Found this lurking in a deep corner of the cabinet. Wonderful nose of pie cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, tea, and forest floor. On the palate, silky with cherries, rhubarb, orange tea, mushroom, and hints of spice. Probably does not get any better from here. Drink over the near term.
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Bumping this down a little. Slow ox'd a little over an hour. The oak barrels are still present on the nose, spicy aromatics with some candied red fruit. The palate is rich with sweet strawberry notes & carries a beautiful weight. I am wondering if that oak will ever fully integrate as it is still one of, if not the main component here. The finish shows some orange peel & black tea & lingers beautifully.
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Paired well with a smoked duck breast (gazed with a l'orange sauce) over a green salad. Had banana peacan bread and dipped it in the l'orange sauce and that too went with the wine as well.
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decanted for 1.5 hours. Oakiness is more prevalent since fruit flavors aren't there. there's still acidity that worked well with food. We'll probably consume the rest of this vintage this year.
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Integrated oak, thank goodness. Still a bit of a lush around the edges- amorphous and muddy, but a very nice dinner drink. Very nice length, decent nose.
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Decanted six hours. The obvious oak of its youth has integrated very nicely. Great aromas of black cherry, mushroom, cranberry, rhubarb, vanilla, and spice. On the palate, black cherry, cranberry, red raspberry, spice, rhubarb. Nice smooth acidity with great tannic grip. Hold or drink with a long decant. Lovely stuff.
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Finally!! This wine has turned the corner and the oak has integrated. A very nice well balanced SCM pinot. Lots of cherry and cranberry with enough acidity to keep the fruit refreshing on the medium length spicy finish. I was beginning to wonder if the oak would integrate before the fruit faded.
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This wine continues to be dominated by oak. I didn't decant, but I drank it over 24 hours and this just never came together. This is my 5th bottle and at this point my least favorite Windy Oaks wine. I will hold off opening another until next summer.
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Decanted two hours. Nice pinot funk on the nose. Aromas of black cherry, spice, rhubarb, vanilla, cranberry. On the palate, cola, black cherry, spice, rhubarb, cranberry. Finishes with sharp acidity. Needs some more time, but has great bones. Hold or decant for a minimum of four hours.
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Decanted three hours. Gorgeous translucent ruby. Orange peel, raspberry and a smoky cure meat element bewitch you on the nose. Medium bodied and as graceful as a tap dancer to a Yo la Tengo song. Cranberry, more smoke, crushed black truffle and hint of cinnamon flood the mid palate, but much like the Windy Oaks Chardonnay tasted earlier this weekend, a firm acidic cut keeps the fruit in balance. Long, complex finish influenced by some Anise and raspberry is embellished by a firm tannic grip.
A word about the oak. These can show quite oaky when young, but the decant, the lighter hand with ripeness and the acidity keeps this wonderfully integrated. Right there with Rhys and Ceritas as my holy trinity of California Pinot Noir.
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Thursday night at home - crab cakes and salad. Thursday before a vacation day to start the 2010 Biscotti production. Wine just fine - reliable Estate Cuvee.
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Opened 1 hour prior. Has all the WO hallmarks...strawberry,spice, fresh bread, orange zest. Still a bit emphatic on the oak influence, so give it a bit of time, much like I meant to do but opened this by accident instead of the 06 Wood Tank! Still, a fine drink.
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Thought is finally time to pop one of these. Served with roast chicken. Popped and poured. Great nose, pie cherry, ripe red raspberry, cola, spice, black tea, faint mushroom. On the palated, pie cherry, red fruits, vanilla, spice, cola, black tea. Nice sappy transition to a crisp finish. Outstanding, good value. Drink with a long decant or hold. Glad I have many more.
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From 375ml, decanted half-hour. Cherry pie on the nose, distinct note of carmelized sugar. Tart cherry on the palate, nice acidity, hint of spice. Touch of wood and a hint of heat but otherwise very nice.
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13.9% alcohol. Light ruby red. Seductive aromas of red fruit. Very well balanced and focused palate featuring strawberry, cherry, and a little asian spice. Lively mouthfeel, very focused.
I had quite of few of these and it is interesting to see them develop. They are developing very well! Note to myself - buy a lot of 08s!
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Light red. Great nose of red fruits, spice, and forest floor. Nice feel and lingering finish. Absolutely loved this and the best showing of the 6 bottles I've had so far.
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Medium transparent ruby red. Red fruit, asian spice and forest scents. Well balanced, complex flavors of cherry, strawberry, a little smoke and spice. Lingering aftertaste. This wine is starting to hit it's stride. Very nice!
