November 23, 2020 - Day 1: Soy, floral, earth, burnt toast, underbrush and dust. The exact opposite of an overripe California Pinot. Elegant and good acidity. Medium finish. 92 points
Day 2: Nice and features soy, underbrush, violets, raspberries, minerals and dust. One of the more Burgundy like wines from California that I have tasted. 91 points
Day 3: Still solid. I would consume these soon.
Recommendation: This is a pop and pour wine right now. Drink now to 2022.
February 2, 2019 - Oregon Pinot Noir vs. California Pinot Noir (Minneapolis): Day 1: Dust, underbrush, strawberries, floral and cherry notes. Medium finish. This wine was a little tight and will see improvements probably on day 2. 90 points
Day 2: Day 2 has improved the performance from day 1. Strawberry, earth, mint, underbrush and beef. Much more concentrated and medium plus finish. Similar to other reviews of this wine. Solid. 92 points
Day 3: More impressive on day 3. Spices, floral, underbrush, roasted meats and herbs. Not as much fruit but love the style. Big and long finish. This is a young wine and should have a long life ahead. 92+ points
Recommendation: Hold 2 plus years and enjoy.
September 24, 2018 - This was a delightful Pinot Noir, bought directly at the winery a few years ago. Very attractive, fruit forward profile, but with some weight, backbone and complexity. I remember it being a little more exciting at the winery though. Feel like this is something to drink now, with no need to weight as it may just lose more intensity. A bit pricey for what it is perhaps.
July 17, 2018 - Day 3 review: Perfumed nose with violets, soy, spices and red currants. Very balanced wine and complex finish. This should age for another 5 years. Excellent value for the price I paid for this.
April 14, 2018 - 3 Day Wine Reviews that Rock!; 2/12/2018-4/15/2018: Day 1: Almost drank all of the 2012 Witness Tree Pinot on day 1 so decided to try something from Cali to compare. More Burgundian with earth, floral, stone and red currants on the nose. The palate is very pleasant with nice minerality, cranberries, spices and floral notes. Medium plus finish. Outstanding! 93 points
Day 2: This one will also not make it to day 3. Solid on day 2 but also has lost some of its fruit. Drink day 1.
Recommendation: Drink on day 1 on a pop and pour. This could age for 2 or 3 years but would not recommend beyond that.
February 10, 2018 - Day1: Very nice on the pop and pour. Good acidity with cranberry, spices, mulberries, earth and underbrush. Very balanced effort and drinking well now but will revisit on day 2 and 3. 92 points
Day 2: A little more mellow than day one. Still features cranberry, earth and underbrush but has picked up violets and some more promenade red fruits. This is drinking well at 5 years but aging potential is a minimum of five years. 92 points
Day 3: Still very good. Not a notable transformation and you can enjoy this on day wine or two but really wouldn't wait a third day.
April 21, 2017 - This is an open and forward wine with cherries, darken berries and some herbal and spicy notes. The palate shows some fine grained tannic structure and a soft but precise acidity. Generous and easy to enjoy Pinot Noir.
November 4, 2016 - Thomas Fogarty Winery (Santa Cruz - Skyline): Probably one of the "best" wines in the Pinot lineup, the Rapley Trail had a little bit of forest floor, mulch, and cedar to assist in attempting to wake up the otherwise diluted and watery black cherry and strawberry fruit flavors desperately trying to emerge from this wine. Totally died mid-palate, and had no real finish to speak of. Lost with the others in the lineup in the end.
The "In the Pursuit of Balance" methodologies practiced in the winemaking showed to disastrous effect. As mentioned in my other notes about this producer, I don't disagree with the idea IPOB conceptually, but what I have found is that nearly EVERY producer who has latched on to this kumbaya trend has in fact not created a balanced wine, but has instead created forgettable wines without any personalities whatsoever. Not shockingly, Fogarty has fallen victim to this Scientology of winemaking. Their Manifesto of Balance (no I didn't make that up) cites that the genius of Pinot is in its subtly and poise. But what of character? What of depth? What of tiered flavor profiles? What of intensity? What of any discernible personality that tells you something, anything, about this wine?
85 points, and unfortunately my best (and most generous) scoring of the Fogarty Pinots.
May 30, 2016 - Very good wine. Opened and let breathe for an hour. Medium to full-bodied wine. Much better the first day than the second, so try to drink all in one sitting. Very balanced and typical pinot. No mistaking it. Drinking well now, but should continue to develop for a year or more.
February 27, 2016 - Full bodied and balanced with distinct tannins. Nicely structured. My favorite of the pinot tasting.