Tons of cool peppermint and some dark red fruit on the palate. Just a bit of funk that’s apparent on both the nose and palate (a tad funkier than stewed fruits). Pretty strong tannins, given the lighter body, with a moderately short finish.
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Had a couple weeks ago, so no detailed notes. This is normally my favorite Santa Cruz pinot, maybe at the top of all new world pinot. However, this bottle seemed a bit tired. Still some tart cranberry, cherry, but a little more rust colored than 10 years should do. A bit too much cherry cola too. It's still a worthwhile drink and fun to compare to other vintages. Like 2012 which killed it!
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Beautiful, deep pinot fruit on the nose. The palate buzzes with deep bass tones balanced by bright acidity, the structure framing red ripe fruit, minerality, and an exquisite tannic and sour cherry finish.
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Beautiful wine that should last for few more years. Drank it over three days and it improved each day. Nose of red fruits and earth. On the palates there are red fruit with notes of raspberries, cherries and cranberries. It finishes with notes of flowers and some fine tannins. I wish I had more.
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Generous nose of pinot fruit layered over Thanksgiving spices. Palate is smooth and fruity but with an undercurrent of sour cherries. Finishes long and with a mineral element. Really good stuff, either as a "cocktail" wine or food pairing. Popped and poured and the wine was an elegant companion to a dish of chicken stewed with Persian dried limes and basmati rice.
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Slow-ox'd for 5-6 hours, then served with Turkey dinner. Perfect choice, as it was light enough to compliment the food flavors without overpowering them. Cranberry and strawberry fruits, with nice minerality. Lightweight and gentle, yet full of flavor. Many years of life ahead of it.
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Dark cherry dominates, along with some spice and earth. Much bigger and richer than a prior bottle. It borders on being a bit heavy and is certainly very big for a pinot. Ripe fruit, a plush, velvety texture, a medium to long finish, and some sharp-edged grip at the end.
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Cherry with some strawberry and a touch of earth on the nose. Amazingly light and smooth texture, along with perfect balance. Long, smooth, fruity finish. Very subtle flavors on the palate that match the nose along with a bit of spice and mineral. This is about as delicate and feminine a pinot as I have ever had from California. This is certainly not a fruit-bomb and the flavors are still rather primary, but it is very, very enjoyable. Update - the wine took on a lot more weight and the flavors were more concentrated after about 3 hours.
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Nice earthy nose; Light bodied (for Cali), good mouth feel and 15 sec finish. Only negatives are alcohol and lacks a little concentration. Consume over the next 3 yrs
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Medium intense nose of red fruit with earth and spicy oak flavours. Well balanced on the palate without being to big and again rather red fruit. Comes at this stage a bit tight, "cool" also it shows a already slightly developed fruit, with a medium + finish.
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Really pretty light red...almost a dark pinkish/salmon color. Terrific scent of muddled spiced herbs and light red fruit. Like a cinnamon, nutmeg lighter spiced tea. Cranberry, plum and spice with nice weight from the fruit, a mineral palate with a savory finish. Lots of herbs with the fruit which i love. I know that this will probably improve but I doubt I'll wait long to find out, this was tasty and tomorrow waits for no one.
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Lighter and more delicate pinots than most Cali pinots. First, there was a slight brown hue to this - surprising given its age. The nose is bright red fruit with that nice earthy, forest floor scent. Really nice. The palate started out fairly tart and acidic but became nicely balanced after an hour. Cranberries and raspberries on the palate. Delicate fruit and nice backbone. Fantastic wine.
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excellent balance and concentration on day one...bit primary at this stage...none of the overt ripeness that i dislike in most CA pinots...recorked in half bottle and put in cellar...not tired on day two but noticeably riper and less enjoyable to my palate...strange...i'll revisit in another 6-12 months
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This was a fantastic bottle of Pinot. Had a lot of french qualities in the earthy flavour. Drank this much too young to my regret, though the fruit still came through especially as it got air over an hour or so.
