July 31, 2013 - 2013 Post IPNC Tasting of 2004 OR Pinot (Matello Winery): Vegetal, underripe nose, green, with some minerals but mostly menthol. I guessed 2001 Loire Cab Franc (and was obviously wrong).
July 29, 2013 - Post IPNC blind 2004 Oregon Pinot Noir tasting (Matello): Interesting nose, red cherry candy meets menthol and stems. Initially nice on the palate showing dark cherry and a touch of baking spice. Showing decent balance initially but ends a little roughly, showing some tartness.
May 26, 2013 - Nose is diluted watermelon and a bit of varnish. Palate shows forest floor, faint pine tar resin, watermelon, middle toned faint cherry, earth. Watery, thin texture. Finished delicately. Seems like its fading but not sure - this bottle seems an unlikely evolution from my previous nearly 22 mos ago.
After sampling this with others the next day, I think this bottle was flawed. Today there is a much more pronounced acetone or VA note on the nose with further dissipation of flavors. I think this is flawed.
April 21, 2013 - Soft mouth feel, balanced. Red fruit that is just beginning to fade (nicely). One bottle left that should be consumed within the next year. Very nice.
August 8, 2011 - This needed two hours to show itself and when it did, it sang. Had earthy and some mild forest floor with spearment and cherry. Palate was soft and had good tannin and acidity. Middle toned fruit with a little bright red + dark plum dancing around. Also had some mulchy, mossy thing too. Really beautiful wine that needs a full 2 hrs to open. This will maintain and maybe even improve for at least 5 yrs, but its drinking so well now.
April 21, 2011 - Bottle seemed slightly off -- particularly aromatically. Once the semi-nasty smell burned off (which, happily, was quite quickly), there was good underlying fruit, so not sure what was up with this bottle. 90 score represents good fruit, and maybe a point or 2 of potential upside, because I've never had a Brick House wine smell like this one.......
January 15, 2010 - It was much more balanced upon opening than when I tried this in '07. More of the earthy/mossy quality seems to be coming through, which I've experienced with other '04 vintages. Still a beautiful wine with at least a couple more years of life in it.
September 26, 2007 - Lovely spearmint and cherry aromas to start, but it took about 30 minutes for the tannins to show up to balance the bright acidity. Once it opened up you could taste cherry, sandalwood, earth and I swear there was a mustardy flavor in the background--not at all unpleasant, just interesting. Still has fairly lively acidity that's a bit distracting from its full potential, so I'd either like to decant next time or revisit in a couple years.
September 10, 2006 - Chicago Wine Geeks do Oregon Pinot and Global Pinot Gris (Frank's Place): Light ruby red and cloudy appearance in the glass. A lovely, interesting nose of cigar ash, herbs, light cherry and a hint of oak. The medium bodied palate features a chalky texture. Cola and cherries with hints of pencil lead and cedar (who put Bordeaux in this?). Firm acidic strucutre. I liked the flavor profiles on this wine.
August 19, 2006 - [Thai Lobster] Great nose, raspberry, spice. Medium bodied. The attack had an interesting quality; complete abscence of taste followed by a burst of raspberry, bosenberry. Very sweet tannins on this finish; not typically of OR PN. Less OR than expected. Strange note but I liked it. Maybe its the organic grapes. Would buy again at $35-$40.