2018 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 90.8 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View VAGenius's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/12/2024 - VAGenius wrote: 91 Points

  Nose of cranberry, dried cherries, and wet rose petals. Quick flash of spice, dried herb notes, and crisp red plum and light cherries on the palate, flowing quickly into lightweight but still strong tannins, more dry red fruit, and clay on a long finish. Not the most complex, but a substantive, earthy California Pinot.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Sauvyfan's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/11/2024 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 87 Points

  Sour cherry, bitter. disappointing at best. (maybe an off bottle)

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View BenjaminWhiteMD's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/21/2024 - BenjaminWhiteMD Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Last Bottle purchase on a whim. Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, this vineyard is on the ocean side of the southern Santa Cruz mountains, overlooking Monterrey Bay.
  
  20 year old vines, from a clone called Mt Eden Swan 115. Fermented with natural yeasts, sees 18mo in “barrel” not specified type or new/old and bottled unfined & unfiltered.
  
  It’s pretty color, quite light and garnet, and noticeably a little cloudier than what I’m used to. Very expressive & bright nose on P&P, surprised me honestly. Lots of ripe cherry. On the palate it’s light and lively, nicely balanced structure, light on the tannins but they’re present and pleasant. Fairly linear, lots of primary flavors of cherry and raspberry, some cherry candy, maybe rose petal? The lightest touch of oak. Mouth-puckering acidity that makes you want more. You’re not going to confuse this for your Burgs, but it’s probably the best CA Pinot I’ve had so far (that number isn’t huge to be honest).
  
  It tastes like what I wish Beaujolais tasted like, if that makes sense. I don’t think this is going to get much better, drink it if you have it. I’ll give it…. 91 points? Delicious, and look forward to drinking the other two of these, and the other cuvée I got from the same maker.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View jackandjasonshouse@gmail.com's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/26/2024 - jackandjasonshouse@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Beautiful, clear ruby red color, light on the tongue and pallet. Light bodied, dry, with soft tannins…. Cherry floral notes on the nose and initial taste, medium finish with light mineral hints. I liked this wine a lot… refreshing, delicate and well balanced. Would buy again…

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View BHRH's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/26/2024 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Decanted 90 minutes - a tiny bit of granular sediment. Very sweet cherry nose with a dash of minerals and forest floor. Fairly deep, complex fruit - cherries and raspberries, finishing with a mix of sweetness and tannins. I'm thinking this needs more time to fully evolve. 91+

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.