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Needs a minimum of three hours decanting. Until then, it shows just too much ripeness and up-front sweetness to enjoy. Gradually it turns more classic though remains pretty slick, and by the three-hour mark you get a sense of the refinement of the texture and just a hint of the gravelly minerality underneath the primary fruit.
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Nose - bright but dark and rich, black plum, blackberry, redwood, and some red fruit. Elegant but intense, dark earthy minerally savory, truffle, low-key black plum, sandalwood, hint of orange zest, smoked meat. Ethereal finish. Young and tight. 94+ pts
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All Things Pinot - Meunier, Blanc, Gris, Noir (Christianne's Place in SF): Okay, we are getting late in the evening and the quality of my notes and my desire to write down anything was waning...but this was young but very good. Black cherry fruit, spice and underbrush with nice acidity. A terrific CA Pinot.
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Purchased as part of a flight at the Press Club Wine Bar in SF. Sweet concord grapes on the nose. On the palate: smoke, charcoal, thin fruit with a very hard edge. Ends with a dry finish. Fair to Good. No winners in the flight.
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Nose - Shy, brooding, intense, dark. Hits the palate with a wall of intensity - dark plum, lemon and orange zest, green grape tomato "smokiness" and fruit, glycerin, red currant. Good soft dusty tannin structure, pert acidity. Love it! Should peak in about 8-10 years. (94 pts) Has a little bit of the signature common to all the Cronin Peter Martin Ray Vyd. Pinots, which I really have a fetish for.
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Medium red color with pale meniscus; a little horsey on the nose, with good tart strawberry and mineral; tasty tart strawberry, red fruit, mineral and vanilla oak palate; medium finish
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Wine 1 of Central Coast Pinot Tasting: Earthy bouquet with a slight raw edge. Nice canned cherry nose. Bright cherry flavors with a slightly spicy and mineral component. Well balanced tannins. The mineral/slate is more prounounced on the long finish.
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11/24/2023 - diggydan wrote: 96 Points
Gorgeous, fully mature bottle of Pinot.
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6/10/2020 - Satoshi Nakamoto wrote:
Tons of cool peppermint and some dark red fruit on the palate. Just a bit of funk that’s apparent on both the nose and palate (a tad funkier than stewed fruits). Pretty strong tannins, given the lighter body, with a moderately short finish.
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8/31/2019 - neilsforest Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened 2 bottles. One completely gone The other a lovely mature mount Eden. Pleasurable nose , full length etc
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11/18/2018 - diggydan wrote: 94 Points
Nice and secondary. Beautiful cherry, a touch of cola, and a really mellow, smooth body.
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12/22/2017 - FandL wrote: 93 Points
Very elegant. Ruby red. Nice acidity. Goes well with food, but also enjoyable as as a sipping wine.
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1/25/2017 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful nose. Austere and delicious palate with fresh lingering finish. enjoyable notes delivered by stems in during fermentation. drink up.
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10/29/2016 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had a couple weeks ago, so no detailed notes. This is normally my favorite Santa Cruz pinot, maybe at the top of all new world pinot. However, this bottle seemed a bit tired. Still some tart cranberry, cherry, but a little more rust colored than 10 years should do. A bit too much cherry cola too. It's still a worthwhile drink and fun to compare to other vintages. Like 2012 which killed it!
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10/15/2014 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
Lovely. Full bodied, ripe cherries, baking spices, and a long finish with perfectly integrated tannin.
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10/27/2013 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful, deep pinot fruit on the nose. The palate buzzes with deep bass tones balanced by bright acidity, the structure framing red ripe fruit, minerality, and an exquisite tannic and sour cherry finish.
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6/14/2013 - elamasters wrote:
Notes of tart cherry, cranberry, and brown sugar predominate. Nice now, but I think it might be better in a few years.
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4/16/2013 - MCUBEB Likes this wine:
Beautiful wine that should last for few more years. Drank it over three days and it improved each day. Nose of red fruits and earth. On the palates there are red fruit with notes of raspberries, cherries and cranberries. It finishes with notes of flowers and some fine tannins. I wish I had more.
