Pure Magic! Wonderful aromas of black cherry and currants with lively black cherry, spice, and cedar notes on the velvety palate and long finish. Classic Sea Smoke!
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This wine is truly special !! At Peak !! The cork was dry after over a decade in the bottle, but easily removed. This is a balanced Pinot Noir that I consumed at dinner with friends. Deep ruby color with no oxidation, clarity medium. Aromas of pomegranate and rose hips, flavors of red fruit compote, rhubarb, and marine soil with a pleasant medium to long finish. Popped and poured, this wine really benefited from gentle oxygen since it was much more soft and integrated after an hour. Great fruit with firm acidity made into a very balanced Pinot Noir from the ten best barrels from the Seasmoke Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County by the cool Pacific Ocean along the San Ynez River canyon. Great winemaking making this Pinot Noir is an age worthy wine and has many more years of life left. I have no more bottles of this vintage remaining in my cellar.
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Mixed red berry liqeur, prunes, green tea, eucalyptus, leather, flowers, and earth. Full bodied and sweet with black tea and raspberries on the finish. The acidity was a bit off key at first, but it comes into better balance after a few hours. Still very Sea Smoke, so it might not be for everyone. Drink now to 2024+
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Wow! Absolutely terrific and drinking in an ideal spot for my palate. We took it to a favorite restaurant last night to share with two other wine geeks and everyone was blown away! My favorite central coast Pinot in recent memory.
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Muted nose when initially opened...hints of grape, cedar, smoke and herbs. Nice rich dark purple color. Wine opened up with about 15minutes, very rich, full bodied, dark fruit, ripe plums, tobacco flavors. Last bottle...sorry to see it go!
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Very nice, floral nose, nice deep color, no brick, earthy, integrated and flavors of raspberry, black cherry. Not going to improve with additional aging.
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PnP, but could have used a short decant. Dark red fruits and a bit of cola on the nose. These followed through on the medium+ palate and were slightly over-balanced with solid acidity. The fruit is definitely fading compared to a bottle opened in '14. Drink up sooner.
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PNP- Big smiles on the first sip. This is much more open and expressive than the previous bottle right out of the gate. Nose of dried cherries covered in unsweetened chocolate. Tart bing cherry flavor with cola finish. Nice refreshing acid. Big but balanced.
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This wine was really on point. Solid bing cherry notes dominate. Still holding up well, but i would drink now, as i don't see this getting any better. Not worth the wait and catch it in decline. Enjoyed with a steak and it held up to the food. Doesn't have the elegance of a burgundy but also not overly ripe fruit like most california Pinots.
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Big, full bodied, Pinot. Very soft tannins at this point. Fruit and acid are in balance. Black Cherry, root (like root beer/cola?), hint of vanilla, earth/clay. I am not sure this improves much further.
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My last bottle. While still excellent - deep - rich - sour cherry - lots of structure etc, it might be just starting its decline with a little less fruit to hold up to the rest of the business. I'd drink these up reasonably soon.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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Opened the bottle for about 45 min before pouring, everyone loved this one. Everything in balance, and a great example of what you're looking for in a CA pinot. Lots of fruit but not jammy, structured but not too tannic, no overt heat/alcohol. Really enjoyable.
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Popped and poured. Big nose of black cherry, pie cherry, black raspberry, spice, and tea. On the palate, lush with black cherry, raspberry, pie cherry, spice, orange tea. Long finish with nice balance. Drink or continue to hold. Lots of life left here.
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This is not a strawberry jam wine nor is it Southing. Big with complex integrated flavors. It is a reminder that CA pinots do benefit from a little age. Good acidity, just plain tasted good!
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Although somewhat closed initially, with time it showed very nice dark cherry, chocolate, and spice notes with a hint of tobacco. Only one glass left the next day, but it was even better.
It was non-descript. It's a fine wine, but nothing made me stand up and take note of the wine. Everything (fruit, nose, finish) was somewhat muted, and not in an Old World, complex way, just a little short of what one might hope for from a generally superior pinot. Perhaps it will gain something with some air or some time. But out of the bottle, fine but not more than fine.
Outstanding Pinot Noir; this is drinking very well right now but could still sit for another year or two. Great finish! We decanted this wine for 45 minutes and paired it with elk tenderloin.
