Community Tasting Notes 59

• z_willus_d wrote: 92 points

  August 25, 2019 - Screw-top. I'm revisiting this wine after eight and a half years, and what memory I have of it suggests it hasn't much changed other than taking on a smoother ride, like it got the Cadillac suspension upgrade. I'm realizing now, after reading Keith's note, that the "vodka greyhound cocktail" component I noted before, and which remains today, is better described by his passage on Cola. The bitters are interesting to say the least, and the sensation of hard liquor isn't off putting the way one might think, references to wine heat, lack of balance, and such. The light, red fruits on the nose follow to a tensive palate that's split between sweet, pure cherry/strawberry juices with florals and the grapefruit, vodka, black-tea, and yes, cola bean imbued second act.

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• La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 points

  June 15, 2019 - This beautifully structured Pinot was tasted in single-blind fashion. Medium red/garnet in color, it offers an intense aromatic profile of smoky red bramble fruits, strawberries, Asian spices and ganache. Medium-bodied, freshly acidic, softly tannic and without noticeable alcohol (13.2%), it delivers flavors mirroring the nose. The wine's oak component is complementary, accenting but not dominating the fruit. Long and silky-textured on the back end, this is clearly in its prime. Well-cellared bottles should continue to show nicely for another 3-4 years. Drink now-2023.

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• gutt22 Likes this wine:

  September 14, 2015 - 13.2% alcohol. Red cherry color. Very pretty, elegant nose of red cherry, flowers, and spice. In the mouth, linear and precise, with lightly tart cherry fruit, which packs a really nice wallop, and complex notes of roses and baking spice. Strong acidity and a smooth, lenghty finish. This still has plenty of life left, at least 5-7 years. A-

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• mhauser Likes this wine:

  December 31, 2014 - Pinkish red, with a hint of brown, but clear. Still a nice, light nose on this wine, with strawberry, anise, ginger scents. A lot of acidity, and a decent amount of tannin. Thin on the palate, though that seems to be the style of the OGV. The fruit is coming thru with some air, but the acidity still dominates, with sour cherry and savory meats. Moderate finish. Not sure if this wine is past its prime or shut down, but it's no longer young. Would be better with food at this point.

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• Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 95 points

  February 14, 2014 - Still a beautiful bottle of California pinot noir, and still young, too. This was my last bottle of three - I should have bought more, as this is such a satisfying wine I could be happy drinking it every day. It is suave and supple and polished like an orb, with a thin, feminine figure but plenty of sappy fruit to give it a rich presence just the same. Along with the beautifully pure black-tinged fruit is a nice snap of something that, for the first time ever, makes me wonder whether "cola" might really be typical of Russian River Valley pinot noir and not just typical of overripe pinot noir, like most Russian River Valley pinot noirs other than Inman. There really is something vaguely cola-like about this, but not in the sense that it tastes like Cherry Coke (like, you know, most RRVs), but rather it has that pleasantly bitter taste of cola nuts and spices and other stuff that would go into cola before it just becomes sweet soda syrup. That's also the main thing that distinguishes this vintage vis-a-vis the '06 and '07, which were just as beautiful but more focused on the fruit.

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Pro Reviews 1

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2005
• Type Red
• Producer Inman Family
• Varietal Pinot Noir
• Designation OGV Estate
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Sonoma County
• Appellation Russian River Valley

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 68 (21%)
• Consumed 260 (79%)

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