Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
"Global Pinot Noir Tasting"
K&L Redwood City
Tasted January 13, 2023 by WindFlyer with 73 views
Introduction
each K&L location featured its own lineup for this Pinot tasting event… i attended the one in Redwood City, curated and hosted by Neal Fischer.
Flight 1 (5 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Jean-Jacques Lamoureux Champagne Brut Réserve
90 points
all Pinot Noir; half from a base vintage, the other half from reserves.
pale yellow colour with greenish and salmon overtones and small bubbles in the glass. the nose has subtle floral elements mixed in with nectarine and almond aromas that emerge over time. layers of baked pastries of apples and lemon balanced by a crisp citrusy acidity are delightful in mouth. long and creamy finish.
perfect level of sweet/tartness to enjoy by itself or with pairings.
pale yellow colour with greenish and salmon overtones and small bubbles in the glass. the nose has subtle floral elements mixed in with nectarine and almond aromas that emerge over time. layers of baked pastries of apples and lemon balanced by a crisp citrusy acidity are delightful in mouth. long and creamy finish.
perfect level of sweet/tartness to enjoy by itself or with pairings.
Red
2021 Cattleya Pinot Noir Alma de Cattleya
89 points
14.1% alcohol, appellation-level Pinot sourced from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast sites.
light ruby and highly translucent in the glass. the nose displays the satisfying earthy notes of mushrooms and bark with those of red currants and strawberry. in the mouth the initial fruit attack feels well balanced by soft tannins in a nice interplay of berries and spice. good acidity carries thru on the finish.
while it retains the precise focus of prior vintages, it seemed to not be at the same level of concentration and roundness in spite of the alcohol level.
light ruby and highly translucent in the glass. the nose displays the satisfying earthy notes of mushrooms and bark with those of red currants and strawberry. in the mouth the initial fruit attack feels well balanced by soft tannins in a nice interplay of berries and spice. good acidity carries thru on the finish.
while it retains the precise focus of prior vintages, it seemed to not be at the same level of concentration and roundness in spite of the alcohol level.
Red
2021 Hundred Suns Pinot Noir Old Eight Cut
90 points
13.9%, sourced from a number of different Willamette Valley, around 30% whole-cluster.
garnet colour with some opacity and light- to medium-bodied in the glass. the nose is a pleasant brew of black cherries and currants, forest dust, and drying lavender. this earthy aspect first hits the palate and then the fruit uncoils enjoyably with both elements in good tension. moderate acidity and moderate finish.
very interesting wine. i suspect that a little more bottle age and/or aeration would come in handy.
garnet colour with some opacity and light- to medium-bodied in the glass. the nose is a pleasant brew of black cherries and currants, forest dust, and drying lavender. this earthy aspect first hits the palate and then the fruit uncoils enjoyably with both elements in good tension. moderate acidity and moderate finish.
very interesting wine. i suspect that a little more bottle age and/or aeration would come in handy.
Red
2018 Rippon Pinot Noir Mature Vine
93 points
13.5%, from 50+ year-old vines on the shores of Lake Wanaka – a beautiful place i've been lucky enough to visit!
dark, cloudy garnet colour in the glass with good viscosity. it took time for the nose to open and the initial mineral and gum arabic aromas to dissipate and slowly hint at a universe where red currant, sous-bois, and violets lead to even more things. it feels full bodied in the mouth, where at the moment dominates a fine tannic core that hesitantly shares the space with the enticing fruit flavours, tastes which carry on into an incredibly long finish.
a lot of upside potential with more time bottle age.
similarly, more aeration would have benefitted this bottle… as it was very very reticent
i should be keeping mine down for another three years at least…
dark, cloudy garnet colour in the glass with good viscosity. it took time for the nose to open and the initial mineral and gum arabic aromas to dissipate and slowly hint at a universe where red currant, sous-bois, and violets lead to even more things. it feels full bodied in the mouth, where at the moment dominates a fine tannic core that hesitantly shares the space with the enticing fruit flavours, tastes which carry on into an incredibly long finish.
a lot of upside potential with more time bottle age.
similarly, more aeration would have benefitted this bottle… as it was very very reticent
i should be keeping mine down for another three years at least…
Red
2020 Hubert Lignier Bourgogne Symbiose
91 points
14%, sourced from various plots across Burgundy managed by a father-son team, with the Domaine located in Morey-Saint-Denis.
a vivid purplish ruby in the glass with good body. the nose develops swiftly from mineral notes and barnyard funk to red and purple fruits and earthy forest floor and then floral aromas. in the mouth the wine feels medium- to full-bodied, yet light and lifted by the rich but not overbearing fruit with savoury overtones. tannins are smooth, although firm and not yet fully integrated. good long satisfying finish.
a bit on the bolder as opposed to delicate side, it almost seems to be an old-world take on new-world Pinot… and its "regional" classification masks the evidently deft hands involved in the grape selection, winemaking, and blending.
a vivid purplish ruby in the glass with good body. the nose develops swiftly from mineral notes and barnyard funk to red and purple fruits and earthy forest floor and then floral aromas. in the mouth the wine feels medium- to full-bodied, yet light and lifted by the rich but not overbearing fruit with savoury overtones. tannins are smooth, although firm and not yet fully integrated. good long satisfying finish.
a bit on the bolder as opposed to delicate side, it almost seems to be an old-world take on new-world Pinot… and its "regional" classification masks the evidently deft hands involved in the grape selection, winemaking, and blending.
Closing
once i had completed the tasting, i checked the alcohol levels on the wines. i found it interesting that the lightest-bodied wine (Alma de Cattleya) had the highest AbV (14.1%); while the fullest-feeling (Rippon) had the lowest AbV (13.5%).