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Full disclosure - I am a bigger fan of Sea Smokes Southing than I am 10. I usually find the 10 to be a bit hot and heavy on the alcohol. In retrospect, I likely have been drinking 10 too early. This was delicious. Full bodied, polished, full of ripe cherry and strawberry, balanced by earthy, smoky flavors. This pretty much overwhelmed the 2011 Freestone Pinot that preceded it. An elegant complement to a charcuterie tray to start the evening event.
A lot of Pinot Noirs (My backyard): I liked this much more than the Botella. This is very big and pumped up but it also has balance. Lots of cherry fruit on the nose, some vanilla. Great lush texture. Juicy acidity. Cherries and dark cherry fruit on the palate. Long finish. Delicious.
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Opened for an hour. Dark ruby color. Nose of dark berries. Medium bodied, enjoyable taste of blackberry/blueberry. Fruit is slightly diminished but still enjoyable. Nice finish. Wouldn't wait too much longer to drink these.
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Dark but color is not there story. A super perfumed quality of soft spring flowers, rose petals, plush red and black fruits and cardamom, but that's not the story here; the story here is how this drinks and it drinks swimmingly!! The softest most lilty red fruits of cherries and wild red raspberries with a hint of cassis and framboise, this shows the most amazing balance I have ever experienced in any Pinot I have had. THIS wine shows breed and class with a strong dose of presence. Long and full finish, tannins fully resolved and glossy. Everyone at the table was wowed by this one. In trying be come up with a single word to describe this wine, ethereal is all I can really think of. Also, there are two things I can admit to: I know this note is more filled with lofty adjectives, but this wine deserves every one of them. I also realize that my score is higher than some might think it actually warrants, but they were not there with us. It wowed bigtime.
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Delicious. Decanted 1 hour. Balanced, well integrated, and silky smooth as another reviewer said. A robust pinot but not overdone. Could have kept drinking this very happily if we'd had another bottle.
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Decanted 1 hour Smokey wood, strawberry, black cherry, hint of like a citrus peel and hand cream on the nose. Medium acid, light weight. Nice flavors good 10 sec finish, black cherry velvety red currant, strawberry, a bit of wood flavors. Overall nice wine.
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Drank my second bottle of this wine, only this time I decanted for 3 plus hours. All I can say is WOW. What a beautiful pinot. Smooth as silk, this coats your entire palate with a wonderful taste of cherries, spices, cola, and blackberry. Tasted a hint mocha later on. This is a wine that has good complexity and keeps you coming back for more. Bravo, well done!
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Drinking well but definitely needed decanting to really open up. We took it out to a restaurant and it would have been better at home with a longer decant.
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A fine Pinot, with flavors of cola and black cherry dominating. Complex wine. Decanted for an hour, but really opened up after 2 hours. Will decant for a bit longer next time.
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Popped and poured. Consumed with roast chicken. This is settling into a really nice place. Nose of black cherry, sour cherry, cranberry, and Asian spice. On the palate, rich but not dense, with black raspberry, sour cherry, bing cherry, and spice. Balanced finish without the heat that I pick up from most SS wines.
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This is really good. Nice aroma of sweet cherries and strawberry infused whipping cream. The bouquet yields a hint of vanilla bean and a whiff of toasted almonds. Very pleasant initial burst of strawberry, followed by a lingering mellow punch of Mt. Rainier sour cherry and an acidic dollop of thanksgiving cranberry sauce finished with a generous helping of orange zest (California not Florida oranges).
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Have to confess I'm a bit disappointed in this bottle and see why some people refer to Sea Smoke as a syrah. This was not Pinot-like, but it was big and full bodied... Perhaps this bottle was heat damaged - that's what I'm going to tell myself so when I pull the next bottle, I will still hope to find a lovely Pinot Noir.
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Finally popped one of these after sitting on it for the past 4 years. Fantastic. Just starting to emerge from it's shell. Great nose of black cherry with a touch of prune and cola. Super velvety on the palate from start to finish with excellent balance. One of the better Sea Smoke wines that I've had. It seems that about 5 years from vintage date works very well for this wine.
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Popped, tasted, recorked and taken to BYOB. Bright, tart cherries upon first opening. After thirty minutes travel and thirty minutes open time, some heavier earthy notes emerged and it really came into tasty balance.
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2 hour decant. It was singing. Big bursts of bright fruit, with nice tannins. No need to wait on this in my opinion. Christmas Eve wine and it was perfect
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Opened 3 hours prior to consumption. Great bottle of wine with Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of cherry cola, spice and flowers. Tastes great and has a level of sophistication that I don't find in some other Cali PN's. If scoring 93-95.
