Kevin H's Californian Chardonnay & Pinot Noir Dinner

Noizé, London
Tasted Tuesday, November 11, 2025 by Vinumming & Ahhing with 61 views

Introduction

Great opportunity to try a range of aged wines. Found myself loving the ABC wines. A pair of the older wines were not in shape.

Flight 1 - Gougeres and Cheddar (1 Note)

  • 2008 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay. 8/9 g/l dosage. Sense of richness on the nose; orchard fruits, honied pear. Some died apricot tartness with time. Throughout there is a cereal bass note. A hint of toasted hot cross bun emerges. After half an hour in the glass just a hint of kiwi fruit peelings. The palate is taut and long. There are hits of Ting grapefruit soda on entry. Some ripe pear builds through the mid palate with some gorgeous framing acids. Lime cordial dominates the finish. Really classy Champagne.

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Flight 2 - Fresh Pasta, Oyster Mushroom, Mushroom Sauce (1 Note)

  • 2014 Calera Chardonnay Central Coast 90 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    Exotic nose with some pineapple stalk alongside the pear flesh and lime zest. Some spicy creaminess too in the pastel de nata spectrum. First pour at the right temperature, top ups feel a little warmer with the 14.5% ABV becoming more noticeable. Palate also quite tropical with pineapple, pear and nougat alongside some sourdough crumb, there's some slightly bitter apricot on the finish. Oily texture. Good with the creamy pasta dish that accompanied it.

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Flight 3 - Roasted Duck Breast (2 Notes)

  • 2017 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

    Cinders and rosehip on the nose. Some Rooibos and Lapsang Souchong (great spot, KH) as well. Dark cherry as well. With air some strawberry shortcake and with air just a hint of damson gin. The palate is rich and peppery with cherry ice building through the mid palate and a touch of Madeira cake on the finish. My wine of the dinner. Yum. Love ABC.

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  • 2015 Raen Winery Pinot Noir Freestone Occidental Bodega 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    The nose here has a bit more of a citrussy character than the ABC pair which preceded this; some cranberry sorbet but orange leaf and zest as well. With air some raspberry leaf and a touch of Mellow Birds coffee. The palate is fresh, youthful and zingy with raspberries building from entry through the mid palate. The finish, one of the most complex this evening, has tart rosehips, some white chocolate shavings and some Biscoff crumbs. My second equal favourite wine of the night.

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Flight 4 - Confit Lamb Shoulder, Butternut Squash, Hasselback Potato, Red Wine (2 Notes)

  • 2010 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Isabelle 92 Points

    USA, California

    13.5% ABV. Touch of milk chocolate on the nose alongside the briars, Rooibos tea and plum fruit. With some air there are a couple of ppm of dulce de leche in the margins with some chestnut brazier goodness. Palate is savoury and rich with Morello cherry on entry, rosehips building through the mid palate and some slightly bitter cherry pit and spirity cranberry on the finish. My second equal favourite wine of the night.

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  • 2014 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Plum fruit, with some blackberry fool creaminess on the nose. With air some bresaola meatiness as well. Palate is grippy with tart redcurrants and Rooibos on entry with, a rosehip infusion quality fills the mid palate with perfumed cranberries on the finish. Lovely stuff.

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Flight 5 - Deux Fromages (4 Notes)

  • 2000 Kalin Cellars Pinot Noir Cuvée DD Flawed

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    Some mintiness and earth cannot cover up the persistent TCA on this.

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  • 1999 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard Flawed

    USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan

    Sadly flawed. Not TCA just feels a little over evolved.

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  • 2014 Knez Winery Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    Popped and poured following the dismissal of a flawed bottle. Sweet meats and Biscoff crumb on the nose with some Maraschino cherry richness. The palate opens up with some Rooibos and dark fruits - not quite the concentration of some of the earlier wines. Bakewell notes build through the mid palate to the finish where there's a touch of banana lead greenness.

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  • 2012 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 89 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    Popped and poured following the dismissal of a flawed bottle. Black Forest Gateaux notes on the nose with some Christmas cake and a touch of cherry. Palate is modern with cassis and plum fruit well supported by a decent acid core. Not the longest or most complex wine of the night and would have benefitted from a little more air.

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Closing

Top evening and great company. Thanks to KH for pulling together and all for their wines and company

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