April 24, 2024 - California wines but not from Napa: Tasted alongside the 2013 Jensen, this was so much bigger, bolder, more earth, dark fruits, dense, less lively. It remained a pleasant pinot.
April 21, 2024 - Monthly Tasting Group: California: Anything but Napa (BLVD Kitchen & Bar, Wayzata, MN): Small taste late. No notes. More what I expect, less what I want.
December 25, 2021 - Unfortunately I served a poor bottle of Calera de Villiers on Christmas Eve. The wine was slightly corked. It was so tragic - you could sense the power and complexity of this pinot but there was a flawed aroma and taste that led one to turn away. This wine has beautiful fruit, and beautiful structure as well. But the aroma is there... is it a damp, soggy cardboard smell? I've never tasted or smelled wet cardboard directly. But I've had enough bottles of corked wine to know it when I smell and taste it. Sorry Calera, and sorry me for having this ill fortune. Usually Calera is an excellent choice.
July 6, 2021 - Deep ruby colored; subtle nose of black cherries;
Strong tannins; medium acidity;dark fruit and earthy flavors with medium long finish. Needed air time. Not a lot of nuances. Still enjoyable with meal of salmon cooked with dill, orzo and veggies
June 15, 2021 - Tasted fine, one dimensional though. 2nd day not much flavor left. No off flavors but nothing stands out here.
January 10, 2021 - Darker colour than other Calera's I have had. Much more substantial wine than the 2011 de Villiers. Full of fruit, but good and complex.
February 25, 2020 - Disappointing
This wine has flattened out and lost fruit
Was better earlier
January 27, 2020 - Well I know better but opened it anyway as is a 375 and leaving in the AM. Needs a few more years.
August 22, 2019 - medium violet; plum, violets, licorice, mint, baking spices; dark fruit; medium tannin, medium+ acidity, 14.2% ABV; made from 100% organically grown Pinot Noir, 50% whole cluster, fermented with native yeasts, aged 20 months in 30% new French oak; $32 for 375 mL
April 14, 2019 - This is a young one so hold it for 3-5 years unless you have a lot of it.