Popped and poured, but notes as of about 3 hours after opening. Tannins are in-check, and on the palate there is cherry (though not the bright bing cherry sweetness of more acidic Pinots) and plum. The finish leaves with cranberry and vanilla. This bottle seems to have a softness I don't always recall in previous Tens.
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I opened the wine and begin drinking after 15 minutes in the glass. I would recommend letting this bottle decant for at least an hour. Big strawberry nose. Midpalate was extremely balanced and minimally complex with earth, raspberry, strawberry and slight sweet, almost molasses notes on finish. Good but not over impressed.
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Consumed with roast chicken. This is in a good place right now. Nose of black cherry, black raspberry, pie cherry, rhubarb, spice, brown sugar, cola, cranberry. On the palate black cherry, pie cherry, spice, rhubarb, cherry cola. Nice long finish.
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Checking in with this. Popped and poured. Nose of black raspberry, pie cherry, brown sugar, cola, cranberry, vanilla. On the palate, black cherry, brown sugar, cherry cola, cranberry, spice. Nice sappy transition to a balanced finish with nice grip. Does show its alcohol as it approaches room temperature. Drink with a short decant or continue to hold.
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Dark garnet purple colour. Nose of spice box and blue fruits. Big palate of blue fruits, some red fruit, baking spice and initially some chocolate but it settled down with air. Plenty of oak still, big mouthfeel. Medium finish and surprisingly good acidity with the size of everything else.
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Too soon - this is still bluish, strong, and tannic. Recommend cellaring another 2 years minimum. Fascinating, next to the 2008 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard last night; the Foxen is mature and ready to drink, but the Ten showed knotted/backward by comparison. Decanting might have helped, but we were too busy with turkey/etc to go through the ritual.
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Red in color. Scents of plum, black cherry and a little oak. Tastes of plum, black cherry and a little bit of spice, with structure and grip on the palate.
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Decanted for four hours to let it breathe. Very nuanced (doesn't hit you over the head), but I really liked it. Served it as the third wine of the day with Thanksgiving turkey and all the accompaniments. Others at dinner had lower ratings (one 84-86), another 92-93. But to me, it's 94.
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Brief notes from vacation. Pop and pour. Strong pinot aromatics right out of the bottle, very nice. Smooth texture, slight bit of barnyard funk, overtaken by cherries, nutmeg, vanilla, and a subtle minerality keeping things in balance. Nice wine.
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tasted non blind with 08 PM moulin rouge and sqn covert fingers. really took on weight in the glass. kind of funky upon first pour and sniff. after 10 minutes or so, really nice fruit on the nnose. cherry, red berries and a little black berry as well. nice rich spicy nose and palate. thicker fruit and mouthfeel than the pm. nice cola and vanilla on the back palate. great acidity and structure to last a while. finish was well integrated and lingered some.
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Drank two at our dinner party with 8 people. Everyone loved this wine. Deep red color, fruity nose with slight barnyard. Fruit forward complex wine. decanted half an hour.
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A smooth elegant wine that will last for years. The nice nose prepared me for what was to come. I was going to bring an 06, but was told it wasn't ready. Glad I brought the 08. It was much anticipated by several dinner attendees. Decanted 60 minutes before drinking. Dinner at Tribeca Grill with Flyertalkers.
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Checking in with this to see how they are developing. This is a monster of a pinot. Big nose, black cherry, spice, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, cranberry, rhubarb. On the palate, pie cherry, spice cola, vanilla, cranberry. Finishes with big time acidity and sturdy tannins. Lots going on here, big time upside for this wine, check back in 3+ years.
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Monster pinot and hard to evaluate at this time. Decanted 2 hours. On the nose, charred oak and black raspberry. IN the mouth, silky feel with some underlying tannin. This has all the ingredients to be a wonderful wine, but needs more time to come together for me. I'd like to try this again in 5-7 years.
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Outstanding+ Nose just jumps out at you with spices, strawberry and cranberry. On the palate the same appears along with a beautiful floral component. The nice long finish brings with it a good touch of cocoa, anise and dusty tannins. This wine is drinking so well right now, but it may be a bit to fresh and lively for some and will most definitely benefit from a few years sideways.
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3/5/2023 - mdgberg wrote: flawed
Corked, unfortunately.
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12/23/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pure Magic! Wonderful aromas of black cherry and currants with lively black cherry, spice, and cedar notes on the velvety palate and long finish. Classic Sea Smoke!