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13.9% alcohol. Medium light ruby red. Bright cherry aromas. Very attractive cherries, rasberries and spice on the palate. Great purity and balance, lingering aftertaste. This is really good - kudos to Judy and Jim!
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Decanted an hour. Light purple in color, and slightly cloudy. The nose presents dried cherry and light mixed spices. Notes of cherry, cinnamon, flowers, and black tea are reminiscent of the 2006. There's a notable funky earth component in this vintage, which seems to give the wine a bit more weight. Just a touch of heat, with a nice texture and long finish. Delicious and ageworthy.
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Great nose of red fruit and fresh cut flowers. The red fruit continues onto the palate with little cedar, but nothing too overwhelming. the finish is long and soft with the red fruit taking center stage providing for a really nice and rather feminine package. These never seem to disappoint as long as you can give them at least 6 months for the oak to integrate.
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Medium dark ruby. Expressive nose of rasberries and spice. On the palate, great balance, purity and focus. Wonderful wine and a sick value! Like a Carlisle Sonoma Zin - this is a wine that you just can't buy too much of. I'll purchase even more in '08.
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Same notes as before. Still drinking beautifully, albeit, a bit mellower than last time. I wonder if this will be a long-lived wine. No matter, I'll probably drink it before then since I like it so much.
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Nose of violets and minerals. This wine appears to be a bit darker than their Proprietor's Reserve. I'm not picking up on the oak that some others have mentioned. Nice tastes of cherry with a big of orange zest and earth. Nice minerality and acidity. Very smooth, silky texture.
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Popped and poured through Vinturi. Started at about 60F. Had with grilled chicken and grilled asparagus.
The nose was closed at first, but opened as it warmed and got air. Light nose of strawberries, flowers, and hay. The taste is a bit primary now, but there are still wonderful flavors of cherry, strawberry. The finish is moderate in length, with ample tannins and acid to indicate a long life. This wine should be decanted if you want to drink it now. I'm going to (try to) wait a year before drinking another bottle.
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Bright cherry nose with hints of cedar, a silky, round mouthfeel with well balanced acids and fine tannins. A pleasant medium long finish. Oak is still quite noticeable on the nose and in the mouth. Wine opens up after about 30 minutes, but does not evolve that much more in the glass. Holds up very well the next day. Tasted several times with consistent notes.
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For the first time, I'm going to have to say that a WO is showing too much oak for me. This complaint has been leveled against them in the past, and I've argued to the contrary. This is also the soonest I've opened a new-release WO wine, so perhaps that figures in here. There is a wonderful spicy-smoky nose. Palate is red fruited, but it's also drenched in oak. Makes the palate seem heavy, dark cherry and sweet vanilla dominate. I will reserve a final verdict as I think this will integrate with time. At least, that's my hope as I am a huge WO fan.
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"Anniversary" Weekend at Rob & Lisa's; 5/29/2009-6/1/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): My first Windy Oaks pinot after a good friend has been talking them up for quite some time now. The nose was almost non-existent at the pop, but it slowly opened as the bottle came to temp with aromas of blackberry and some dusty earth. Taste shows dark cherries, blackberries, plum, and some earthy spices. Similar to the George Martaella Vineyard we had along side this one, this is on the medium bodied side, and holds on to a fair amount of tannin and acid, which gives it structure and balance, without being too cloying. This is a CA styled pinot with a lot of characteristics that I think more old world styled pinot drinkers can appreciate. Very good.
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When I first had a taste of this wine at the Windy Oaks open house a few weeks ago I really enjoyed it. Sitting down with a bottle for the evening was an amazingly pleasant experience. This is a fantastic wine that is simply delicious right now. Color, fruit, texture, nose, finish. Everything is wonderful. I love what Jim and Judy are doing up on their estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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Windy Oaks Open House (Windy Oaks Winery): For me, this was the surprise of the lineup. Excellent from start to finish with wonderful red fruit and not too heavy on the oak. Mouthcoatingly smooth texture. Delicious and drinking great right now. These are the ones to enjoy while you age your reserves. 13.9% abv
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Nice, but at this point it does not have the intensity of the 2006. I remember thinking the same thing of the '06 at this time last year, so I think it just needs a little additional time in the bottle.
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Popped and poured, was really looking forward to test driving an '07 Windy Oaks. No disappointments here. Nose is a little quiet, but there are some floral/lavendar hints and some whispers of oak. I love the texture, there is a wonderful weightly viscosity to it. Nice depth to the red reasperry and red fruits. There are streaks of some blood orange from time to time. Light warm spice on the finish. Nice level of acidity and some soft tannins also on the finish. A real gem for the price with some upside for those with more patience than I.
