork the wines while they are still young (but I will not be unhappy to come across forgotten bottles in the cellar down the road).
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3/3/2013 - grizzlymarmot Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very well integrated bouquet. It really has an aroma that it can call its own - if I have to describe components (which I really rather would not), it is a combination of fruit, spice and wood. Completely devoid of the "alcoholic" aroma common to many wines. Some will tease a few earth tones - but that is an exercise in deconstruction. The flavor contrasts the bouquet pleasantly. It is decidedly lighter, with light red and sweet fruit on the palate. After you get a complete appreciation of the flavor, the finish develops politely. Honestly, it will actually wait for you. It contains some spicy tannins with excellent length. The finish is warmer than the mineral coolness of Burgundy, and a bit stronger than the flavor. Last impressions count! The visual on my wine - translucent ruby red, imperceptible halo. Brown was only in the name and the color of the label.
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8/19/2012 - Obalde wrote:
med+ garnet with orange rim; med+ developing/fully developed, mushroom, cherry, vanilla, savory herbs; dry, med+ acid, med tannin, med+ alcohol/body, med+ intensity/finish, green herbs, leaves, cherry, mushroom, mint; good- unripe green overtone ultiamtely masks the mushroom and red fruits
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7/27/2012 - merryberry wrote: 90 Points
Garnet with an orange undertone. Great nose of strawberry, cinnamon, and cedar. Medium to full bodied, it still has the texture I noted last time, but today the fruit is much more pronounced than before. Crushed raspberries, cherry cola, tea, well integrated tannins, good acid, spices, a touch of milk chocolate, and a medium to long finish. Enjoyable and tasty.
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10/8/2011 - reddog214 wrote: 91 Points
Good red berry fruit. Strawberry and cranberry. Medium Bodied. Not overly extracted and definitely not sappy. Good finesse. Complex nose that improves with time in the glass.
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7/8/2011 - merryberry wrote: 88 Points
Slightly brown around a translucent garnet core. Strawberry, mulled spices, and hints of cedar on the nose. Medium+ bodied, sun-dried cherries, crushed, dirty raspberries, herbs, smoothed out tannins, good acid, a touch of (Dr.) pepper, and a medium to long finish. Right now this seems more about texture than fruit, so it's more interesting than tasty.
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1/30/2011 - hosscrow wrote: 88 Points
This wine has continued to evolve in the glass over the last 5 hours. Decant. Save a few bottles for the next few years. Beautiful brick red color that is just beginning to move away from the rim. Normal for pinot, light colored, not opaque. Nose starts off with red cherry. For a while there, I was getting eucalyptus but that has blown away. Now there is a deeper earthier tone. A very well made wine from both the color and the complexity of the nose. Continues to evolve. Lots of cherry taste and some strawberry, on the extended finish, a strong bit of marked acidity and smooth tannins. a nice velvety, average weighted mouth feel. A lingering, mouth puckering finish. Not powerful, more finesse than many Carneros pinots. Much, much better than the '06 STanley ranch, more flavor and a more individual wine. typical of the Carneros pinot for me is the "tropical" cherry. Not many earth tones, no cola, not the rich cherry of RRV, reminds me of Etude with not as much intensity. I have not really been a Saintsbury fan. I enjoy many of other producers in Carneros at their various price points.
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1/3/2011 - CieloVista wrote: 89 Points
Light ruby red with aromas of strawberries, raspberries and spices. It was balanced, dry, and rich with red fruit flavors and a little spice. The finish was long.
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9/16/2010 - spretzer wrote: 89 Points
Much better than my first bottle I opened last summer. This was more interesting and better integrated. Still not as complex as previous brown ranches I've had but redeeming after last bottles disappointment.
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5/7/2010 - mokadamn wrote: 90 Points
I am amazed by the amountbof strawberry here despite previous reviews! This is a subtle earthy Pinot that can stand up to a hearty salmon or even a pork tenderloin. Has a lovely flowery bouquet and vanilla finish. Enjoyed every drop.
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4/11/2010 - jwells wrote: 89 Points
A terrific California Pinot. Decanted for about 1/2 hour. Brownish red color and on the lighter side. Strawberry and cherry flavors, fruit not overpowering. I nice long finish with everything in balance.
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4/5/2010 - CellarThief Ryan wrote: 88 Points
Reminds me of picking strawberries growing up and sneaking a bunch of those strawberries in my mouth. It has polish and class with some nice red fruit and a silky finish.
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3/12/2010 - jonradus wrote: 84 Points
This wine was a bit rubbery upon opening and first taste. But, as it breathed, it developed more strawberry, floral, and spice overtones. It was a really good complement to dinner appetizers,as I knew it would be. The finish was bright and peppery with fruity floral overtones, but never really went to the next level. The last two bottles I had were better. It is still a great wine, since the bad bottles (such as this one) are still acceptable.
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2/7/2010 - jonradus wrote: 89 Points
The nose reminds me of eating a fresh strawberry from a strawberry patch filled with spring flowers and bumblebees. The taste is light strawberry jam with some nutmeg and cinnamon. The finish lasts for about 25 seconds and is full of spice and clove with a dash of charred cedarwood. This is a great, light California pinot that doesn't try to wow you with overextraction, but rather impresses you with the lightheartedness of the grape.
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11/24/2009 - DB Lawton wrote: 88 Points
Light to medium in color, with dried fruits on the nose. This wine was perfectly matched with roasted pork loin, exhibiting mellowed tannins, cherries, and clean earth. Very well integrated and approachable.
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9/28/2009 - MartiniPundit wrote: 93 Points
Semi sweet smooth finish. Nice for sipping.
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7/27/2009 - spretzer wrote: 86 Points
huge disappointment. I've had several previous vintages and it has never failed to be a favorite until now. I was worried after the poor reviews. Watery, strawberry, off, per my wife, she wouldn't even drink it. Not just light but no substance what so ever.
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7/27/2009 - smphelps wrote: 86 Points
I still think it presents in a feminine floral style that lacks sufficient depth or complexity to really pull it off. I agree with the "watery" description below. Light cherry. Both 2005 and 2007 are superior.
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6/9/2009 - afitzhugh wrote: 87 Points
Light.
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6/6/2009 - bigdogflow wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Light/medium color. Very good bright cherry taste with some rasberry and a hint of spice and cola. A small dose of acidity at the end. Light finish.
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4/28/2009 - shank wrote: 86 Points
Fruit a bit dull, but well balanced. Not as rememberable as the last bottle.
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3/22/2009 - smphelps wrote: 87 Points
Feminine and floral in style, a light red with touches of cherry mixed with the flowers. Does not compare favorably with the 2005.
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3/20/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Purchased as part of a flight at the Press Club Wine Bar in SF. Candy nose. On the palate: watery notes with noticeable alcohol and thin fruit. Mediocre. No winners in the flight.
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1/19/2009 - winelovr2001 wrote: 88 Points
A good wine, but I don't get a lot of classic pinot characteristics. Sappy rhubarb and strawberry, cinnamon, with medium body and very few tannins. A wine to go with food, but I was expecting more.
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