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5/16/2022 - bdhanna Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is truly special !! At Peak !!
The cork was dry after over a decade in the bottle, but easily removed. This is a balanced Pinot Noir that I consumed at dinner with friends. Deep ruby color with no oxidation, clarity medium. Aromas of pomegranate and rose hips, flavors of red fruit compote, rhubarb, and marine soil with a pleasant medium to long finish. Popped and poured, this wine really benefited from gentle oxygen since it was much more soft and integrated after an hour. Great fruit with firm acidity made into a very balanced Pinot Noir from the ten best barrels from the Seasmoke Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County by the cool Pacific Ocean along the San Ynez River canyon. Great winemaking making this Pinot Noir is an age worthy wine and has many more years of life left. I have no more bottles of this vintage remaining in my cellar.
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9/12/2021 - Dave Tortorello Likes this wine: 97 Points
Awesome
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4/24/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aromas of black cherry and currants with wonderful black cherry, earth and hint of cedar on the smooth palate and long finish. Aging beautifully!
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4/9/2021 - RedorDead Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still good fruit!
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8/5/2020 - MarkLA wrote: 92 Points
Mixed red berry liqeur, prunes, green tea, eucalyptus, leather, flowers, and earth. Full bodied and sweet with black tea and raspberries on the finish. The acidity was a bit off key at first, but it comes into better balance after a few hours. Still very Sea Smoke, so it might not be for everyone. Drink now to 2024+
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5/24/2020 - Krrussum wrote:
Jddgh
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5/17/2020 - Terroirterrier Likes this wine:
Really nice complex blended fruit, probably should have drunk a bit sooner though.
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12/10/2019 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 92 Points
11 years and going strong. Its still full but it has excellent balance between the ripe fruit and spices. Med. body and good length on the finish.
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2/22/2019 - dgcberman wrote: 88 Points
Extremely disappointing. Full of fruit, oak, and not much else.
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11/3/2018 - pjhr wrote: flawed
Off bottle! Maderized fruit notes.
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11/2/2018 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! Absolutely terrific and drinking in an ideal spot for my palate. We took it to a favorite restaurant last night to share with two other wine geeks and everyone was blown away! My favorite central coast Pinot in recent memory.
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9/10/2018 - cookiefiend wrote:
Hrmmm - should have drank this a couple years ago. It's lost it's acid and is a bit flabby. Only showing dark heavy red fruit.
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9/7/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Classic Sea Smoke! Wow, absolutely delicious!
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5/3/2018 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Rich dark sweet cherry with plum and big Long finish
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4/14/2018 - Deadhead wrote: 93 Points
Damn tasty! No notes.
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3/4/2018 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Strawberries, raspberries and cherries well integrated in the glass. Finish with a hint of sweetness and cola.
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11/25/2017 - MJMorris55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Muted nose when initially opened...hints of grape, cedar, smoke and herbs. Nice rich dark purple color. Wine opened up with about 15minutes, very rich, full bodied, dark fruit, ripe plums, tobacco flavors. Last bottle...sorry to see it go!
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10/14/2017 - MJMorris55 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, floral nose, nice deep color, no brick, earthy, integrated and flavors of raspberry, black cherry. Not going to improve with additional aging.
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8/19/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aromas of black cherry and currants with wonderful black cherry, earth and cedar on the smooth palate and long finish. Drinking beautifully!
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6/25/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big rich lush pinot with chocolate covered cherries and big mouthfeel and long long finish
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5/31/2017 - VlgJeff wrote: 89 Points
PnP, but could have used a short decant. Dark red fruits and a bit of cola on the nose. These followed through on the medium+ palate and were slightly over-balanced with solid acidity. The fruit is definitely fading compared to a bottle opened in '14. Drink up sooner.
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5/3/2017 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 94 Points
PNP- Big smiles on the first sip. This is much more open and expressive than the previous bottle right out of the gate. Nose of dried cherries covered in unsweetened chocolate. Tart bing cherry flavor with cola finish. Nice refreshing acid. Big but balanced.
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4/17/2017 - ScottPreston wrote: 94 Points
This wine was really on point. Solid bing cherry notes dominate. Still holding up well, but i would drink now, as i don't see this getting any better. Not worth the wait and catch it in decline. Enjoyed with a steak and it held up to the food. Doesn't have the elegance of a burgundy but also not overly ripe fruit like most california Pinots.
