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2005 McHenry Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard |
| Vintage | 2005 |  Label 1 of 4   | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | McHenry Vineyard (web) | ||
| Variety | Pinot Noir | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | Estate Vineyard | ||
| Country | USA | ||
| Region | California | ||
| SubRegion | San Francisco Bay | ||
| Appellation | Santa Cruz Mountains |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 53 notes) | |
| Tasted by meatman on 7/9/2010 & rated 92 points: Not much else to add. Very good PN with great fruit intensity, complexity and elegance. Perfect acidity to match with food. Great QPR. (242 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 6/14/2010 & rated 93 points: Popped and poured. Medium ruby with slight bricking. Pronounced aromas of spicy red fruits, dill, thai basil & other herbs, forest floor, deciduous tree, and a touch of something exotically spicy (incense?). Medium body. On the palate, the fruit is a bit more pronounced, with hints of raspberry, under-ripened strawberry, and a hint of spicy cherry. The fruit is complimented nicely by notes of decaying leaves and a subtle hint of oak. Tannins are virtually non-existent on the moderate finish. Should continue to drink well for another 3-5 years, maybe longer (never easy to tall with wines like this which are truly idiosyncratic). (379 views) | |
| Tasted by gasman on 5/15/2010 & rated 92 points: (364 views) | |
| Tasted by Decaturwinedude on 4/11/2010 & rated 90 points: Smoky, dark cherry nose. Full of pomegranate and cranberry fruit with earthy, soft clean flavors. Slight bit of heat the permeates the backside, but otherwise quite fine again. Acid spine that dances on the palate with precision and poise. Yay for Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot! (515 views) | |
| Tasted by Merzbow on 3/19/2010 & rated 94 points: This is still a magic elixir. Sappy, classy, a touch of pine, killer mouthfeel, mountain fruit, and a long long finish. Not even the remotest hit that this may be aging yet. I look forward to enjoying a bottle of this per year for the next 13 years. It's too bad the 2006 of this was so disappointing. I'm hoping the 2007 is a return to glory. If they can consistently produce juice like this at this price point, they should dominate the world. (586 views) | |
| Tasted by WST on 2/14/2010 & rated 92 points: Very nice and intriguing wine. Pure pinot nose with red fruit, sour cherry and strawberry. Quite youthful, clean and balanced. Very impressive and enjoyable. (672 views) | |
| Tasted by tourette on 11/26/2009 & rated 92 points: Perfect companion to Thanksgiving dinner. Light, feminine and complex. Mushrooms, cherries, and forest floor. Soft and nuanced tannins. Much better than it was a year ago as well. Too bad this was my last of the 2005. I gotta learn some discipline. (993 views) | |
| Tasted by mshivers on 11/10/2009 & rated 91 points: (999 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 10/10/2009 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured to celebrate arrival of the recently released 2006 McHenry Pinot Noir. No formal notes but delicious as always...seriously enjoyable, I can't think of any Pinot Noir or Vin de Bourgogne priced similarly that is of such high quality. (1349 views) | |
| Tasted by JFish on 9/10/2009: Same as it ever was (which is really good) but the midpalate seems to have expanded a bit in this bottle. Sour cherry and cranberry, earth/pine and a acidity that keeps the wine bouncing on the back of the tongue for a nice, long time. QPR of the year for me. (1513 views) | |
| Tasted by Blue Shorts on 8/22/2009 & rated 93 points: 50+5+13+17+8 All I can say is "WOW". The aroma from this wine is so nice that I didn't even want to drink the wine at first. It was a full 30 minutes before I tasted it and the tast was also wonderful. Nose of cherries, strawberries, earth and wildflowers. Medium mouthfeel. Good acid and tannins. Flavors of cherries and rasberries mixed with earthy tastes of mushrooms. A fantastic wine. I had a chance to meeting the McHenrys and they are wonderful people. You can almost taste the love and joy in their wines. (1536 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 8/8/2009 & rated 92 points: Consistent with prior notes. Simply outstanding, mountain-grown Pinot Noir. (1589 views) | |
