Pinot Noir Cage Match ... The $350 Wine Came in Last ... ACK!!

Single blind tasting of Mid to High-end domestic Pinots ($50 and up). The person that brought WOTN got their dinner paid for (and more important, bragging rights!). The Marcassin was thrown in to see if an expensive 99 RP wine would stand out. Well, I guess it did, but not the way we thought it would.

• 2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Decanted 3 hours. Blackberry kirsch on nose. Big and bouncy, bordering on Pamela Anderson-style, but the balance is just so perfect. Very RussianRiverVallyesque. WOTN out of 8 mid-priced pinots in blind tasting.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2005 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Jerusalem Hill 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Decanted 3-hours. Black cherry nose, and dark fruits on attack. Very low acidity. Hot alcohol on finish. Tied for last place at blind tasting of 8 mid-priced pinots.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2003 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Decanted 3 hours. Dark red fruits on nose. Red cherry, light-to-medium finish. Very light acidity. Boring. I wonder if we would have liked it more if we knew what we were drinking. Came in last place in single-blind tasting of much cheaper pinots. Not a flawed bottle, but an unpleasant herbal quality appeared after an hour in the glass.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Aston Pinot Noir Clone 777 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Cloudy and dark, with a little good-stink on nose. Sweet med-dark fruits, slight carmel on finish. Nice balance, no hotness or alcohol on finish. Beautifully made. #2 out of 8 mid-priced pinots in blind tasting.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Upper Terrace 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  Decanted 3 hours, but still closed on the nose. Light cherry finish followed by a hot biting finish. Alcohol not integrated at all. These BF wines seem always show poorly at pinot single blind tastings.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1999 Arcadian Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Burgundian nose with a little truffle and earth floor. Beautiful dusty rose on top of light plum fruit, reminiscent of a mid-range Vosne Romanee. Aging fast and after an hour Elvis had left the building. But for an hour, really beautiful. Too bad 1999 is considered old for most domestic pinots ... it takes Burgundies 30 years to become so ephemeral.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Reserve 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Perfumed, flowery nose. Brite acidity that pops, but the dark cherry fruit is too candied for my taste.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Nose is pretty closed. Nice high-pedigree dark fruit, but low acidity makes it a wine that seems to be past it's prime. Flabby and losing the fruit after just an hour.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Lisa Redwine and her staff at The Shores did a fabulous job with the service. For anyone looking for a restaurants in SD ... this is a great place for wine dinners. Lisa is one test away from being the first female MS in San Diego, so you can be sure your wines will be handled correctly!