October 31, 2023 - Bricking, medium dark garnet color; savory, sous bois, dried cherry, cranberry, light balsamic nose; tasty, tart cherry, cranberry, tart red berry palate with suave tannins and good balancing acidity; long finish (should continue to age beautifully for another 10+ years; 13.5% alcohol; natural cork)
April 16, 2023 - Strawberries, cherries, very fruit forward even at 7 years old. Great finish of cinnamon. Great wine
October 22, 2022 - PnP, at restaurant Ai Kyoto. Outstanding nose of strawberries and cherries. A full body and tannic (fine) palate took over an hour to open up. At that time, the glass that I was drinking got a bit too warm. With my very limited exposure to CA pinot, it was an eye opening experience. IMOH, very much like a NSG grown on the side close to VR. It should show better in a couple of years. 90 for now 92-93 potential.
October 19, 2022 - Terrific PN with a light touch of brightness and sweetness across a range of red berry, pomegranate, cherry and rhubarb flavors. Hints of earth and spice at the margin do not distract from the purity in the center. Clear, clean, fruit driven aroma with graceful power throughout and great persistence that is more about the Pinot than the structure. Compelling stuff and a world class QPR at $40. Drink over the next 2-4 years and enjoy.
August 20, 2022 - From an obscenely heavy 75cl (the empty bottle weighs an ecologically indefensible 1264 grammes); perfect cork; decanted one hour, improved until final drop. Spicy darkish cherry PN aromatics; medium-bodied, sweetish but well-balanced entry with bright strawberry fruit and moderate to low acid. Develops well on the mid-palate without reaching any epiphanies of pinosity for me today. A good vacation buy pre-pandemic at cellar door for 48,93 USD; already in early maturity, but no hurry to open remaining bottles, may even improve a little as it opens up. 91(-92?)P
July 29, 2022 - Deep, see-thru,see-through, with browning edges. Big aromas of ripe red cherries and baking spices. Medium bodied, rich creamy mouthfeel. Black raspberry, Bing cherries, forest floor. Fine, mildly gritty tannins.
February 4, 2022 - Fine but not mindblowing. Muted red fruit notes with loads of oak that has not fully melded. Rich fruit with good acid balance. Was not a wine to ponder
September 10, 2021 - Soft, velvety and silky mouth feel. Delicious flavours and great balance
July 18, 2021 - I’m with collector1855 on this wine. I opened the wine because of and in honor his passing and lovely wine and anything but Parkerized Pinot on steroids. All about elegance Snd subtlety. Very nice Pinot and excellent price via Garagiste
July 15, 2021 - Opening this bottle to honor Jim Clendenen, Santa Barbara winemaking pioneer, who just died at 68. With exuberant charisma and relentless work he put Santa Barbara on the map. Even more impressive, he never gave in on the Parker driven Californian style with over-ripe, over-extracted and over-oaked wines. Especially Pinot does not wear this style well. So opening this bottle today is really a treat. Stars with the color, medium-light garnet. Cool nose of whole cluster, red cherries, spice and a touch of game. Fresh and elegant palate, you are thinking Hudelot- Noellat, Heitz-Lochardet or Grivot but not California here. In my view this ranks among the best Pinot outside of Burgundy together with the wines from Felton Road (NZ) and Rose & Arrow (Oregon). 95-96