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4/13/2017 - Vinomnivore wrote: 92 Points
Big, full bodied, Pinot. Very soft tannins at this point. Fruit and acid are in balance. Black Cherry, root (like root beer/cola?), hint of vanilla, earth/clay. I am not sure this improves much further.
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3/22/2017 - Topper wrote: 91 Points
My last bottle. While still excellent - deep - rich - sour cherry - lots of structure etc, it might be just starting its decline with a little less fruit to hold up to the rest of the business. I'd drink these up reasonably soon.
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3/10/2017 - nrickman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still drinking wonderfully. I do not think it will improve anymore however. Drink it if you got it.
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12/15/2016 - MC3 wrote:
Excellent. Drinking perfectly
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3/27/2016 - ebunderson Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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2/13/2016 - kgh wrote: 93 Points
Very rich and smooth, with cherry, raspberry, and mocha notes. This is definitely near peak.
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1/1/2016 - ARiverofPisoni Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened the bottle for about 45 min before pouring, everyone loved this one. Everything in balance, and a great example of what you're looking for in a CA pinot. Lots of fruit but not jammy, structured but not too tannic, no overt heat/alcohol. Really enjoyable.
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1/1/2016 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Big nose of black cherry, pie cherry, black raspberry, spice, and tea. On the palate, lush with black cherry, raspberry, pie cherry, spice, orange tea. Long finish with nice balance. Drink or continue to hold. Lots of life left here.
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11/25/2015 - drwinenut Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is not a strawberry jam wine nor is it Southing. Big with complex integrated flavors. It is a reminder that CA pinots do benefit from a little age. Good acidity, just plain tasted good!
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9/14/2015 - kgh wrote: 90 Points
Although somewhat closed initially, with time it showed very nice dark cherry, chocolate, and spice notes with a hint of tobacco. Only one glass left the next day, but it was even better.
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8/23/2015 - MLwine wrote: 89 Points
It was non-descript. It's a fine wine, but nothing made me stand up and take note of the wine. Everything (fruit, nose, finish) was somewhat muted, and not in an Old World, complex way, just a little short of what one might hope for from a generally superior pinot. Perhaps it will gain something with some air or some time. But out of the bottle, fine but not more than fine.
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5/15/2015 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding Pinot Noir; this is drinking very well right now but could still sit for another year or two. Great finish! We decanted this wine for 45 minutes and paired it with elk tenderloin.
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5/2/2015 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full disclosure - I am a bigger fan of Sea Smokes Southing than I am 10. I usually find the 10 to be a bit hot and heavy on the alcohol. In retrospect, I likely have been drinking 10 too early. This was delicious. Full bodied, polished, full of ripe cherry and strawberry, balanced by earthy, smoky flavors. This pretty much overwhelmed the 2011 Freestone Pinot that preceded it. An elegant complement to a charcuterie tray to start the evening event.
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5/2/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
A lot of Pinot Noirs (My backyard): I liked this much more than the Botella. This is very big and pumped up but it also has balance. Lots of cherry fruit on the nose, some vanilla. Great lush texture. Juicy acidity. Cherries and dark cherry fruit on the palate. Long finish. Delicious.
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4/11/2015 - mavericks wrote:
W/ family and posse at kwood. Fantastic wide fresh strawberry and raspberry fresh and light
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4/6/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened for an hour. Dark ruby color. Nose of dark berries. Medium bodied, enjoyable taste of blackberry/blueberry. Fruit is slightly diminished but still enjoyable. Nice finish. Wouldn't wait too much longer to drink these.
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2/26/2015 - WestJohnson wrote: flawed
Corked...
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2/25/2015 - brianngibson wrote:
Balanced cherry, cassis, and light oak. Soft tannins. Medium length finish witha hint of vanilla.
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2/18/2015 - lepetitchateau wrote: 78 Points
Sickly sweet, clumsy oak, massively over-ripe and without redeeming quality. Grim.
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2/5/2015 - King Cab wrote: 96 Points
Dark but color is not there story. A super perfumed quality of soft spring flowers, rose petals, plush red and black fruits and cardamom, but that's not the story here; the story here is how this drinks and it drinks swimmingly!!
