Translucent ruby, smoky cherry nose. Dry, tart fruit, stony plums, dusty tannins, slightly bitter element. More mineral than the OR Pinots with their brighter fruits. With an hour open time the bitter fades and the fruit starts to show, bright red flavors of currant, berry and cherry, smooth on the finish with moderate acid and a hint of tannins. Nice food wine.
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This was a disappointment to me - the first CH that didn't deliver as a QPR. Thin texture, no midpalate, waning fruit in general, and no Carneros smoky cherry characteristics that I was seeking out here.
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Swirled open bottle and let sit for an hour, did not decant, nice ruby semi-translucent color, nice balanced mouthfeel, light tannins, balanced finish, just as good day 2, would repurchase for $19.
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Below is my original thoughts on drinking the wine without decanting. I vacummed pumped the bottle and into the fridge it went. I popped last night and what a difference. More fruit and the "head" had dispersed. A well balanced and delightful wine at a great price.
88 - An excellent Pinot at the price - great QPR. Good red fruit on the nose and pallet and good acidity. I would give the wine a 90 except for the "hot" spots on the after palete that I would attribute to the high alcohol.
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I am not normally a pinot noir fan; they are generally too light and undistinguished at my price point. This wine had generous body, good fruit and pleasant lingering aftertaste. I found it a very enjoyable wine by itself and with the dinner of the night.
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Cameron Hughes bites the Big Apple (Snooth Offices (162 Madison Avenue)): A dark ruby. Awesome cherry notes with some faint mushroom aromas. Soft & elegant even. Vanilla and red berries flavors are predominant. Thankfully no discernible heat or cola flavors are present and there's a very deft touch of wood. Absolutely lovely.
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Decanted about 30 minutes. Medium ruby color, nose has strawberry, cherry and some spice, with a hint of earthiness to be expected from pinot, also get some alcohol on the nose. Ripe strawberry and cherry fruit on the palate, but not picking up any of the earthy pinot funk from the nose. Finishes a bit hot and flabby. Ok, but nothing to get excited about.
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I am always seek the sub-$20 pinot that i can use as a house wine, and had hoped this might be the one. On the nose, this smelled like pinot....it was fairly reticent, but had that acidity and hints of red fruits that screamed pinot noir. The mouthfeel is also very pinot. mid palate a bit thin...oak, though not overwhelming, is apparent on the finish. With time in the decanter, it did pick up some pruniness on the nose. Overall, more pinot-like than most sub $20 pinots,but not the holy grail.
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Very little on the nose. Palate is a different story. Bright, rich blackberry and cedar with a little mushroom...frankly doesn't taste much like a Pinot to me, except for the mushroom. Nonetheless, I like it. Very good.
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Needs some air at this early stage, then the nose opens up. The nose shows sweet cherry, and a big dose of perfume. Not the spicy, musky nature I expected from a Carneros Pinot - perhaps it's a product of the vintage, but this one seemed sweeter on the fruit and stronger on the acidity and alcohol than I have known from Carneros. On the palate, the acidity again shows strong, but some nice fruit structure comes through - strawberries and sweet cherries - but also a healthy dose of new oak, which is not my style. Finish is a bit syrupy, but not as strong as many CA pinots of late have been, and it has good length. For the price, it's a decent buy, but I was hoping for more stylistic representation of Carneros Pinot in this wine than I received.
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3/5/2021 - jberlat Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still in good shape - classic pinot character. a little muted, not sure if that is the age or was always there
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2/12/2014 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well, nice red fruit flavors. Stored in cooled cellar 60 summer, down to 50 in the winter.
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1/13/2013 - redman77 wrote:
Ouch...RIP
Drinking window to 2019 according to Ch website...I would drink up...or clear drain as I did
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1/22/2012 - rjrausch Likes this wine: 88 Points
Simple and good pinot. Cherry nose and palate. Nothing too complex just a good value pinot. Worth a try.
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7/10/2011 - redman77 wrote: 88 Points
served on the cooler side.. drink up
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7/7/2011 - dsgris wrote: 88 Points
Translucent ruby, smoky cherry nose. Dry, tart fruit, stony plums, dusty tannins, slightly bitter element. More mineral than the OR Pinots with their brighter fruits. With an hour open time the bitter fades and the fruit starts to show, bright red flavors of currant, berry and cherry, smooth on the finish with moderate acid and a hint of tannins. Nice food wine.
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1/23/2011 - WG198 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Superb match to meal.
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10/24/2010 - BrewWench wrote: 89 Points
Spicy, grassy. Best upon opening, but still really liked all the way through.