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12/12/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Found this lurking in a deep corner of the cabinet. Wonderful nose of pie cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, tea, and forest floor. On the palate, silky with cherries, rhubarb, orange tea, mushroom, and hints of spice. Probably does not get any better from here. Drink over the near term.
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11/28/2014 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine: 84 Points
Bumping this down a little. Slow ox'd a little over an hour. The oak barrels are still present on the nose, spicy aromatics with some candied red fruit. The palate is rich with sweet strawberry notes & carries a beautiful weight. I am wondering if that oak will ever fully integrate as it is still one of, if not the main component here. The finish shows some orange peel & black tea & lingers beautifully.
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5/27/2014 - FandL Likes this wine: 90 Points
Paired well with a smoked duck breast (gazed with a l'orange sauce) over a green salad. Had banana peacan bread and dipped it in the l'orange sauce and that too went with the wine as well.
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5/13/2014 - FandL Likes this wine: 90 Points
well received pinot at wedding reception.
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11/6/2013 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous notes. A little worrisome is the fact that there was some excess alcohol peeking through here.
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10/4/2013 - FandL wrote: 89 Points
Paired nicely with a duck breast dinner.
Cork did break during removal so decanted and filtered.
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5/29/2013 - FandL wrote: 87 Points
decanted for 1.5 hours. Oakiness is more prevalent since fruit flavors aren't there. there's still acidity that worked well with food. We'll probably consume the rest of this vintage this year.
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9/7/2012 - FandL wrote: 89 Points
Paired with salmon dinner. Half bottle, Opened 30 min before dinner to breathe. A little oaky, at its peak to drink now.
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7/3/2012 - jbaron wrote: 91 Points
Integrated oak, thank goodness. Still a bit of a lush around the edges- amorphous and muddy, but a very nice dinner drink. Very nice length, decent nose.
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1/11/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
Decanted six hours. The obvious oak of its youth has integrated very nicely. Great aromas of black cherry, mushroom, cranberry, rhubarb, vanilla, and spice. On the palate, black cherry, cranberry, red raspberry, spice, rhubarb. Nice smooth acidity with great tannic grip. Hold or drink with a long decant. Lovely stuff.
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12/18/2011 - eastover wrote:
Drunk at Lisa's Hanukkah dinner - enjoyed by all.
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12/3/2011 - eastover wrote:
Saturday night at home with Jilly's white clam sauce.
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12/2/2011 - eastover wrote:
Friday night at home - Maryann and Andy come over for a last minute wine and cheese meal. Wine a nice complement - double decanted.
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11/26/2011 - Blue Shorts wrote:
This is in an excellent place right now (.375ml). Beautiful nose, smooth taste, long finish. Delicious!!!!
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11/10/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote:
Decanted for two hours. Consistent with previous notes.
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11/2/2011 - RussW Likes this wine:
Finally!! This wine has turned the corner and the oak has integrated. A very nice well balanced SCM pinot. Lots of cherry and cranberry with enough acidity to keep the fruit refreshing on the medium length spicy finish. I was beginning to wonder if the oak would integrate before the fruit faded.
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7/17/2011 - RussW Does not like this wine:
This wine continues to be dominated by oak. I didn't decant, but I drank it over 24 hours and this just never came together. This is my 5th bottle and at this point my least favorite Windy Oaks wine. I will hold off opening another until next summer.
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2/12/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Decanted two hours. Nice pinot funk on the nose. Aromas of black cherry, spice, rhubarb, vanilla, cranberry. On the palate, cola, black cherry, spice, rhubarb, cranberry. Finishes with sharp acidity. Needs some more time, but has great bones. Hold or decant for a minimum of four hours.
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1/30/2011 - Anthony Lombardi wrote: 94 Points
Decanted three hours. Gorgeous translucent ruby. Orange peel, raspberry and a smoky cure meat element bewitch you on the nose. Medium bodied and as graceful as a tap dancer to a Yo la Tengo song. Cranberry, more smoke, crushed black truffle and hint of cinnamon flood the mid palate, but much like the Windy Oaks Chardonnay tasted earlier this weekend, a firm acidic cut keeps the fruit in balance. Long, complex finish influenced by some Anise and raspberry is embellished by a firm tannic grip.
A word about the oak. These can show quite oaky when young, but the decant, the lighter hand with ripeness and the acidity keeps this wonderfully integrated. Right there with Rhys and Ceritas as my holy trinity of California Pinot Noir.
