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Zooming with the Battle of the Pinots
Tasted November 14, 2020 by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine with 71 views
Introduction
A nice night for drinking some wonderful Pinots with some good friends!
Flight 1 - Starter Rose! (1 note)
Rosé
2019 Long Shadows Wineries Julia's Dazzle Rosé
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2019 Long Shadows Wineries Julia's Dazzle Rosé: Not a huge fan of Rose, so therefore am not rating the wine. Will say the wine is very floral (I actually enjoyed the nose) with perfumed wild flowers, honeysuckle and lilac dominating, but also aromas of peach, and apple blossom. This wine is on the sweeter side of rose, and some will find it enjoyable. I would have preferred it a little drier, but still would not have been in my wheelhouse....just not a fan of Rose...what can I say? :) Crowd seemed to enjoy it, so I would posit that it offers a good value.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2019 Long Shadows Wineries Julia's Dazzle Rosé: Not a huge fan of Rose, so therefore am not rating the wine. Will say the wine is very floral (I actually enjoyed the nose) with perfumed wild flowers, honeysuckle and lilac dominating, but also aromas of peach, and apple blossom. This wine is on the sweeter side of rose, and some will find it enjoyable. I would have preferred it a little drier, but still would not have been in my wheelhouse....just not a fan of Rose...what can I say? :) Crowd seemed to enjoy it, so I would posit that it offers a good value.
Flight 2 - Battle of the Pinots! (5 notes)
Red
2015 Sineann Pinot Noir Reserve Wy'east
94 points
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2015 Wy'East Res: I love this wine, and it was easy for me to pick out of the group. Always a crowd pleaser, I was not surprised it was the group's WOTN. It was the most floral of all the pinots, displaying a perfumed nose with plum and cherry flowers, raspberry, cigar box and some sweet earth. Palate showed gobs of fruit, including sweet and tart cherry, other red fruits, a hint of plum, cinnamon and orange peel. Also showed signs of cedar, earth and a hint of leather. An excellent Pinot and a 94 tonight.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2015 Wy'East Res: I love this wine, and it was easy for me to pick out of the group. Always a crowd pleaser, I was not surprised it was the group's WOTN. It was the most floral of all the pinots, displaying a perfumed nose with plum and cherry flowers, raspberry, cigar box and some sweet earth. Palate showed gobs of fruit, including sweet and tart cherry, other red fruits, a hint of plum, cinnamon and orange peel. Also showed signs of cedar, earth and a hint of leather. An excellent Pinot and a 94 tonight.
Red
2014 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Cuvée
94 points
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2014 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Cuvée: Apparently this wine does not get a lot of love! I thoroughly enjoyed this wine, and for where it is right now, compared to the other wines in the group, it was my WOTN. I will admit I was surprised to see this wine perform so well, and I felt it drank much older than its age. I would have guessed this wine a 2010 or older. I am not sure how much more life this wine has in it, but it is surely in a great spot now, and I would recommend opening a bottle sooner than later for those who have some. The nose showed some vegetal notes, as well as cherry and other red fruit, along with some dried leather and dusty earth notes, and the palate was similar. Everything is in harmony and the wine is drinking quite well. I very much enjoyed drinking this, it was the groups #2, and my WOTN....94+.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2014 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Cuvée: Apparently this wine does not get a lot of love! I thoroughly enjoyed this wine, and for where it is right now, compared to the other wines in the group, it was my WOTN. I will admit I was surprised to see this wine perform so well, and I felt it drank much older than its age. I would have guessed this wine a 2010 or older. I am not sure how much more life this wine has in it, but it is surely in a great spot now, and I would recommend opening a bottle sooner than later for those who have some. The nose showed some vegetal notes, as well as cherry and other red fruit, along with some dried leather and dusty earth notes, and the palate was similar. Everything is in harmony and the wine is drinking quite well. I very much enjoyed drinking this, it was the groups #2, and my WOTN....94+.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2012 Sineann Pinot Noir Reserve Resonance Vineyard
93 points
