2012 Wren Hop Pinot Noir Royalty in Exile

Community Tasting Notes (29) Avg Score: 93.9 points

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  7/31/2022 - Winokdub wrote: 94 Points

  This was an amazing wine from a magnum. At first pour it hit a tad sweet and not much depth. After an hour it was beautiful fruit with layers of complexity and nice weight. Great finish.

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  7/19/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Prior bottle was eight months ago and while the wine showed well, it was a small step down from my prior bottle in November 2020. Black and red cherry, red raspberry, light spices and floral notes on the nose. Still between medium and full bodied with red cherry and red raspberry the dominant fruit notes upfront and through the middle. There are still some black cherry notes behind, but the wine seems to have lost some of its blackfruit complexity as well as its mid-body density. Taking into account that it was served in Summer rather than Winter, the lack of blackfruit qualities was noticeable. Tart red cherry and light spice notes on the back along with fine grained tannins provide structure. The fruit through the middle shows very good clarity of flavor and the transition from mid-body to finish shows very good balance. Should be able to hold up well for at least another year, but I would drink these on the earlier side as the things that made my first bottle special are starting to fade slightly. It's only a small step down for now, but will become more noticeable. Drink and enjoy.

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  4/5/2021 - DawgByte Likes this wine: 96 Points

  If you're in the mood for a hedonistic California Pinot Noir then look no further than Royalty In Exile. This is a bold, expressive and full bodied Pinot that is not over-the-top by any means. This is a complex and intriguing offering that will have you continuously tilting the glass for another waft of black cherry, black raspberry, smoked plum, floral and woodsy/spicy notes. This full bodied wine delivers on the palate with black raspberry, black cherry, mulberry, plum, with beautiful earthy and baking spices notes on the mid-palate and finish. There's excellent integration and balance that pairs well with food.
  
  This is a California classic.

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  11/22/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Prior bottle was two and a third years ago and this wine continues show extremely well. Black cherry, black raspberry, floral and spice notes on the nose. Between medium and full bodied with black raspberry and black cherry the dominant notes both upfront and through the middle with red cherry and red raspberry highlights/hints. Adds some darker plum on the backside along with tart black cherry. Excellent integration between the mid-body and finish where minerals, spices and earth provide length. The fruit continues to show very well, with enough contrast from the tannins, acidity and tart notes to give it good definition. Very pleased with how this wine has evolved and I'll open my next bottle in June/July 2021.

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  8/7/2020 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 94 Points

  From magnum. Going strong. Still has the characteristic exuberance. Give it 30m air for the nose to appear.

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