External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2009 and 2011 (based on 4 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.2 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 48 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Rabes05 on 10/24/2015 & rated 91 points: Opened and decanted 2 hours. Deep and dark prune color. Dried fruit, cherries and raisins on the nose. Strawberry jam and dates, licorice, finishes like toasted nuts and buttered bread. Full and round, still seems bigger and richer than Pinot noir and has not hollowed out with age. This is still the bomb despite concerns from other users that its drinking window was closing a few years back. Unfortunately my last bottle and wish I still had more of these. (2522 views) | | | Tasted by troy424 on 1/6/2013 & rated 88 points: Still showing quite well, with full fruit forward though the back is a bit thinner. Not evolving into the Burgundian earth, but still a nice bottle with taste lasting 3+ minutes on the palate. (3749 views) | | | Tasted by RJandGB on 12/30/2011 & rated 90 points: Still drinking well but we will likely drink out next two soon. Still quite rich and bold for a pinot - has the nose but the flavors are richer so if you like old world, you probalby won't care for this. But the fruits are lovely, both berries and cherries, and the oak is integrated and subtle. It is big enough to hold up to even a steak dinner and could overwhelm some tyipcal pinot pairings. But we love it. (4341 views) | | | Tasted by RJandGB on 10/23/2011 & rated 92 points: This is still drinking well. Holds to all of the prior notes. Glad we have 3 left. (4489 views) | | | Tasted by jfkwines on 4/15/2011 & rated 90 points: Same notes as in January. I find this is a perect drinking spot for JFK and I . I think this is my last one, I will look to be sure as I will drink what ever I have now! (4778 views) | | | Tasted by jfkwines on 1/12/2011: Drank very well great earthiness and smooth flavor. Wine has improved over the past nine months. Cola flavor permeates throughout with berries and slight spice. (3471 views) | | | Tasted by Tarrant on 12/26/2010 & rated 93 points: Similar notes to the bottle from just over 2 years ago, but bottle age has been very kind and this was simply fabulous - Dark, medium/full bodied with a nose of cherry, cola, spice, plum and vanilla, very well made, sour, smooth on the palate with terrific length, outstanding (93 Points). (2453 views) | | | Tasted by LesterKwong on 12/14/2010 & rated 92 points: Medium ruby red in color. Wonderfully tame, yet vibrant, nose of red fruits comprised of cherries, strawberries and raspberries along with some woodiness coming from the oak. Medium-full body with good acidity albeit a touch of heat from the 14.6% alcohol and a bit of sweetness on its lengthy finishl. Tannins are well integrated. Another fantastic Belle Glos bottling. Drink now. (1772 views) | | | Tasted by redman77 on 11/25/2010 & rated 87 points: drink up folks (2503 views) | | | Tasted by Texas Pete on 10/18/2010 & rated 87 points: Very fruity, mild tannins and a nice amount of acidity. This wine comes together nicely as a very crowd friendly pinot. (2592 views) | | | Tasted by jfkwines on 5/30/2010 & rated 88 points: Earthy with a hint of Strawberry Cola. Not the greatest, but grew on me as the bottle wore on. Drink up, these are not lasting forever, in fact they are not getting any better at all. (2693 views) | | | Tasted by mplasker on 2/25/2010 & rated 85 points: Very easy drinking pinot. Smooth, fruity and not tanic. (2925 views) | | | Tasted by cmclean on 8/22/2009 & rated 92 points: Always good, kind of wild, gritty, perfumed, good acidity. I really enjoy this wine every year. (3181 views) | | | Tasted by sonakul_t on 8/3/2009 & rated 88 points: 1st sniff and you could tell this was a new world pinot. 1st day did not show much at all, rather closed and muted. 2nd day opened up a lot more, nose opened up more with cherries and slight rose petals. more rounded, good mouthwatering cherries and a good finish. not great but not bad (3523 views) | | | Tasted by cmclean on 7/4/2009 & rated 92 points: Beautifully wild. Nice red fruit. A pleasure. Nice minerals. Glad I have another. (3319 views) | | | Tasted by vagabondtippler on 5/18/2009 & rated 88 points: Had this right after the Taylor Lane - just didn't have the finish or the flair of the taylor lane. (3464 views) | | | Tasted by wino_tim on 3/31/2009: Concentrated, rich but with a nice interplay between slightly austere, high-toned, briary notes and more lush, red cherry, and raspberry fruit flavors. Fine tannin and a bit of unchecked acidity play nicely on the palate with fruit and alcohol. (3546 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 3/13/2009 & rated 89 points: Some astringency with black fruit. (3548 views) | | | Tasted by ikkaariainen on 3/12/2009 & rated 89 points: Very good, surprisingly big, bold and concentrated young Central CA coast pinot enjoyed earlier tonight with Kim at Youssef's 242 in Hickory NC at a pharma dinner meeting. Much more so then the previous vintages this one is set up for a few years of successful additional aging and improvement, expect concurrent increases in ratings to follow maturation. Enjoyed straight out of bottle, wine did exhibit significant improvement with aeration in glass. Bold floral and nutty nose with blueberry, raspberry and pine nuts, some cedar. Primary flavors included strawberry, raspberry, undertone of mint, mild tar, definite black pepper developing on palate and development of surprisingly creamy finish. Too expensive to be a good QPR, highly recommend this wine and looking forwards to more bottles. (3567 views) | | | Tasted by spretzer on 3/7/2009 & rated 89 points: can't say I didn't enjoy this but I didn't taste any of classic pinot flavors. tasted blind I would have guessed syrah. confusing (3575 views) | | | Tasted by Larry Brooks on 3/2/2009 & rated 88 points: RPCS Wine Tasting (Rick's House): Over the top for a pinot. I thought harsh oak. (4292 views) | | | Tasted by aavello on 12/25/2008 & rated 89 points: Couldn't pull the trigger on a 90 handle but liked this one. Creme front end with strawberry on the back. (4227 views) | | | Tasted by aavello on 12/22/2008 & rated 90 points: hints of chocolate and cherries. I liked it, others just ok. (4251 views) | | | Tasted by vancouvermatt on 12/1/2008 & rated 90 points: Stored in cold cellar since release... One of the hits of 2006 vintage. Dense, with plenty of concentration backed by nice fruit and spice. (3764 views) | | | Tasted by aavello on 11/18/2008 & rated 88 points: Drank with Jim and Martine fireside at the pool. Hints of cherries but not a whole lot of anything else. Finish is quick and smooth, tannins are not prominent. (4380 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Belle Glos Producer Website
The vineyard locations can all be described as coastal, but the climate differences are significant, depending on the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site.
