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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2007 and 2013 (based on 46 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.2 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 15 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by floydtp on 4/27/2019 flawed bottle: Maybe one of the most corked bottles I've ever opened! (583 views) | | | Tasted by stufis on 1/3/2015 & rated 93 points: Great way to celebrate the New Year. Fruit is still quite present, holding its own vs. the oak, which I would agree with others is still a factor. Hoiwever, all in all, it's a nice balancing factor. Tannins are modest at this point, so this has become a sippin' wine as well as a wonderful meal wine. I also agree with others that this bottling has years to go. (1324 views) | | | Tasted by stufis on 5/30/2014 & rated 94 points: Perhaps the best WOE PN we have ever had...peer-ee-owed. Some bricking on the rim, the nose is still classic WOE, and a lengthy finish. Violets all over the tongue...both crushed and otherwise...tannins gone like Hitler's Wehrmacht from Stalingrad, yielding a wonderful sippin' wine, yet it is magically holding it's own at the table.
We have had many aged US PNs (i.e., 7-15 years), and this is quite the best we can recall...
Amazing that I use the terms "Wehrmacht" and "magical" in the same paragraph...heh. (1399 views) | | | Tasted by costacasa on 7/24/2012 & rated 90 points: Opens up beautifully, soft and balanced. Good fruit, moderate oak, wonderful mouthfeel. Seemed to fade noticeable after a few hours, but not much in bottle by then. Will be interesting to see how much life this wine has left. I have 1 bottle remaining. (1757 views) | | | Tasted by floydtp on 2/7/2012 & rated 92 points: Tasted non-blind at home from a split. PnP and drank over 3 hours. Very bright nose of red cherries, oak, spice and a hint of smoke. On the palate, it has more red berries and is a bit dominated by the oak. My first tasting of this wine so I can't comment on how the oak compares to earlier in its life but I would say it is far from fully integrated. Very long finish with sour cherries, spice and smoke at the very end that lingers for a full minute. A bit hot on the finish but not overwhelmingly so. Seems to have plenty of potential ahead of it. Very drinkable now but I would rather wait to see if the oak settles down some. (1660 views) | | | Tasted by Rob MacKay on 10/4/2010 & rated 93 points: Thanks to a library release from Windy Oaks, I finally get to try this wine with a little age on it. The overall fruit profile remains consistent with the recent vintages but the oak has started to integrate nicely and everything is softening up around the edges. This is a fantastic wine and it's just starting to enter it's prime drinking window. I'd say to perhaps give it just a couple more years and it'll be near perfect. This wine certainly makes me want to hold my young WO Reserve for as long as possible before digging into them. (1899 views) | | | Tasted by GSW on 7/25/2010 & rated 92 points: Still a lovely wine & consistent w prior notes. (1309 views) | | | Tasted by GSW on 12/13/2008 & rated 93 points: Another Wine Dinner at Merion (Merion GC, Ardmore, PA): Most felt this was the WOTN and it was clearly the best pairing. Pale garnet with a wonderful nose of cherry and spice. Outstanding (1884 views) | | | Tasted by GSW on 5/5/2008 & rated 92 points: Another delicious Pinot from Jim and Judy Schultze. Pale garnet, expressive nose of red fruit (esp cherry) and spice. Wonderful, lingering finish. Enjoyed by all and doing well as the years drift by. (1350 views) | | | Tasted by GalvezGuy on 1/2/2008 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured. Beautiful light garnet color with great clarity. Black cherry, brown sugar, cranberry, cinnamon, and forest floor on a great nose. Pie cherry, red raspberry, licorice and an earthly herbal component on the palate. Long finish with bright acidity. Beautiful bottle, outstanding. Gives me a better idea of how much these wines evolve in a few short years. (1455 views) | | | Tasted by ChillyWino on 12/9/2006: This one seems to have evolved since the last time I tasted. It's lighter in color, with red fruits(cherry and strawberry mostly), licorise, and some hints of evergreen. Very smooth and integrated wine. (1537 views) | | | Tasted by tanglenet on 9/5/2006: Opened not decanted. Popped it on the spur on the moment. Brick colored with some clarity on the edge. A clean, sharp nose of dried fruit and black licorice; a dry sour cherry finish. Good. Sorry it's my last one. (1717 views) | | | Tasted by cck on 8/24/2006 & rated 90 points: Strawberry color with cherry and dust coming up front. Moderate tannins leading to long finish. This didn't hold up over several hours but was tasty for first 90+ minutes. Nothing syrupy or overly extracted about this Pinot. Refreshing. (1753 views) | | | Tasted by tanglenet on 8/6/2006: Opened and decanted for approx 30 minutes. Light red colored with a tinge of rust; cherry and licorice on the nose; a tart cherry taste and dry finish. Good. (1667 views) | | | Tasted by ChillyWino on 6/4/2006 & rated 93 points: Red and Dark fruits, spice, cassis and earthy minerals. Smooth and lush wine. Great finish. (1783 views) |
| Windy Oaks Estate Producer websitePinot 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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