| Tasted by mshivers on 8/8/2009 & rated 91 points: (1383 views) | |
| Tasted by Decaturwinedude on 8/6/2009 & rated 91 points: Another very good showing. Smoky nose, simmering stock too. Red cherry that is soft and precise. Nothing gets in the way. No heat or obtrusive sappy fruit. Just clean and pure. Very nice with food. Excellent. (1617 views) | |
| Tasted by Decaturwinedude on 7/3/2009 & rated 90 points: Smoky, dark cherry nose. Mushroom, pine, dark cherry palate. Just swells with earthy fruit and soft clean flavors. Really nice again. Dances on the palate with precision and poise. (1781 views) | |
| Tasted by JFish on 6/25/2009: Consistent with prior note. (1840 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 6/11/2009 & rated 93 points: Popped and poured. Medium black cherry hue. Forward, fruit-driven aromas of fresh raspberry, strawberry, damp forest floor, herbs, and a faint floral note. Medium to medium-plus body, seemingly more concentrated than I remember. Really expressive on the palate...with beautiful notes of red fruits, assorted spices, a lovely herbaceous note, and minerals. Medium acidity and round tannins that are barely perceptible underneath the delicious flavors. The fruit is very persistent on the close. Tremendous value. ... As a quick personal note, I've never tasted a Pinot this good for such a modest price...I had to increase my score...this might be the Pinot QPR of the century! (1916 views) | |
| Tasted by JFish on 6/11/2009: Another bottle that is just fantastic, balanced pinot. Medium purple color. The nose has some pine and orange zest. On the palate, a very soft entry and then it expands quickly - red fruit (cherry, strawberry, cranberry) with a touch of spice that lingers for a good bit before fading. An excellent pinot and an unbelievable QPR. (1895 views) | |
| Tasted by gasman on 5/30/2009 & rated 91 points: (1637 views) | |
| Tasted by JOJ on 5/14/2009 & rated 88 points: Not as compelling as prior bottles. Pine, sap, bing cherry, and citrus/orange rind on the nose. Palate is too tart -- cranberry, orange, and spice -- and lacking complexity. Surprisingly hot for a 13.6% wine. (1959 views) | |
| Tasted by Decaturwinedude on 5/9/2009 & rated 91 points: Beautiful nose...floral, smoke, cherry. Palate is silky, packed with understated, but precise cherry, mineral, and earth tones. Finish is soft, but lasting. Helluva wine here. Seems to have some upside, too. Top notch. Screaming deal at $25! Wow. (1911 views) | |
| Tasted by dubdub on 4/27/2009 & rated 92 points: Very pretty and elegant nose of sour cherry, violets, rose petals. Well balanced, red fruit, mineral finish. Lovely. (2025 views) | |
| Tasted by yhn on 3/29/2009 & rated 93 points: Nose - heady, rustic, floral, strawberry, dark minerality, rhubarb. Brambly, truffle, black cherry, smoke, zest. Lovely. (2100 views) | |
| Tasted by Richard Jennings on 3/29/2009 & rated 92 points: Pinot Paradise 2009 (Technical Seminar and Grand Tasting) (Villa Ragusa, Campbell. California): Medium cranberry red color with clear meniscus; brett, rosehips and tart red fruit nose; tasty, refined, tart cherry, roses, rosehips and mineral palate with good structure and sweet firm tannins; medium finish 92+ pts. (2148 views) | |
| Tasted by DesMarteau on 3/24/2009 & rated 93 points: This rocks....plain and simple. integrated through like glass. Nose of faded strawberries, kiwi, rhubarb. soft, perfectly balanced fruits and flower petals with a nice smooth finish. very delicate, balanced, and refined. (2175 views) | |
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About Red Wines Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia) Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success. WineAmerica (National Association of American Wineries) | Free the Grapes! California Wines (Wine Institute of California) California is one of the most diverse wine regions in the world, with almost 100 grape varieties grown in over 100 viticultural areas, including dozens of different microclimates and soil types, as well as a very individualistic set of winemakers, many with international experience, which adds to and deepens that diversity. Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices. In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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