Each wine is crafted to distill the purest essence of the vineyard into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir.
Winemaker Joseph Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced BELL GLOSS) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards.
http://www.meiomiwines.com/'> Producer website
Meiomi, (pronounced May-oh-mee) , has a separate website.
Prince of Pinot Article on Belle Glos
Belle Glos: Caymus Genes
Belle Glos (pronounced BELL GLOS) is owned by the Wagner family of Napa Valley Caymus Vineyards fame. Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Mer Soleil Chardonnay, and Caymus Conundrum are well know wines, but the winery has a long history with Pinot Noir, producing some excellent examples from relatively warm locations of the Napa Valley (Rutherford) in the late 1970s and 1980s. They even produced a Pinot Noir Blanc wine labeled “Eye of Partridge.”
The Pinot Noir program was revived in 2001 with the release of Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir and the wines have improved every year since. The name comes from Charles J. (Chuck) Wagner’s mother, Loma Belle Glos Wagner, a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards. Joseph Wagner, a fourth generation winemaker whose family’s roots in the Napa Valley date to 1906, has been the label’s vineyardist and winemaker since 2002. Belle Glos is a separate label from Caymus Vineyards, much like Mer Soleil and Conundrum, made independently from wines Chuck Wagner makes at Caymus Vineyards, referred to as “by the Wagner Family” rather than “by Caymus”, but distributed by Caymus Vineyards.
Caymus farms Pinot Noir in three coastal regions including the Sonoma Coast, Santa Maria Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands and produces vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from the estate vineyards in each region. A fourth Pinot Noir, Meiomi, is a value-priced wine found in wide distribution and restaurants. A distinctive and excellent rosé, is also produced that revives the name, “Oeil De Perdrix,” sourced from the Yorkville Highlands of Mendocino County. The Gambit Series of Pinot Noirs debuted in 2008 at Pinot Days San Francisco. These limited production single-vineyard wines with no added sulfur were intended to offer the rich and voluptuous nature of raw Pinot Noir grapes. I have not seen or heard of these wines since, but they are briefly described on the Belle Glos website.
Caymus acquired a portion of the historic Santa Maria Hills Vineyard in the 1990s. The land, on a west-facing slope of the Santa Maria Valley foothills, had been planted to Pinot Noir from 1972 to 1974, so the vines were almost ancient by California Pinot Noir standards. The vines were own rooted and the clone uncertain, but probably Martini, an heirloom clone that was one of the first Pinot Noir selections to grace California coast lands. I first reviewed the 2001 Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir in the July 7, 2003 issue of the PinotFile, and the wine was generally well received by the wine press. At the time, little was known of the label. Bob Hosmon of the Miami Sun Sentinel wrote, “To say that this is one of the best United States produced Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted is not an overstatement... if you’re looking for something truly special, you won’t be disappointed. Unfortunately no website, mail, e-mail or phone orders.” The website is still very basic and offers no opportunity to purchase the wines. With the 2002 vintage, winemakers Joseph Wagner and Jon Bolta (Conundrum) took what was already a low-yielding 76-acre vineyard and reduced the crop even more radically by regular thinning to increase the flavor concentration of the berries. When the grapes were hand harvested, they ended up with just over one ton per acre. The quality was so high and the flavors so distinctive they felt the wine deserved to be named for the vineyard that produced it which was located at the intersection of Clark & Telephone roads.
The 10-acre Sonoma Coast Taylor Lane Vineyard was planted near the town of Occidental in 1995. While Joseph Wagner was in middle school he helped develop this vineyard, clearing trees and rocks from this previously unplanted land, and laying out and planting the vine rows. To get the grapes to ripen in this cool seaside climate, the trellis system was converted to “Trentina,” named after the region in Italy where it originated, which maximizes sun exposure on the leaves. There is a very consistent diurnal temperature variation at this vineyard site which insures a good balance between ripeness and acidity. The first Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir was in 2002.
The Las Alturas Vineyard is located in one of the highest plantable sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County, at altitudes of 540 to 1,210 feet. The site has warmer afternoons and tamer winds than the northern portion of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. This 15-acre vineyard was planted to match various Pinot Noir Dijon clones to different soils and slopes of the vineyard. Yields are kept deliberately low. The inaugural vintage from this vineyard was 2004.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 Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaSanta Maria Valley Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association | Santa Maria Valley Wine Trail |
|
