Oldest Freestone I have left, and the best it has ever tasted. Dark, dense, powerful, rich, seamless, well structured, and delicious, with zero deterioration from being a decade old. A tribute to the world class and ageworthy Pinot Noirs from the cool Pacific Coast region of California.
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Freestone is a blend from Sonoma Coast vineyards also bottled separately. Not quite black, but very dark ruby. Smells like black cherry and violets. Comes into the mouth with additional pomegranate, very bright acidity, and firm and drying tannin. Has the greatest concentration of any Freestone after the 2008 vintage, with more delicious fruit, higher acidity, firmer tannin, and the longest aftertaste. I emphatically did not buy enough of the 2008.
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Surprisingly nice wine. Lots of fruit (blackberry, raspberry, cherry), menthol, forest floor, spice, floral on the nose and palate. Very rich and full-bodied. Some noticeable tannins. Very well-balanced.
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Lots of cherry and green apple on the nose and on the initial attack. Noticeable oak. Sharp acid on the midpalate. Generally a little rough around the edges and w/o the polish and smoothness one might expect at this price point.
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A big fruit nose. Nothing subtle here. Fruit forward on the palate. Again not much complexity or terroir coming through. First tasted at Phelps a year ago and remember this as more earthy then.
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(Freestone (Joseph Phelps) Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast) Dark ruby color; floral, peony nose; peony, reduction, tart red fruit palate with medium-plus acidity; medium-plus finish
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3/2/2018 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
Oldest Freestone I have left, and the best it has ever tasted. Dark, dense, powerful, rich, seamless, well structured, and delicious, with zero deterioration from being a decade old. A tribute to the world class and ageworthy Pinot Noirs from the cool Pacific Coast region of California.
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9/19/2015 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
Freestone is a blend from Sonoma Coast vineyards also bottled separately. Not quite black, but very dark ruby. Smells like black cherry and violets. Comes into the mouth with additional pomegranate, very bright acidity, and firm and drying tannin. Has the greatest concentration of any Freestone after the 2008 vintage, with more delicious fruit, higher acidity, firmer tannin, and the longest aftertaste. I emphatically did not buy enough of the 2008.
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10/3/2014 - budh wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly nice wine. Lots of fruit (blackberry, raspberry, cherry), menthol, forest floor, spice, floral on the nose and palate. Very rich and full-bodied. Some noticeable tannins. Very well-balanced.
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1/25/2013 - theronware wrote: 87 Points
Lots of cherry and green apple on the nose and on the initial attack. Noticeable oak. Sharp acid on the midpalate. Generally a little rough around the edges and w/o the polish and smoothness one might expect at this price point.
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11/9/2012 - maw246 wrote: 89 Points
A big fruit nose. Nothing subtle here. Fruit forward on the palate. Again not much complexity or terroir coming through. First tasted at Phelps a year ago and remember this as more earthy then.
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