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Ten Pinots from Ten Regions Across the Globe
Tasted March 18, 2023 by Cailles with 105 views
Introduction
Matter of Taste, Zurich
Flight 1 (10 notes)
Red
2010 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Pinot Nero Sanct Valentin
94 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: Medium+ expressive nose with smoke and stems wrapped around a fine dark fruit core. Quite enticing. On the palate, the same aromatics with an additional more brighter red fruit layer, good precision, very fine tannins, hardly perceptible, well-rounded high acidity, airy texture. Very harmonious. Quite a complete, very cool climate Pinot which might not be the most complex wine but is a joy to drink.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed. Good from the go.
TN: Medium+ expressive nose with smoke and stems wrapped around a fine dark fruit core. Quite enticing. On the palate, the same aromatics with an additional more brighter red fruit layer, good precision, very fine tannins, hardly perceptible, well-rounded high acidity, airy texture. Very harmonious. Quite a complete, very cool climate Pinot which might not be the most complex wine but is a joy to drink.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed. Good from the go.
Red
2021 Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir
93 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: I never had a Pinot from Australia and this Tolpuddle did not disappoint. There is this new world kiss to the wine but it is not overripe, or overdone in any way and remains highly elegant and light. With a bit of bottle age, this could become great. Expressive rose with ripe dark red fruit and some darker berries. A bit sugary scents, along some more stems and earthy nuances to balance it out. On the palate the same picture with this riper red berry notes, stems, earthy minerality, some smoky notes. Good purity of fruit. Velvety tannins, good acidity backbone, light texture and overall very harmonious and round.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed. Good from the go.
TN: I never had a Pinot from Australia and this Tolpuddle did not disappoint. There is this new world kiss to the wine but it is not overripe, or overdone in any way and remains highly elegant and light. With a bit of bottle age, this could become great. Expressive rose with ripe dark red fruit and some darker berries. A bit sugary scents, along some more stems and earthy nuances to balance it out. On the palate the same picture with this riper red berry notes, stems, earthy minerality, some smoky notes. Good purity of fruit. Velvety tannins, good acidity backbone, light texture and overall very harmonious and round.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed. Good from the go.
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Comment
Red
2019 Tom Litwan Pinot Noir Chalofe Thalheim
91 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: A rather muted nose with dark fruit and smoke nuances coming through a bit. Seems very elegant and delicate. On the palate it is more open with darker red berries, smoky minerality and some earthy scents. Very fine and elegant, not an edge and with no weight. A very fine Pinot Noir which, this young, lacks a bit of complexity and is still a bit locked.
Decanting: Maybe a good 2 hours in the decanter would have helped to unlock the wine.
TN: A rather muted nose with dark fruit and smoke nuances coming through a bit. Seems very elegant and delicate. On the palate it is more open with darker red berries, smoky minerality and some earthy scents. Very fine and elegant, not an edge and with no weight. A very fine Pinot Noir which, this young, lacks a bit of complexity and is still a bit locked.
Decanting: Maybe a good 2 hours in the decanter would have helped to unlock the wine.
Red
2018 DuMOL Pinot Noir Finn
92 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: A bit muted nose with dark ripe fruit at core and a bit of chalky minerality. Quite ripe and with the tiniest hint of heat (but I’m very sensitive to this). On the palate this has a very velvety quality to it, with good acidity. Quite ripe but not overripe dark red berries and some blue fruit at the core, nicely framed by a streak of minerality. Quite harmonious and balanced. It is quite a bit riper than the other Pinots in the lineup, clearly Californian in style but overall, this remains on the more restraint side of what I’ve tasted from DuMol so far. This is a winner.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed.