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12/30/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
I've commented on this wine several times in the past. Suffice it to say, it continues to evolve and improve with time.
Jim and Judy do good work!
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12/9/2010 - eastover wrote:
Thursday night at home - crab cakes and salad. Thursday before a vacation day to start the 2010 Biscotti production. Wine just fine - reliable Estate Cuvee.
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11/15/2010 - swillpower wrote:
Opened 1 hour prior. Has all the WO hallmarks...strawberry,spice, fresh bread, orange zest. Still a bit emphatic on the oak influence, so give it a bit of time, much like I meant to do but opened this by accident instead of the 06 Wood Tank! Still, a fine drink.
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10/16/2010 - stufis wrote: 92 Points
Popped n poured. Air helped a lot; bit more tart than I recalll from prior vintages, but it has all the stuffing and lengthy palate I expect.
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9/2/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
Thought is finally time to pop one of these. Served with roast chicken. Popped and poured. Great nose, pie cherry, ripe red raspberry, cola, spice, black tea, faint mushroom. On the palated, pie cherry, red fruits, vanilla, spice, cola, black tea. Nice sappy transition to a crisp finish. Outstanding, good value. Drink with a long decant or hold. Glad I have many more.
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8/22/2010 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 89 Points
From 375ml, decanted half-hour. Cherry pie on the nose, distinct note of carmelized sugar. Tart cherry on the palate, nice acidity, hint of spice. Touch of wood and a hint of heat but otherwise very nice.
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8/6/2010 - eastover wrote:
Jilly's b'day dinner with the Stein girls.
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7/28/2010 - eastover wrote:
Dinner Wednesday night with burgers and dogs - nice - but not as enjoyable as the previous bottle enjoyed.
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7/26/2010 - eastover wrote:
Dinner Monday with Cod and flank steak - nice pairing - wine showed well. Cod very fresh - delicious.
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6/23/2010 - Blue Shorts wrote:
Needs more time. A great pinot, as always. Next bottle.... 2011
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6/6/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
13.9% alcohol. Light ruby red. Seductive aromas of red fruit. Very well balanced and focused palate featuring strawberry, cherry, and a little asian spice. Lively mouthfeel, very focused.
I had quite of few of these and it is interesting to see them develop. They are developing very well! Note to myself - buy a lot of 08s!
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5/13/2010 - ChillyWino wrote: 92 Points
Light red. Great nose of red fruits, spice, and forest floor. Nice feel and lingering finish. Absolutely loved this and the best showing of the 6 bottles I've had so far.
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4/24/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
Medium transparent ruby red. Red fruit, asian spice and forest scents. Well balanced, complex flavors of cherry, strawberry, a little smoke and spice. Lingering aftertaste. This wine is starting to hit it's stride. Very nice!
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4/7/2010 - eastover wrote:
Opened immediately after walking in the door from our 3-day college trip for Ben - Hobart, St. Lawrence and UVM. Wonderful bottle. Very much enjoyed.
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4/5/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
13.9% alcohol. Medium light ruby red. Bright cherry aromas. Very attractive cherries, rasberries and spice on the palate. Great purity and balance, lingering aftertaste. This is really good - kudos to Judy and Jim!
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4/1/2010 - eastover wrote:
Thursday night - Good Friday eve - enjoyed with fish taco salad. A little cloudy, but nice.
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3/29/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 90 Points
Light ruby red, red fruit and spice. WO wines love age and this was tasted prematurely. Really nice now and will improve!
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3/28/2010 - yhn wrote: 91 Points
Nose - full bursting berry.
Smooth soft berry, spice and mushroom, bay.
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2/28/2010 - scott davis Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted an hour. Light purple in color, and slightly cloudy. The nose presents dried cherry and light mixed spices. Notes of cherry, cinnamon, flowers, and black tea are reminiscent of the 2006. There's a notable funky earth component in this vintage, which seems to give the wine a bit more weight. Just a touch of heat, with a nice texture and long finish. Delicious and ageworthy.
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2/19/2010 - glaze3 wrote:
Great nose of red fruit and fresh cut flowers. The red fruit continues onto the palate with little cedar, but nothing too overwhelming. the finish is long and soft with the red fruit taking center stage providing for a really nice and rather feminine package. These never seem to disappoint as long as you can give them at least 6 months for the oak to integrate.
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1/23/2010 - elamasters wrote: 93 Points
Great stuff. In a terrific drinking window right now.