The softest most lilty red fruits of cherries and wild red raspberries with a hint of cassis and framboise, this shows the most amazing balance I have ever experienced in any Pinot I have had. THIS wine shows breed and class with a strong dose of presence. Long and full finish, tannins fully resolved and glossy. Everyone at the table was wowed by this one. In trying be come up with a single word to describe this wine, ethereal is all I can really think of. Also, there are two things I can admit to: I know this note is more filled with lofty adjectives, but this wine deserves every one of them. I also realize that my score is higher than some might think it actually warrants, but they were not there with us. It wowed bigtime.
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12/31/2014 - PVJC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious. Decanted 1 hour. Balanced, well integrated, and silky smooth as another reviewer said. A robust pinot but not overdone. Could have kept drinking this very happily if we'd had another bottle.
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12/4/2014 - gtonn wrote: 87 Points
not sure this wine is made for the long haul.
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11/27/2014 - dontime wrote:
Stunning. If scoring 94-96.
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11/8/2014 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour
Smokey wood, strawberry, black cherry, hint of like a citrus peel and hand cream on the nose. Medium acid, light weight. Nice flavors good 10 sec finish, black cherry velvety red currant, strawberry, a bit of wood flavors. Overall nice wine.
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10/6/2014 - lab_rat wrote: 95 Points
Silky smooth with a sinewy body and a beautiful contour start to finish. Sea Smoke can be overly robust. Not tonight.
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10/3/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
No decant.
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9/16/2014 - sweensomm wrote: 94 Points
Had this for my 30th birthday, and still remembering the experience.
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7/31/2014 - Scruff Likes this wine:
Simple amazing wine. Needs a little open time and it will becomes extremely silky smooth. It is drinking perfectly now.
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7/27/2014 - agrulich21 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank my second bottle of this wine, only this time I decanted for 3 plus hours. All I can say is WOW. What a beautiful pinot. Smooth as silk, this coats your entire palate with a wonderful taste of cherries, spices, cola, and blackberry. Tasted a hint mocha later on. This is a wine that has good complexity and keeps you coming back for more. Bravo, well done!
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6/5/2014 - PVJC Likes this wine:
Drinking well but definitely needed decanting to really open up. We took it out to a restaurant and it would have been better at home with a longer decant.
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5/30/2014 - agrulich21 wrote: 92 Points
A fine Pinot, with flavors of cola and black cherry dominating. Complex wine. Decanted for an hour, but really opened up after 2 hours. Will decant for a bit longer next time.
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5/4/2014 - joannlevey wrote:
a perfect bottle of wine from start to finish - didn't need any decanting - smooth and beautiful
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12/23/2013 - potates wrote:
needs 3 hours decanting (as of 10/2013)
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11/17/2013 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great color with rich cherry, wonderful balance and lush mouthfeel
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11/16/2013 - bcmatthias wrote: 93 Points
Dark cherry, a little vanilla. Just great. Enjoyed at McGraw's dinner.
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11/12/2013 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Consumed with roast chicken. This is settling into a really nice place. Nose of black cherry, sour cherry, cranberry, and Asian spice. On the palate, rich but not dense, with black raspberry, sour cherry, bing cherry, and spice. Balanced finish without the heat that I pick up from most SS wines.
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11/10/2013 - gmmilani Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful Pinot. Sea Smoke is one of my favorites. Great depth with cherry flavors and a long finish.
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11/9/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is really good. Nice aroma of sweet cherries and strawberry infused whipping cream. The bouquet yields a hint of vanilla bean and a whiff of toasted almonds. Very pleasant initial burst of strawberry, followed by a lingering mellow punch of Mt. Rainier sour cherry and an acidic dollop of thanksgiving cranberry sauce finished with a generous helping of orange zest (California not Florida oranges).
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10/13/2013 - gschneider wrote: 94 Points
As good as pinot gets
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10/11/2013 - brianofthevine wrote: 91 Points
Wild berry, plum, and cola notes. Good acidity and balance, nice finish.
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9/13/2013 - Tom Warden wrote: 91 Points
Spicy, cedary nose...a bit of spice and cherry in the mouth. Slightly dry and savory on the finish.
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9/6/2013 - bh4buffs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another excellent representation of California Pinot Noir. Had enough body to pair nicely with filet mignon.
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9/1/2013 - DSZ51 wrote:
I have been waiting to open listening after to all previous comments to wait. I am glad I did, this was fantastic. Thanks for the advice.
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8/24/2013 - JayAAllen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Any rough edges are gone. This is ready to drink.
