2003 Cali Pinots blindtasted (Rochioli, Siduri, Testarossa)
Palo Alto, California
Tasted Thursday, August 9, 2007 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 431 views
Introduction
This was a good night (for me) for Marin County Pinots. The Pey-Marin “Trois Filles” came in first for me, and three others (and 4th for the group), with a very appealing nose and juicy but balanced palate, while one of our pre-wines—the 2001 Corda Pinot Noir Marin Co. that Steve brought--scored higher for me than the wines in our main blindtasting flight, and sells for an unbelievable $15. It wasn’t such a good night for our two Testarossas, which fell below the middle of the pack by ranking at #5 and 6 for the group (and the usually excellent Bien Nacidio Vineyard was my last place wine, but must have been a flawed bottle). It was also a mixed night for our Siduris, with the Sonatera Vineyard coming in 3rd for the group and the Hirsch Vineyard taking 7th place. The surprising top ranked wine for the group (number 4 for me) was one none of us had ever heard of: Paradise Ridge “Elizabeth & Henry’s Ridge.” Ross had found it at Bottle Barn in Sonoma for $32, after it won a double gold medal at the Sonoma County Fair. A well-structured Rochioli Russian River Estate came in 2nd for the group, while our Bourgogne ringer—Girardin’s “Emotion des Terroirs”—took the group’s last place, and was properly guessed by many to be our Burg. We also had two other pre-tasting wines, the ’05 Rossignol Bourgogne (which I still don’t care much for, having tried it a few times in the last couple months) and the ’05 Siduri Sonoma Coast (pale red in color, with a big, sappy, earthy, soy and red fruit nose; and a tangy tart red fruit palate with green notes; medium finish 88 pts.)
So after I buy a case or two of the Corda, I’m inspired to check out some more of those Marin Pinots I’ve been reading about.
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2003 California Pinots
Introduction by Ross Bott, our tasting organizer
California is making its name on big, brash Pinot Noirs -- super lush, ripe, high alcohol Pinots that are admittedly almost irresistable to drink. However, the Burgundian purists have often argued that California misses the subtler side of Pinot with its delicate rose-scented perfume and spicy, earthy, minerally notes that show up primarily when the varietal is grown in cooler climates. This has led to a rush to find microclimates in California with much more moderated temperatures. These areas are primarily along the coast, where the cool Pacific sea breezes during the day and fog during the mornings and evenings leave just enough warmth to ripen Pinot in a typically long California growing season. The Sonoma Coast appellation, stretching from the Russian River and Green Valleys in the south to the Anderson Valley in the north is one prime region, but small sections of Marin County just north of San Francisco and areas of the Central Coast near Santa Barbara have also shown promise.
Many of these vineyards are still very young -- in their third to fifth vintage or "leaf", and the true promise of these regions will only become clear in a decade or so when the vines have developed deep, mature root systems. However, even the first few harvests have yielded some very fine wines.
Tonight, we'll try seven Pinots from the 2003 vintage with a particular emphasis on Sonoma Coast and some of the other cooler microclimates. We'll have a 2003 French Burgundy for comparison, ironically from a vintage there which was very warm and much more California-like in character. Some tasting notes:
2003 Siduri "Hirsch Vineyard", Sonoma Coast (14.9%):"Deep, beautiful perfume, spice, earth, complex aromas, deep and balanced on the palate, delicious flavors." (Pinot Report) "Medium ruby in color, yet intense and concentrated, with a tight, firm focus on zesty wild berry and black cherry fruit. Complex and deftly balanced, it offers hints of exotic spice, wilted rose and pepper, while avoiding excesses, offering a tapered finish and excellent structure." (91/100, Wine Spectator)
2003 Siduri "Sonatera Vineyard", Sonoma Coast (14.4%): "... rich and ripe with lots of red cherry and spice." (Pinot Report) This is from another new vineyard in the Sonoma Coast region which has shown a lot of promise.
2003 Pey-Marin "Trois Filles", Marin (13.8%): From one of the few vineyards in Marin County, this is from a cool microclimate reminiscent of the Sonoma Coast that produces delicate, rather Burgundian Pinots.
2003 Paradise Ridge "Elizabeth & Henry's Vineyard", Sonoma Coast (14.5%): Double gold medal winner at the 2006 Sonoma Harvest Fair; another cool climate Pinot on the north end of the Sonoma Coast near Anderson Valley.
2003 Rochioli "Estate", Russian River Valley (14.2%): "Rochioli's pretty and wonderfully well-polished Pinot Noir is a sophisticated and incisively fruity wine that handily proves that richness and finesse need not be mutually exclusive. It is medium-full in body, yet always light on its feet, and its near-seamless fit of ripe cherries, sweet spice, bright fruity acidity and fine-grained tannins make it a most charming wine now even if it has plenty of potential for growth." (91/100, Connoisseurs' Guide) "Its deep ruby color is accompanied by a perfumed bouquet of plums, black cherries, raspberries, and smoke as well as a floral, mineral-laced, medium-bodied, ripe finish. This beauty is one of the finest estate Pinots Rochioli has yet produced." (90-93/100, Robert Parker) While considered a cooler microclimate than many areas, the Rochioli area of the Russian River Valley is a notch or two warmer than the typical Sonoma Coast vineyard.
2003 Testarossa "Bien Nacido Vineyard", Santa Barbara (14.3%): "A gorgeous nose of pepper, black cherries, spice box, and subtle herbs is found in this classic Santa Barbara Pinot. Medium-bodied, with loads of fruit, good structure, and nice definition, this hedonistic 2003 can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years." (Robert Parker) "Expansive aromas of ripe and vital cherries, orange-rind, creme brulee and oaky spice all show up at first sniff, and if anything, the nose gets richer with airing. A fairly full-bodied wine in its palateweight and supple in feel with a fine sense of balance to go with its underlying firmness of structure, this generous effort has the range and depth to tempt current drinking yet shows all the energy one would want in a Pinot to set aside for a patient bit of cellaring." (92/100, Connoisseurs' Guide) Also 93/100, Pinot Report.
2003 Testarossa "Brosseau Vineyard", Chalone (14.2%): "Those who consider delicacy a must in Pinot Noir will find this fits the bill. Smooth and elegant, the spicy, ripe cherry and plum flavors glide across the palage, ending with fine-grain tannins." (88/100, Wine Spectator)
2003 Vincent Girardin "Emotion de Terroir" (13.5%): "Fashioned entirely from Cote de Nuits vineyards (70% is from Marsannay hillside parcels), the 2003 Emotions de Terroirs displays fresh, expressive, floral aromatics of black cherries. Its slightly rustic, dark fruit-flavored personality is boisterous, medium-bodied" (Robert Parker) "Rich and juicy, showing black cherry, pomegranate and raspberry notes. It's vibrant, with a spine of tannins. Overall, well-proportioned and tasty." (Wine Spectator)
Flight 1 - pre-tasting blind Pinot (1 Note)
Flight 2 - My TNs and scoring (8 Notes)
2001 Corda Pinot Noir 92 Points
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Marin County
Ripe cherry, brown sugar and cinnamon nose; tasty tart red fruit and spice, with remarkable breadth and depth on the palate, good acidity; long finish
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