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10/21/2010 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
Synygy Wine Tasting Club - Pinot Noirs (Turbine Hall, Chester PA): i was quite happy with this. nice fruit, vanilla -- a little too much oak on the palate, but it was a very smooth wine and a nice mouthfeel. med finish had some butter
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10/18/2010 - B Paul wrote: 84 Points
A little sweet and overdone, and lacking in varietal character.
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9/10/2010 - Old Tasting Notes wrote: 89 Points
Grassy nose with hints of spice. Full on the palate, with hints of grass, some nice inkyness and a long finish of cherry and vanilla.
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8/14/2010 - pgb67 wrote:
This was a disappointment to me - the first CH that didn't deliver as a QPR. Thin texture, no midpalate, waning fruit in general, and no Carneros smoky cherry characteristics that I was seeking out here.
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6/13/2010 - RedValues Likes this wine: 88 Points
Swirled open bottle and let sit for an hour, did not decant, nice ruby semi-translucent color, nice balanced mouthfeel, light tannins, balanced finish, just as good day 2, would repurchase for $19.
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6/12/2010 - dchorton wrote: 90 Points
Very smooth, no real flaws, great QPR.
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5/30/2010 - afitzhugh wrote: 89 Points
Pretty hot out of the bottle, but after 2 hours in the decanter very very nice. Excellent QPR
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5/14/2010 - Cliff A wrote: 90 Points
Below is my original thoughts on drinking the wine without decanting. I vacummed pumped the bottle and into the fridge it went. I popped last night and what a difference. More fruit and the "head" had dispersed. A well balanced and delightful wine at a great price.
88 - An excellent Pinot at the price - great QPR. Good red fruit on the nose and pallet and good acidity. I would give the wine a 90 except for the "hot" spots on the after palete that I would attribute to the high alcohol.
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5/10/2010 - WG198 wrote: 90 Points
I am not normally a pinot noir fan; they are generally too light and undistinguished at my price point. This wine had generous body, good fruit and pleasant lingering aftertaste. I found it a very enjoyable wine by itself and with the dinner of the night.
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4/20/2010 - Ali2615 wrote: 85 Points
Strawberry, cherry, lots of acidity, moderate oak, lean and fruity
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4/19/2010 - JorgeH wrote: 90 Points
Cameron Hughes bites the Big Apple (Snooth Offices (162 Madison Avenue)): A dark ruby. Awesome cherry notes with some faint mushroom aromas. Soft & elegant even. Vanilla and red berries flavors are predominant. Thankfully no discernible heat or cola flavors are present and there's a very deft touch of wood. Absolutely lovely.
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3/28/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 87 Points
Decanted about 30 minutes. Medium ruby color, nose has strawberry, cherry and some spice, with a hint of earthiness to be expected from pinot, also get some alcohol on the nose. Ripe strawberry and cherry fruit on the palate, but not picking up any of the earthy pinot funk from the nose. Finishes a bit hot and flabby. Ok, but nothing to get excited about.
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3/11/2010 - thalver wrote: 87 Points
I am always seek the sub-$20 pinot that i can use as a house wine, and had hoped this might be the one. On the nose, this smelled like pinot....it was fairly reticent, but had that acidity and hints of red fruits that screamed pinot noir. The mouthfeel is also very pinot. mid palate a bit thin...oak, though not overwhelming, is apparent on the finish. With time in the decanter, it did pick up some pruniness on the nose. Overall, more pinot-like than most sub $20 pinots,but not the holy grail.
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3/1/2010 - wineward Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very little on the nose. Palate is a different story. Bright, rich blackberry and cedar with a little mushroom...frankly doesn't taste much like a Pinot to me, except for the mushroom. Nonetheless, I like it. Very good.
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2/2/2010 - Todd French wrote: 87 Points
Needs some air at this early stage, then the nose opens up. The nose shows sweet cherry, and a big dose of perfume. Not the spicy, musky nature I expected from a Carneros Pinot - perhaps it's a product of the vintage, but this one seemed sweeter on the fruit and stronger on the acidity and alcohol than I have known from Carneros. On the palate, the acidity again shows strong, but some nice fruit structure comes through - strawberries and sweet cherries - but also a healthy dose of new oak, which is not my style. Finish is a bit syrupy, but not as strong as many CA pinots of late have been, and it has good length. For the price, it's a decent buy, but I was hoping for more stylistic representation of Carneros Pinot in this wine than I received.
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1/22/2010 - jimkay21 wrote: 87 Points
Cohen and GV got this one. Pleasant enough with some red fruit, soft mouth feel, medium acidity and good finish.
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1/22/2010 - Acohen wrote: 87 Points
Nice daily pinot with fruit forward cherry and some light spice. Not wildly complex but quite pleasant
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