TN: A bit muted nose with dark ripe fruit at core and a bit of chalky minerality. Quite ripe and with the tiniest hint of heat (but I’m very sensitive to this). On the palate this has a very velvety quality to it, with good acidity. Quite ripe but not overripe dark red berries and some blue fruit at the core, nicely framed by a streak of minerality. Quite harmonious and balanced. It is quite a bit riper than the other Pinots in the lineup, clearly Californian in style but overall, this remains on the more restraint side of what I’ve tasted from DuMol so far. This is a winner.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed.
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Comment
Red
2018 Domaine Valentin Zusslin Pinot Noir Bollenberg Luft
84 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: Quite ripe red fruit, spices, some green notes and also a quite a bit of heat. Not an appealing nose. On the palate this is so acid driven that it makes you cringe. The balance is definitely off here. Maybe age can help here.
TN: Quite ripe red fruit, spices, some green notes and also a quite a bit of heat. Not an appealing nose. On the palate this is so acid driven that it makes you cringe. The balance is definitely off here. Maybe age can help here.
Red
2020 Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er Cru Grèves
93 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: Fine dark red berry-driven nose with a bit of earthy minerality on top. On the palate this has a silk-like quality to it and a good but perfectly integrated medium acidity core to keep it light and airy. Not overly complex but with good precision, there is this darker red fruit and blue fruit core with some minerlity notes. Balanced but overly complex. 92/93 pts.
TN: Good from the go (30mins of air in the glass with little change. Open and ready. No extensive decanting needed (1 hour?).
TN: Fine dark red berry-driven nose with a bit of earthy minerality on top. On the palate this has a silk-like quality to it and a good but perfectly integrated medium acidity core to keep it light and airy. Not overly complex but with good precision, there is this darker red fruit and blue fruit core with some minerlity notes. Balanced but overly complex. 92/93 pts.
TN: Good from the go (30mins of air in the glass with little change. Open and ready. No extensive decanting needed (1 hour?).
Red
2018 Rudolf Fürst Centgrafenberg Spätburgunder Großes Gewächs
93 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: I’m a big Fürst fan but this was difficult to judge at first as it was so tight and not giving much. At first, a bit tight on the nose, which shows rather dark fruited, ripe nose reflecting the hot vintage. On the palate the same picture. Rather muted and tight at the moment. The structural frame is fine at first but then I got back to the wine 30 minutes later. The nose opened up a bit more, the fruit got brighter and more expressive and additional layers of herbs and minerality peaking through. Same on the palate, fine red Fürst fruit, ripe but not too ripe, minerality, smoke. Much more approachable than in the beginning but it is missing a bit of aromatic density on the palate and needs time to fill out. As the structural frame is impeccable the wine should age gracefully and fill out over the coming years. 93/94
Decanting: This needs 2 hours in the decanter
TN: I’m a big Fürst fan but this was difficult to judge at first as it was so tight and not giving much. At first, a bit tight on the nose, which shows rather dark fruited, ripe nose reflecting the hot vintage. On the palate the same picture. Rather muted and tight at the moment. The structural frame is fine at first but then I got back to the wine 30 minutes later. The nose opened up a bit more, the fruit got brighter and more expressive and additional layers of herbs and minerality peaking through. Same on the palate, fine red Fürst fruit, ripe but not too ripe, minerality, smoke. Much more approachable than in the beginning but it is missing a bit of aromatic density on the palate and needs time to fill out. As the structural frame is impeccable the wine should age gracefully and fill out over the coming years. 93/94
Decanting: This needs 2 hours in the decanter
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2019 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard
95 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** WC 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: Medium expressive nose displaying silky dark red and blue fruit. Elegant, harmonious and inviting. Seamless on the palate with such a fine sliky structure, quite a bit of weight mid palate and in the finish (for a Pinot Noir). To the fine, ripe darker fruit profile come lazers of minerality, and some brighter herbal aromas to create a good balance. This is so charmingly easy to drink and has such a grace and still a good complexity. Style wise in its own category somewhere between a new world Californian Pinot and a Burgundy. This is a fine Pinot Noir which, with 10/20 years of age should shed some of its baby fat and weight to become even better. But it’s fun to drink it today and easily on a 94/95pts level.