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12/1/2012 - diggydan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Generous nose of pinot fruit layered over Thanksgiving spices. Palate is smooth and fruity but with an undercurrent of sour cherries. Finishes long and with a mineral element. Really good stuff, either as a "cocktail" wine or food pairing. Popped and poured and the wine was an elegant companion to a dish of chicken stewed with Persian dried limes and basmati rice.
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11/23/2012 - Scott Butler Likes this wine:
Slow-ox'd for 5-6 hours, then served with Turkey dinner. Perfect choice, as it was light enough to compliment the food flavors without overpowering them. Cranberry and strawberry fruits, with nice minerality. Lightweight and gentle, yet full of flavor. Many years of life ahead of it.
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9/28/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Dark cherry dominates, along with some spice and earth. Much bigger and richer than a prior bottle. It borders on being a bit heavy and is certainly very big for a pinot. Ripe fruit, a plush, velvety texture, a medium to long finish, and some sharp-edged grip at the end.
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3/2/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Cherry with some strawberry and a touch of earth on the nose. Amazingly light and smooth texture, along with perfect balance. Long, smooth, fruity finish. Very subtle flavors on the palate that match the nose along with a bit of spice and mineral. This is about as delicate and feminine a pinot as I have ever had from California. This is certainly not a fruit-bomb and the flavors are still rather primary, but it is very, very enjoyable. Update - the wine took on a lot more weight and the flavors were more concentrated after about 3 hours.
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2/24/2012 - unrelenting wrote: 92 Points
Nice earthy nose; Light bodied (for Cali), good mouth feel and 15 sec finish. Only negatives are alcohol and lacks a little concentration. Consume over the next 3 yrs
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10/28/2011 - Chris Bo wrote: 91 Points
Medium intense nose of red fruit with earth and spicy oak flavours. Well balanced on the palate without being to big and again rather red fruit. Comes at this stage a bit tight, "cool" also it shows a already slightly developed fruit, with a medium + finish.
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7/19/2011 - Lanny21 wrote:
Really pretty light red...almost a dark pinkish/salmon color. Terrific scent of muddled spiced herbs and light red fruit. Like a cinnamon, nutmeg lighter spiced tea. Cranberry, plum and spice with nice weight from the fruit, a mineral palate with a savory finish. Lots of herbs with the fruit which i love. I know that this will probably improve but I doubt I'll wait long to find out, this was tasty and tomorrow waits for no one.
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3/31/2011 - cbkamp wrote: 91 Points
Lighter and more delicate pinots than most Cali pinots. First, there was a slight brown hue to this - surprising given its age. The nose is bright red fruit with that nice earthy, forest floor scent. Really nice. The palate started out fairly tart and acidic but became nicely balanced after an hour. Cranberries and raspberries on the palate. Delicate fruit and nice backbone. Fantastic wine.
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2/9/2011 - olm2000 wrote:
well made pinot but a bit ripe for my burgundy leanings...noy in same class as Rhys for my palate
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5/17/2010 - olm2000 wrote: 91 Points
excellent balance and concentration on day one...bit primary at this stage...none of the overt ripeness that i dislike in most CA pinots...recorked in half bottle and put in cellar...not tired on day two but noticeably riper and less enjoyable to my palate...strange...i'll revisit in another 6-12 months
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5/8/2010 - kultcha wrote: 92 Points
This was a fantastic bottle of Pinot. Had a lot of french qualities in the earthy flavour. Drank this much too young to my regret, though the fruit still came through especially as it got air over an hour or so.
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4/17/2010 - Blue Shorts wrote: 90 Points
I'll try to follow up, but a nice pinot.... Nice fruit and herbs.
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3/28/2010 - yhn wrote: 92 Points
Nose - rich, savory, minerally berry.
Smooth, shy, still a bit primary, raspberry, good minerality.
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3/28/2010 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Pinot Paradise 2010 (Technical Seminar on Yeast Influences, and Grand Tasting) (Villa Ragusa, Campbell, California): Very light red color; strawberry, red fruit, cinnamon nose; tight, tart red fruit, cinnamon palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
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12/2/2009 - Melli wrote: 94 Points
This is a tremendous QPR Cali Pinot. Full bodied, Robust, and simply enjoyable....
