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Pinot Noir Mini-Tasting

Tasted January 19, 2019 - January 26, 2019 by VlgJeff with 149 views

Introduction

Tasting a selection of pinot noirs from CA and OR with an assortment of different "pinot-friendly" dishes, over eight days.

Flight 1 (8 notes)

Red
2010 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
90 points
30 minute slo-ox. No sediment. Much better than the last bottle in Aug. There were slight aromas of cola and earth. A medium bodied wine with plenty of dark red and red fruits, pepper, spice, cola, and some slightly drying tannins, with balancing acidity. Would recommend drinking up.
Red
2010 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir King Vineyard USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
92 points
20 minute slo-ox. Some sediment. Greeted with a (typical) cola aroma. This medium bodied wine drinks quite well and was as satisfying as the bottle consumed almost 3 years ago. Lush dark red and red fruits, some spice, some cola, and plenty of pepper, along with enough acid to balance. Had it with a veal roast wrapped in bacon, and the pairing was great. Probably best to drink up, but may hold for another couple of years.
Red
2012 City Winery Pinot Noir Hute Hyland Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville
82 points
15 minute slo-ox. Some sediment. Medium to minus bodied wine, some fading red fruit, spice, and more acidity than needed to balance.
Only a tad worse than the bottle of this wine that we drank in mid 2015. If 2015 was too early, then 2018/19 was clearly too late. If this wine ever had a drink window, we must have missed it.
Red
2011 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Yamhill Cuvée USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
15 minute slo-ox. No sediment. A medium bodied wine with some red fruits (mostly lite cherry), earth tones, and pepper, but with more acidity than needed to balance the fruit. Would guess that this wine is on the down-slope and should be consumed sooner, rather than later.
Red
2010 Hanzell Pinot Noir USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
90 points
A quick decant, but this wine needs more air (maybe 30 minutes) to round out the tartness that can be experienced. A very Burgundian medium bodied wine with notes of cherries, raspberries, some spice, and earth. The acidity is balancing, the finish is medium, and there is a touch of drying tannins. Should hold for several years.
Red
2010 Pisoni Pinot Noir Estate USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
93 points
When the menu changed this wine was a last minute choice. Only a quick (10 minute) decant, but this wine needs more air! Continued to open up during dinner. Virtually identical to the previous bottle about one month ago.
The final glass was a wonderfully balanced, medium plus bodied wine with lots of dark red fruits, some earthy/black tea notes, no distinctly noticeable cola, juicy acidity, soft and integrated tannins, and a really smooooooth finish. Should hold for a good couple of years.
Red
2010 Martinelli Pinot Noir Bondi Home Ranch Water Trough Vineyard USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
92 points
Slo-oxed for 10 minutes and this wine needs more air. With air it releases aromas of dark red fruits. A medium plus bodied wine that is wonderfully balanced, with a palate full of dark red fruits (mostly black cherry), some earthiness, a bit of cola, and a touch of spice. No evidence of the 14.8% abv on the medium plus finish. Should hold for a couple of years.
Red
2010 Cristom Pinot Noir Sommers Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
20 minute slo-ox, and the wine did not improve during the one hour meal. No sediment to speak of. There were some light earthy aromas. The medium bodied palate presented some light red fruit, more acidity than needed to balance, and a touch of drying tannins on the finish.
Our overall impression is that this wine has passed its peak and is beginning to fade -- similar to the GBBWINO TN follow-on of 2/10/18. Maybe just a "bad" bottle...
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