4th Annual VinoCellar.com Celebration Weekend - Tastings and Dinners

Tasting on a beautiful day at the winery.

• 2005 Lynmar Estate Chardonnay 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. A little marshmallow and oak on top of some ripe fruit.

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• 2004 Lynmar Estate Chardonnay Quail Hill Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Well-done chardonnay with citrus aromatics and pear and spice flavors. Nice crisp finish. ~$40

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• 2005 Lynmar Estate Vin Gris 75 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. I didn't care for this. I don't remember the varietals used (syrah?) but it tasted a bit weird. Some people liked this a lot more than I did.

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• 2004 Lynmar Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Medium clear garnet in color; Technically well-done Pinot with little distinguishing characteristics other than very heavy spices and raspberry flavors. Decent structure and acidity. ~$30

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• 2004 Lynmar Estate Syrah Sonoma County 85 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Blueberry and black pepper flavors with a short bitter finish. Seemed on the young side but I didn't care for it.

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Lunch and tasting on a beautiful day at the winery.

• 2001 Iron Horse Vineyards Russian Cuvée 86 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. This was pleasant and tasted nice with lunch. ~$31; there is no way I would pay that for this wine, maybe if it was $12

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• 2001 Iron Horse Vineyards Classic Vintage Brut 70 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Oh the humanity...This was sour and disgusting.

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• 2003 Iron Horse Vineyards Wedding Cuvée 80 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Other than bubbles there were few flavors in this wine. Very inoffensive. ~$37

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• 2004 Iron Horse Vineyards Pinot Noir Thomas Road Vineyard 78 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Some spice and cherry aromas but little in the middle. And black pepper on the finish, ugg.

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• 1999 Iron Horse Vineyards Pinot Noir Thomas Road Vineyard 80 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. This smelled like Pinot with some cherry and spice aromas but had nothing in the middle or finish. This wine was probably past its drinking window.

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• 2003 Iron Horse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 80 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. 77% Cab, 12% Petit Verdot; 11% Cab Franc; This tasted like it was made from exceptionally underripe grapes with a strong, herbal green streak running though it.

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• 2003 Iron Horse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon T Bar T Vineyard 80 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. 54% Cab, 33% Petit Verdot, 13% Cab france; Again very underripe fruit and a big green streak throughout the wine.

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• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Crisp, well-structured chard low on the oak treatment that let the fruit shine through. Pretty good. ~$30; 14.3% alcohol.

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• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Stone Côte Vineyard 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. I did not think this was as good as the lower end Chard, the Four Hearts. This had a heavier oak treatment with some citrus flavors. There was a sweet taste to this that didn't fit with the rest of the wine. ~$60; 14.2% alcohol. Wouldn't buy.

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• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Fog Dance 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Well-structured medium-weight Pinot. This wine will probably improve with short-term cellaring. ~$45 at the winery.14.2% alcohol. Might buy.

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• 2001 Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Not rated because I truly didn't know what to make of this wine. It was very tannic and acidic with the sour citrus note that Tanglenet describes. I wrote down lots of "????". Not a wine I would buy.

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• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Zinfandel Russian River Valley 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Extremely mediocre zin with very sweet tasting and spicy flavors. To their credit Hartford's zins are not over the top and are balanced for their amount of alcohol. 15.5% alcohol. Would not buy.

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• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Well-done zin with a peppery nose and finish and blackberry fruit in between. 14.5% alcohol; ~$50 at the winery; Might buy but probably overpriced.

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A tasting of many wines, including Kosta Browne's 2005 single vineyard designates. These wines had only been bottled for a short period of time. In addition there were Freeman, AP Vin, Kutch and other wines that I didn't have time to taste through. Too many wines!

• 2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Very spicy on the nose and palate and integrated. The fruit came across as a bit candied for my taste.

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• 2000 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Clear garnet in color; This wine displayed some secondary characteristics (but not many). There was an herbal green streak in the midpalate. The finish was slightly hot.

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• 2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Lighter in color than the 2005 but seemed very dry with noticable acidity. Tasty. Only in the bottle for a few weeks so no rating.

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• 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Dark ruby color; Balanced but with the impression of heavy tannins. Seemed heavier in weight than other KB pinots. 15.1% alcohol; Only in the bottle a few weeks so no rating. Probably a 92 rating once it settles down.

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• 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the Vinocellar 4th Annual Celebration. Medium ruby color; I agree with Tanglenet that this one had some very candied sweet tastes. This one seemed like it will be an easy drinker but not as complex as the other 05s at this point. Only in the bottle a few weeks so no rating. 14.9% alcohol

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• 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Dark ruby color; Another example of KB doing good things with the Kanzler; Balanced, complex and interesting. There were earthy aromas and flavors present in this wine not present in the other 05 KBs. Still a little spritzy. Only in the bottle a few weeks so no # rating. Probably a 93-94 rating once it settles down. Very good even at this infant stage. 15.3% alcohol

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• 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Dark ruby color; More spice aromas and flavors than the others with more acidity. Very pure fruit with some bitter cherry on the finish. Only in the bottle a few weeks so no rating. Probably a 92 rating once it settles down. Good. 15.25% alcohol

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• 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Dark ruby color; Not much going on in this wine. Disclaimer that I don't care for the presentation in any Pinots from the Rosella's VY and this one was no exception. There were some weird flavors in this wine (Tanglenet notes them as well). I got some almost rancid flavors including the nasty orange rind flavor common in Rosella's. To each their own. Only in the bottle a few weeks so no rating. Not the best of the 05s. 15.3% alcohol

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  New label. Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar.com 4th Annual Celebration dinner. From magnum; notes consistent with previous bottles except that this bottle seemed more focused. Maybe the "champagne is always better from a magnum" effect? Still so young but very good.

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• 1985 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Charlie 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Probably closer to a 94; More fresh than previous bottles tasted with very rich flavors. Very good. A wine to have in your cellar.

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• 1990 René Collard Champagne Brut Cuvée Réservée

  France, Champagne

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration dinner. A strange champagne that smelled and tasted lovely all the way to the finish then was brought down by a horrid metallic taste on the finish. There was some sort of flaw in this wine to have the finish go bad like that. A shame because otherwise it was good champagne.

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• 1988 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Tasted at the Freeman winery dinner as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration. Out of mag? This seemed over but eventually some nice smoky peach flavors emerged. Hard to rate but I would go with about 87.

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• 2000 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Completely lovely Cabernet just into secondary stage. Unfortunately it doesn't live up to its "cult" status (too many $$$) - I wouldn't buy it again but both bottles were very good. But not great WOW wines as I was expecting.

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• 1983 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Past its prime for my tastes but retained classic Pinot Noir characteristics. Nice.

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• 2003 Joseph Swan Vineyards Pinot Noir Trenton Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Clear ruby color; Fine pinot in a balanced spicy style. Good.

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• 2001 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar.com 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Solid Pinot but too hot on the finish.

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• 2002 Dominion Tantara Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar.com 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Interesting Pinot in a good way. More earthy with smoked meat flavors.

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• 2003 Ojai Late Harvest Viognier Roll Ranch Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California

  Tasted at the Freeman winery as part of the VinoCellar.com 4th Annual Celebration dinner. Floral and honey aromas and flavors with medium sweetness. Needed some acidity to complete the package.

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This was a monster marathon day of wine. A great time was had by all. There were many more wines that I don't have notes for over this weekend. Sometimes you just have to enjoy them.