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2012 Sineann Resonance Res: This wine was totally different! The nose was slightly restrained with dark fruit and some funk (in a good way), followed by roasted meat and herbs. The palate was dark fruit, cherry, plum and blackberry, with hints of jerked beef, leather and tobacco. I would have guessed this to be a light CdP with some age on it, if I didn't know it was a Pinot tasting. For me, this was the most interesting wine of the group. Some people would add points for its uniqueness, I subtracted because it is not what I expect from a Pinot. Nevertheless, it was very enjoyable, and I certainly would drink it again! Even subtracting a point, I still score it a 93+....you can tell quality is certainly there.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2012 Sineann Resonance Res: This wine was totally different! The nose was slightly restrained with dark fruit and some funk (in a good way), followed by roasted meat and herbs. The palate was dark fruit, cherry, plum and blackberry, with hints of jerked beef, leather and tobacco. I would have guessed this to be a light CdP with some age on it, if I didn't know it was a Pinot tasting. For me, this was the most interesting wine of the group. Some people would add points for its uniqueness, I subtracted because it is not what I expect from a Pinot. Nevertheless, it was very enjoyable, and I certainly would drink it again! Even subtracting a point, I still score it a 93+....you can tell quality is certainly there.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Antikythera
93 points
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2013 Antica Terra Antikythera: This wine, while finishing with a nice score, was nevertheless very disappointing. I would have expected this wine to be heads and shoulders above this competition. I am not sure if was the vintage, or if this wine just needs more time (it did improve throughout the night). I know 2013 was a spotty vintage for Oregon, as rain came down during the picking season. In many instances, the wines reflected when grapes were picked (better wines from grapes picked before the rain). I would be surprised if any grapes picked after the rains went into this high-priced wine. The wine certainly did not tasted diluted by any stretch. Also, after re-tasting the wines, it was my #3 wine. On the nose, you got dark and red fruit, followed by tree branches and some earthy notes with hints of herbs and spice. On the palate, red and black fruit (mostly cherry) with some dusty tannins and a medium-long finish. The wine developed more complexity with time, showing notes of stone and minerality with some olive and spice nuance on the finish. A 93+ for now, with upside potential. I would let this sit for a couple more years or give it a 3 hour decant.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2013 Antica Terra Antikythera: This wine, while finishing with a nice score, was nevertheless very disappointing. I would have expected this wine to be heads and shoulders above this competition. I am not sure if was the vintage, or if this wine just needs more time (it did improve throughout the night). I know 2013 was a spotty vintage for Oregon, as rain came down during the picking season. In many instances, the wines reflected when grapes were picked (better wines from grapes picked before the rain). I would be surprised if any grapes picked after the rains went into this high-priced wine. The wine certainly did not tasted diluted by any stretch. Also, after re-tasting the wines, it was my #3 wine. On the nose, you got dark and red fruit, followed by tree branches and some earthy notes with hints of herbs and spice. On the palate, red and black fruit (mostly cherry) with some dusty tannins and a medium-long finish. The wine developed more complexity with time, showing notes of stone and minerality with some olive and spice nuance on the finish. A 93+ for now, with upside potential. I would let this sit for a couple more years or give it a 3 hour decant.
Red
2015 Landmark Pinot Noir Escolle Road Vineyard
93 points
Zooming in on a Pinot Knockdown
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2015 Landmark Pinot Noir Escolle Road Vineyard: This wine was a pleasant surprise. It started out drinking very well, but started fading as the night wore on. Fruit forward on nose and palate, with a decent finish. Mostly red and black fruit (tart and dark cherry and blackberry pie). Not very complex, but still quite enjoyable! 93 at its peak. I would drink up, but it can likely stay where it is for another year or two in the cellar. I don't see it improving much, if at all.
Wines poured into jars at around 4:00 for transport, transferred to glasses at 6:00, and analyzed over the next 3 hours. This was a double blind tasting, except we knew which wine we provided, but not which glass it was in. The line-up included the following:
2019 Longshadows Julia Dazzle (Starter Rose)
2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
2013 Antica Terra Anticythera
2015 Landmark Escolle Road Santa Lucia Highlands
Group's order was as follows:
WOTN: 2015 Sineann Wy'east Reserve
#2: 2014 Archery Summit Whole Cluster Cuvee
#3: 2012 Sineann Resonance Reserve
My Order: 2014 Archery Summit, 2015 Wy'East Res, 2013 Antica Terra, 2012 Resonance Res, 2015 Landmark
All wines were very good and very different, so personal preference will likely determine anyone else's order. For me, less than 2 points separated the top wine from the last place wine....a truly epic battle!
2015 Landmark Pinot Noir Escolle Road Vineyard: This wine was a pleasant surprise. It started out drinking very well, but started fading as the night wore on. Fruit forward on nose and palate, with a decent finish. Mostly red and black fruit (tart and dark cherry and blackberry pie). Not very complex, but still quite enjoyable! 93 at its peak. I would drink up, but it can likely stay where it is for another year or two in the cellar. I don't see it improving much, if at all.
Closing
An epic battle of west coast Pinots (mostly Oregon), that shows how well Organ Pinots can taste! Although all from Oregon, and all very different profiles, they were all delicious in their own way, and it was a lot of fun drinking them! Happy to report, not a dog in the bunch! For everyone reading....stay safe, and cheers!