April 30, 2023 - Tasted alongside a Retour OR pn, which is more my style. Lots of oak, dark cherries, cola in this wine. Quite ripe. Plush.
November 14, 2021 - Consumed over two nights; much better on first night. Opened up quickly in glass. Good red fruit nose and palate finishing with some earth and oak. Tannins fully resolved. Lost considerable freshness on second night. Still an excellent wine, but past peak for me. Drink up.
January 24, 2021 - Nose: B++/A- Palate: B++
My #4, Group's #4 (32 pts), Tasted Blind.
April 21, 2019 - Still performing well from the glass, Blackberries, raspberries, black cherries, licorice, and some earthiness with hints of spice and herbs. Nice complexity, well balanced, and a medium to long finish.
May 24, 2017 - Aged well. Much better than first bottle. A little hot but opened well after an hour.
November 27, 2016 - Two bottles of the 09 Ritchie were flawed. Disappointing as provenance in my off site cellar they were delivered to has been excellent. An 09 UV-SL was somewhat drinkable but also a great disappointment and pulled at the same time.
October 28, 2016 - Good nose, nice body, too hot. 15% is too much for a Cali pn.
October 23, 2016 - Opened, decanted and compared head to head with two other pinots. Raspberry and strawberry fruit, crisp, bright, and held up well against grilled rib eye. Best of the three by a hair. Consistent with recent notes.
October 16, 2016 - Second glass via Coravin from this bottle. PNP. Drank over an hour with poached wild salmon. I like the Red fruits and it went very well paired with the salmon. Nice by itself afterwards.
October 15, 2016 - Lots of deep color for a Pinot. Spice, raspberry and minerals on the nose. Nice red fruit, balanced tartness, red licorice and a long finish with a hint of strawberry. This is a big and complex wine but I don't think it is overdone at all. Clearly Californian but very well put together .