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9/2/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 88 Points
Somewhat disappointing showing. Wait a year to try next bottle.
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8/26/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Central Coast Pinot Noir (Waterford Wines Milwaukee): black cherry and delicate spice in the nose. definite rock in there. more mineral driven and not to dark of a profile on the palate.
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8/26/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Beautiful candy aromas.
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8/6/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Rather more fat and generous than I expected. Tight and a bit clipped on the back end. But for $29 its definately in the park.
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7/30/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 88 Points
Needs a minimum of three hours decanting. Until then, it shows just too much ripeness and up-front sweetness to enjoy. Gradually it turns more classic though remains pretty slick, and by the three-hour mark you get a sense of the refinement of the texture and just a hint of the gravelly minerality underneath the primary fruit.
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4/24/2009 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Cali Pinot Blindtasting Dinner (checking Eric Asimov's thesis on trend toward greater finesse and lightness) (City Grill, San Francisco, California): Light medium red color with pale meniscus; lime, green fruit and savory nose; tart red fruit, mineral palate with green notes, focus and depth; medium-plus finish
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3/29/2009 - yhn wrote: 94 Points
Nose - bright but dark and rich, black plum, blackberry, redwood, and some red fruit.
Elegant but intense, dark earthy minerally savory, truffle, low-key black plum, sandalwood, hint of orange zest, smoked meat. Ethereal finish. Young and tight. 94+ pts
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3/29/2009 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Pinot Paradise 2009 (Technical Seminar and Grand Tasting) (Villa Ragusa, Campbell. California): Medium cherry red color with clear meniscus; earthy, stemmy, brett and tart red fruit nose; tart red fruit, cranberry, sage, roses, juniper, mineral and horehound palate with good acidity; medium finish 92+ pts.
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3/28/2009 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
All Things Pinot - Meunier, Blanc, Gris, Noir (Chez Christianne, San Francisco, CA): Dark raspberry red color with clear meniscus; big, sour cherry, minerals and roses nose; tart cherry, horehound, mineral and roses palate; medium finish 92+ pts.
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3/28/2009 - tonyvelebil wrote:
All Things Pinot - Meunier, Blanc, Gris, Noir (Christianne's Place in SF): Okay, we are getting late in the evening and the quality of my notes and my desire to write down anything was waning...but this was young but very good. Black cherry fruit, spice and underbrush with nice acidity. A terrific CA Pinot.
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3/20/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Purchased as part of a flight at the Press Club Wine Bar in SF. Sweet concord grapes on the nose. On the palate: smoke, charcoal, thin fruit with a very hard edge. Ends with a dry finish. Fair to Good. No winners in the flight.
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3/2/2009 - ews3 wrote: 87 Points
earthy, tart strawberry. finish was lacking and there was some heat on this.
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11/15/2008 - yhn wrote: 94 Points
Nose - Shy, brooding, intense, dark.
Hits the palate with a wall of intensity - dark plum, lemon and orange zest, green grape tomato "smokiness" and fruit, glycerin, red currant. Good soft dusty tannin structure, pert acidity. Love it! Should peak in about 8-10 years. (94 pts)
Has a little bit of the signature common to all the Cronin Peter Martin Ray Vyd. Pinots, which I really have a fetish for.
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11/4/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Medium red color with pale meniscus; a little horsey on the nose, with good tart strawberry and mineral; tasty tart strawberry, red fruit, mineral and vanilla oak palate; medium finish
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9/3/2008 - Beavis77 wrote:
Wine 1 of Central Coast Pinot Tasting:
Earthy bouquet with a slight raw edge. Nice canned cherry nose.
Bright cherry flavors with a slightly spicy and mineral component. Well balanced tannins. The mineral/slate is more prounounced on the long finish.
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8/25/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Family Winemakers San Francisco; 8/24/2008-8/25/2008 (Fort Mason, San Francisco): Ripe strawberry nose; tasty, ripe strawberry and red fruit; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
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