Tasted blind. Black cherry aromas and flavors, showing slightly ripe and sweet character. Good structure, balance and length. Modest spice, mostly oak driven. At its peak.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. My last place wine at the tasting (excluding the corked bottle), group's 2nd favorite. Ultra New world, very ripe fruit that i could easily have mistaken for Grenache, a bit short on acid and textures for me.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Red and black cherry aromas with some coffee notes. Similar fruit profile on palate, very fresh and energetic. Good acidity helps with lift. My Wine of the Flight and Night, also group's Wine of the Flight.
Tasted blind. Fairly evolved fruit with moderate spice. Weighing in at 14.2%, some heat shows through on finish, giving an ever-so-slight bitter edge. Better a few years ago.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind, with two bottles of this wine brought by attendees. One was a little more evolved but they have similar flavor profiles so I am compiling one "consensus" note. A divisive wine at tonight's tasting. Several thought it the wine of the flight, others thought it the worst. One taster thought it both (ranking 1 bottle #1, the other #5!) Good red cherry with a charming earthy, smoky character. Excellent balance, structure and textures with good combination of fruit, spice and earth on palate. Good length, lots of finesse.
Tasted blind. clearly the oldest of the flight/night. Smoky and earthy aromas. Clearly there was a lot of ripe fruit at one time, it has evolved mostly nicely but with a slightly sweet character i didn't like quite as much as the others at the tasting.
1997 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Yamhill County
Tasted blind. Black cherry aromas and flavors, showing slightly ripe and sweet character. Good structure, balance and length. Modest spice, mostly oak driven. At its peak.
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1996 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Ferrington Vineyard Flawed
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Slightly corked.
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1996 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard 85 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. My last place wine at the tasting (excluding the corked bottle), group's 2nd favorite. Ultra New world, very ripe fruit that i could easily have mistaken for Grenache, a bit short on acid and textures for me.
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1997 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Allen Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Red and black cherry aromas with some coffee notes. Similar fruit profile on palate, very fresh and energetic. Good acidity helps with lift. My Wine of the Flight and Night, also group's Wine of the Flight.
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1997 Flowers Pinot Noir Moon Select Camp Meeting Ridge 89 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Tasted blind. Fairly evolved fruit with moderate spice. Weighing in at 14.2%, some heat shows through on finish, giving an ever-so-slight bitter edge. Better a few years ago.
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1997 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Ripe and lush red and black cherry aromas, somewhat more subdued and balanced on palate. Good length, spice-driven finish. At its peak.
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