Decanting: Aerated for at least 45 minutes in the glass, this was open and singing.
TN: Medium expressive nose displaying silky dark red and blue fruit. Elegant, harmonious and inviting. Seamless on the palate with such a fine sliky structure, quite a bit of weight mid palate and in the finish (for a Pinot Noir). To the fine, ripe darker fruit profile come lazers of minerality, and some brighter herbal aromas to create a good balance. This is so charmingly easy to drink and has such a grace and still a good complexity. Style wise in its own category somewhere between a new world Californian Pinot and a Burgundy. This is a fine Pinot Noir which, with 10/20 years of age should shed some of its baby fat and weight to become even better. But it’s fun to drink it today and easily on a 94/95pts level.
Decanting: Aerated for at least 45 minutes in the glass, this was open and singing.
Red
2019 Rippon Pinot Noir Tinker's Field
90 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: Medium expressive nose with dark red fruit and some vegetal aromas as well as smoky minerlity. On the palate this is very minerality driven, some greener vegetal notes, smoke. The structural frame is impeccable, fine tannins, good high acidity which is well integrated and good, fairly light texture. Good balance overall if it wouldn’t be for the missing fruit sweetness this could be quite good. Like other New Zealand Pinots I had before, this lacks a bit of fruit sweetness. Well made, super soft but just not charming enough.
Decanting: Aerated for 45+ minutes in the glass. Not sure if more or less air would have changed things
TN: Medium expressive nose with dark red fruit and some vegetal aromas as well as smoky minerlity. On the palate this is very minerality driven, some greener vegetal notes, smoke. The structural frame is impeccable, fine tannins, good high acidity which is well integrated and good, fairly light texture. Good balance overall if it wouldn’t be for the missing fruit sweetness this could be quite good. Like other New Zealand Pinots I had before, this lacks a bit of fruit sweetness. Well made, super soft but just not charming enough.
Decanting: Aerated for 45+ minutes in the glass. Not sure if more or less air would have changed things
Red
2018 Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Pinot Noir trocken ***
95 points
A fantastic tasting experience highlighting so many different styles of this wonderful grape. Two winners for me: Molitor’s Graacher Himmelreich*** 2018 (rated 95pts) which had a fantastic 97+ pts bouquet but a bit of a hole mid-palate. And Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vyd 2019 (rated 95pts) which might not be the style of Pinot I want to drink every day, but was the most complete wine. Positive surprise: my first Italian Pinot ever, the St. Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin 2010 (94pts) which shined bright with its intriguing minerality.
TN: The most intriguing bouquet in the lineup. Very complex, hyper precise display of layer of dark fruits, dark red fruits, a lot of smoke, some minty notes, some intriguing toastiness, some meaty notes. Wow. The complexity is mind bending and it screams of elegance and finesse. On the palate this is good as well with all the same aromas and clearly the finest expression of Pinot in the whole lineup without loosing on complexity. There is a bit of a hole mid palate, the complexity and fine, delicate aromatic density of the nose is not matched, but this is great. Maybe it will fill out with more age. Nose was 97+, palate 93/94.
Decanting: Aerated for 45+ minutes in the glass, which seemed perfect.
TN: The most intriguing bouquet in the lineup. Very complex, hyper precise display of layer of dark fruits, dark red fruits, a lot of smoke, some minty notes, some intriguing toastiness, some meaty notes. Wow. The complexity is mind bending and it screams of elegance and finesse. On the palate this is good as well with all the same aromas and clearly the finest expression of Pinot in the whole lineup without loosing on complexity. There is a bit of a hole mid palate, the complexity and fine, delicate aromatic density of the nose is not matched, but this is great. Maybe it will fill out with more age. Nose was 97+, palate 93/94.
Decanting: Aerated for 45+ minutes in the glass, which seemed perfect.