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8/19/2013 - cookiefiend wrote:
Have to confess I'm a bit disappointed in this bottle and see why some people refer to Sea Smoke as a syrah. This was not Pinot-like, but it was big and full bodied... Perhaps this bottle was heat damaged - that's what I'm going to tell myself so when I pull the next bottle, I will still hope to find a lovely Pinot Noir.
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7/22/2013 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
Medium bodied, nicely balanced, very smooth mouthfeel and red fruits, QPR not so good.
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7/3/2013 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
Finally popped one of these after sitting on it for the past 4 years. Fantastic. Just starting to emerge from it's shell. Great nose of black cherry with a touch of prune and cola. Super velvety on the palate from start to finish with excellent balance. One of the better Sea Smoke wines that I've had. It seems that about 5 years from vintage date works very well for this wine.
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1/29/2013 - RedLoverJim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped, tasted, recorked and taken to BYOB. Bright, tart cherries upon first opening. After thirty minutes travel and thirty minutes open time, some heavier earthy notes emerged and it really came into tasty balance.
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1/14/2013 - RMundell Likes this wine: 93 Points
big pinot.
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12/24/2012 - pkbackman Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hour decant. It was singing. Big bursts of bright fruit, with nice tannins. No need to wait on this in my opinion. Christmas Eve wine and it was perfect
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12/22/2012 - 1997cobalt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Even better on day 2
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11/23/2012 - jonwill wrote: 93 Points
Powerful, refined and plenty of cherry with a vanilla finish. Decanted 3 hours prior to consuming.
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11/23/2012 - dontime wrote:
Opened 3 hours prior to consumption. Great bottle of wine with Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of cherry cola, spice and flowers. Tastes great and has a level of sophistication that I don't find in some other Cali PN's. If scoring 93-95.
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11/22/2012 - gmmilani Likes this wine: 92 Points
A couple of years in the cellar has really helped this wine. Full bodied with loads of fruit flavors.
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11/4/2012 - brianngibson wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured, but notes as of about 3 hours after opening. Tannins are in-check, and on the palate there is cherry (though not the bright bing cherry sweetness of more acidic Pinots) and plum. The finish leaves with cranberry and vanilla. This bottle seems to have a softness I don't always recall in previous Tens.
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11/1/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
No decant.
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8/28/2012 - LDWine wrote: 93 Points
Ron Greenspan brought to dinner @ Marina's
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7/9/2012 - Double D wrote: 91 Points
I thought this was the upgraded Sea Smoke...OK but not impressive.
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6/22/2012 - rb415 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I opened the wine and begin drinking after 15 minutes in the glass. I would recommend letting this bottle decant for at least an hour. Big strawberry nose. Midpalate was extremely balanced and minimally complex with earth, raspberry, strawberry and slight sweet, almost molasses notes on finish. Good but not over impressed.
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6/10/2012 - Eric Mitchnick wrote: 92 Points
Nice color
Legs
Berries good fruit nose short finish
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5/21/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
Consumed with roast chicken. This is in a good place right now. Nose of black cherry, black raspberry, pie cherry, rhubarb, spice, brown sugar, cola, cranberry. On the palate black cherry, pie cherry, spice, rhubarb, cherry cola. Nice long finish.
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4/23/2012 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful wine, full of exotic spice, purple fruit, deep, complex, I'm entranced, haha
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4/19/2012 - arniec wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful nose. Nice dark fruits. Very smooth. Drinking well right now.
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4/2/2012 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. Dark, rich, ready.
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3/15/2012 - xboomer wrote: 90 Points
Drank with Al at Houston's. Very good.
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2/18/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Checking in with this. Popped and poured. Nose of black raspberry, pie cherry, brown sugar, cola, cranberry, vanilla. On the palate, black cherry, brown sugar, cherry cola, cranberry, spice. Nice sappy transition to a balanced finish with nice grip. Does show its alcohol as it approaches room temperature. Drink with a short decant or continue to hold.
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2/3/2012 - arniec wrote: 92 Points
Nice dark color. Still a bit young. Some tanins on the finish. Nice fruit, well integrated. Not tasting hot.
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1/18/2012 - kultcha wrote:
Dark garnet purple colour. Nose of spice box and blue fruits. Big palate of blue fruits, some red fruit, baking spice and initially some chocolate but it settled down with air. Plenty of oak still, big mouthfeel. Medium finish and surprisingly good acidity with the size of everything else.
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1/11/2012 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
Fruity and full bodied, but maybe not quite ready. Could use a little time to smooth out the tannins perhaps.
