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| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.2 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 16 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by AB16 on 6/13/2021 & rated 82 points: Sour cherry gone bad. Very sad (305 views) | | | Tasted by bklynwine on 10/3/2019: Every bit as good as last bottle nearly 4 years ago, maybe better; cool and foresty and savory like top-notch burgundy; featherweight with crisp acidity (527 views) | | | Tasted by bklynwine on 1/25/2016: Equal parts cranberry and pomegranate and cinnamon and tea and gray pebbles and black peppercorn; seamless alcohol (12.7%) and acidity; a confidently made wine not afraid to show its sense of place; but a bit disjointed on day two (1229 views) | | | Tasted by silton on 11/27/2014 & rated 92 points: Drank along with a Big Basin 08 Woodruff, double-blind to most of the group except me. The Wind Gap took time to come around; the first pour was not totally closed down but flatter boring compared to the fruitier and livelier Big Basin. Later, it emerged as a more complex and satisfying if less showy wine with a long, gorgeous finish right on the edge of savory. I found this rendition more complementary with food. More stems, less oak here compared to the Big Basin, quite a dramatic comparison between 2 wines made from the same source, with neither wine hitting my happy medium at the moment. This bottle is far superior to one from 2012 but still somewhat reticent and fussy. If I had another I would hold 2-4 years. (1563 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 11/5/2014 & rated 91 points: Showing well. No oak issues (628 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 1/24/2014 & rated 93 points: Delicious tart red cherries, spice, and a hint of stems on the nose and silky palate with refreshing acidity and finish. Still very youthful and should drink well for years! (1679 views) | | | Tasted by jnanz on 4/9/2013: Absolutely outstanding pinot. Even better than the last tim eI had this. Stunning nose of red fruit, earth and flowers - a tiny bit of earthy funk. Pretty ruby / garnet color with only the smallest bit of bricking. Delicate with great acidity, good spice and pretty fruit. Spiced cranberries, cherries and pomegranate with earhty notes, some flowers, stem and tea undertones. The midpalate has filled out leaving a complete wine. Silky texture without weight. Long finish with spiced fruit and earth notes. The best 2008 CA Pinot Noir I've had to date. (2377 views) | | | Tasted by silton on 9/26/2012 & rated 89 points: A shy nose and shortish length detracted from an otherwise terrific food friendly middleweight on day 1 with light earth, balanced red fruits, and a profile unlike most any Pinot in my experience, more about texture, context, and potential than danceworthy stuff in the glass. Day 2 & without food, the structure is showing more teeth, the nose is more open, and the wine comes across as more burly, less refined overall. Not sure about this one but definitely not a QPR for the drinking pleasure right now. (2320 views) | | | Tasted by alanr on 4/10/2011 & rated 89 points: TN: California Pinot "In Pursuit of Balance" tasting (RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco): Compared to the 09, this is a bit lighter and sweeter, with dark cherry, medium acidity, some green olive from the whole cluster. (3458 views) | | | Tasted by jnanz on 3/27/2011: Outstanding pinot. I really enjoyed this. Very pretty nose. Very delicate and light with great acidity, good spice and pretty fruit. Spiced cranberries and pomegranate. Initially the wine almost seemed thin or hollow, but it put on substantial weight with air, adding depth to the midpalate. Already silky in texture. A great food wine, I really like what Pax has done with this bottling. (2487 views) | | | Tasted by FLI on 3/7/2011 & rated 89 points: I love that Pax is doing Pinot like this - spare, light on the palate, with a slight zing of acidity and tartness. It actually tastes and drinks a bit like an old world pinot noir (unlike some other Cali Pinots that drink like Zins). I wish I could give it a higher score, but I found it lacked some of the earth and tannic structure that would move it up into the 90s. Still, a very nice wine. Wish it weren't so expensive - QPR is middling at best. I plan on letting my remaining two bottles sit for a couple years and see what develops. (1651 views) | | | Tasted by j45 on 3/7/2011: What a beautiful color and nose! Brilliant garnet with suggestions of pomegranate, red raspberry and earth. In body and aromatic complexity, this reminds me of a Jacky Truchot burgundy. Nice tangy red fruit palate with some earth, but the finish comes up a bit short. Hope this wine gains follow through with some bottle age. (2247 views) | | | Tasted by Outplaying on 1/16/2011: I am a big fan of what Pax is doing at Wind Gap but this bottle was the first we have had that was disappointing. For our tastes, this was, as Deb293 and Mr. Murray said, a little lean/austere. The aromas were fairly nice and it had a pretty, lighter color. Tart red fruits and quite a bit of acidity. Better with food than for just quaffing. I prefer the Gaps Crown bottling. (1652 views) | | | Tasted by Deb293 on 1/13/2011 & rated 89 points: A bit austere and light bodied. Not a fan. (1687 views) | | | Tasted by Frank Murray III on 4/24/2010: We poured this @ Falltacular and I tasted it then but did not get the chance to sit with the wine and think about it like I did tasting it this time. Cherry, herb, with a leaner styled mid palate. Juicy with some watermelon and lean strawberry. (1880 views) |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Wind Gap Pinot Noir Woodruff Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Wind Gap Wineshttp://www.windgapwines.com/'> Producer website
Website "Website currently on hold" as of 20191117.
Likely due to sale.
Archives can be found at
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.windgapwines.com/Pinot Noir 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, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains 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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