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1/5/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
Medium dark ruby. Expressive nose of rasberries and spice. On the palate, great balance, purity and focus. Wonderful wine and a sick value! Like a Carlisle Sonoma Zin - this is a wine that you just can't buy too much of. I'll purchase even more in '08.
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12/13/2009 - Blue Shorts wrote:
Same notes as before. Still drinking beautifully, albeit, a bit mellower than last time. I wonder if this will be a long-lived wine. No matter, I'll probably drink it before then since I like it so much.
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11/26/2009 - Brsed wrote: 91 Points
Nose of violets and minerals. This wine appears to be a bit darker than their Proprietor's Reserve. I'm not picking up on the oak that some others have mentioned. Nice tastes of cherry with a big of orange zest and earth. Nice minerality and acidity. Very smooth, silky texture.
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11/17/2009 - jbaron wrote:
Nice, wafting nose; round mouth that is fruity - and woody.
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10/31/2009 - Blue Shorts wrote: 91 Points
50+5+12+16+8
Popped and poured through Vinturi. Started at about 60F. Had with grilled chicken and grilled asparagus.
The nose was closed at first, but opened as it warmed and got air. Light nose of strawberries, flowers, and hay. The taste is a bit primary now, but there are still wonderful flavors of cherry, strawberry. The finish is moderate in length, with ample tannins and acid to indicate a long life. This wine should be decanted if you want to drink it now. I'm going to (try to) wait a year before drinking another bottle.
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10/14/2009 - jakuda wrote:
Bright cherry nose with hints of cedar, a silky, round mouthfeel with well balanced acids and fine tannins. A pleasant medium long finish. Oak is still quite noticeable on the nose and in the mouth. Wine opens up after about 30 minutes, but does not evolve that much more in the glass. Holds up very well the next day. Tasted several times with consistent notes.
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9/13/2009 - elamasters wrote: 91 Points
Improving with time. Not quite as good as the '06 at this point, but still very nice.
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6/12/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 87 Points
For the first time, I'm going to have to say that a WO is showing too much oak for me. This complaint has been leveled against them in the past, and I've argued to the contrary. This is also the soonest I've opened a new-release WO wine, so perhaps that figures in here. There is a wonderful spicy-smoky nose. Palate is red fruited, but it's also drenched in oak. Makes the palate seem heavy, dark cherry and sweet vanilla dominate. I will reserve a final verdict as I think this will integrate with time. At least, that's my hope as I am a huge WO fan.
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6/4/2009 - TylerMcNinch wrote: 89 Points
Light ruby with slight pink/orange rim. Bing cherries and strawberry with cola, spice and light earth. Likely will improve with time.
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5/29/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 91 Points
"Anniversary" Weekend at Rob & Lisa's; 5/29/2009-6/1/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): My first Windy Oaks pinot after a good friend has been talking them up for quite some time now. The nose was almost non-existent at the pop, but it slowly opened as the bottle came to temp with aromas of blackberry and some dusty earth. Taste shows dark cherries, blackberries, plum, and some earthy spices. Similar to the George Martaella Vineyard we had along side this one, this is on the medium bodied side, and holds on to a fair amount of tannin and acid, which gives it structure and balance, without being too cloying. This is a CA styled pinot with a lot of characteristics that I think more old world styled pinot drinkers can appreciate. Very good.
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5/22/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 92 Points
When I first had a taste of this wine at the Windy Oaks open house a few weeks ago I really enjoyed it. Sitting down with a bottle for the evening was an amazingly pleasant experience. This is a fantastic wine that is simply delicious right now. Color, fruit, texture, nose, finish. Everything is wonderful. I love what Jim and Judy are doing up on their estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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5/3/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote:
Windy Oaks Open House (Windy Oaks Winery): For me, this was the surprise of the lineup. Excellent from start to finish with wonderful red fruit and not too heavy on the oak. Mouthcoatingly smooth texture. Delicious and drinking great right now. These are the ones to enjoy while you age your reserves. 13.9% abv
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4/30/2009 - elamasters wrote:
Nice, but at this point it does not have the intensity of the 2006. I remember thinking the same thing of the '06 at this time last year, so I think it just needs a little additional time in the bottle.
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4/1/2009 - tim_c wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, was really looking forward to test driving an '07 Windy Oaks. No disappointments here. Nose is a little quiet, but there are some floral/lavendar hints and some whispers of oak. I love the texture, there is a wonderful weightly viscosity to it. Nice depth to the red reasperry and red fruits. There are streaks of some blood orange from time to time. Light warm spice on the finish. Nice level of acidity and some soft tannins also on the finish. A real gem for the price with some upside for those with more patience than I.
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