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12/25/2011 - Capybara562 wrote: 93 Points
Too soon - this is still bluish, strong, and tannic. Recommend cellaring another 2 years minimum. Fascinating, next to the 2008 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard last night; the Foxen is mature and ready to drink, but the Ten showed knotted/backward by comparison. Decanting might have helped, but we were too busy with turkey/etc to go through the ritual.
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12/23/2011 - gullsnest wrote: 95 Points
WOW! Ready now, smooth and delicious! One of my best PN experiences.
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12/18/2011 - dase13 wrote: 92 Points
Red in color. Scents of plum, black cherry and a little oak. Tastes of plum, black cherry and a little bit of spice, with structure and grip on the palate.
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12/6/2011 - PinotMaster wrote: 94 Points
Fruitful, big berry Pinot. Smooth and ready to drink.
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11/24/2011 - kleinahoe wrote: 95 Points
An absolute home run of a wine. Allowed to open for 60 minutes before using Vinturi. Lush, perfect fruit.
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11/24/2011 - aafflyer wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for four hours to let it breathe. Very nuanced (doesn't hit you over the head), but I really liked it. Served it as the third wine of the day with Thanksgiving turkey and all the accompaniments. Others at dinner had lower ratings (one 84-86), another 92-93. But to me, it's 94.
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11/20/2011 - Pinot Evil wrote: 87 Points
Had the 07 & 08 in mini vertical, both were disappointing and would have been so at half the cost.
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11/6/2011 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding blend of deep fruit with a full and long finish. Lots of cherry and strawberry.
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9/24/2011 - xboomer wrote: 92 Points
Everyone enjoyed this fine Pinot at Elizabeth birthday party.
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9/3/2011 - sammy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Incredible! Soft cherry nose with light ground pepper and leather aromas. Very smooth pallet with excellent flavors.
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8/27/2011 - JuliannaD wrote: 93 Points
Nice, full bodied pinot, my favorite style. Luscious cherries on the nose and pallette, smooth, silky finish. Loved it.
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7/15/2011 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Brief notes from vacation. Pop and pour. Strong pinot aromatics right out of the bottle, very nice. Smooth texture, slight bit of barnyard funk, overtaken by cherries, nutmeg, vanilla, and a subtle minerality keeping things in balance. Nice wine.
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6/24/2011 - jc-mmb wrote: 94 Points
tasted non blind with 08 PM moulin rouge and sqn covert fingers. really took on weight in the glass. kind of funky upon first pour and sniff. after 10 minutes or so, really nice fruit on the nnose. cherry, red berries and a little black berry as well. nice rich spicy nose and palate. thicker fruit and mouthfeel than the pm. nice cola and vanilla on the back palate. great acidity and structure to last a while. finish was well integrated and lingered some.
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6/20/2011 - wpd wrote:
Drank two at our dinner party with 8 people. Everyone loved this wine. Deep red color, fruity nose with slight barnyard. Fruit forward complex wine. decanted half an hour.
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6/8/2011 - dhammer53 wrote: 92 Points
A smooth elegant wine that will last for years. The nice nose prepared me for what was to come. I was going to bring an 06, but was told it wasn't ready. Glad I brought the 08. It was much anticipated by several dinner attendees. Decanted 60 minutes before drinking.
Dinner at Tribeca Grill with Flyertalkers.
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5/30/2011 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK WW Priorat at CMax.
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3/19/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Checking in with this to see how they are developing. This is a monster of a pinot. Big nose, black cherry, spice, cola, brown sugar, vanilla, cranberry, rhubarb. On the palate, pie cherry, spice cola, vanilla, cranberry. Finishes with big time acidity and sturdy tannins. Lots going on here, big time upside for this wine, check back in 3+ years.
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2/19/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 90 Points
Monster pinot and hard to evaluate at this time. Decanted 2 hours. On the nose, charred oak and black raspberry. IN the mouth, silky feel with some underlying tannin. This has all the ingredients to be a wonderful wine, but needs more time to come together for me. I'd like to try this again in 5-7 years.
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2/12/2011 - cabdrinker wrote:
Outstanding+
Nose just jumps out at you with spices, strawberry and cranberry. On the palate the same appears along with a beautiful floral component. The nice long finish brings with it a good touch of cocoa, anise and dusty tannins. This wine is drinking so well right now, but it may be a bit to fresh and lively for some and will most definitely benefit from a few years sideways.
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