May 27, 2021 - PnP. Bought on release, temperature-controlled transport/storage.
This wine is singing. Signature Anderson Valley notes. Black tea, orange peel, dark cherry, anise, licorice. Fruit fading slowly but still very noticeable on the front/mid-palate. Tannins well integrated, just the right level of acidity. Terrific balance and length. One of the best wines I’ve had from this producer.
August 16, 2020 - Last bottle. From my note and others, it appears that there is significant bottle variation with this wine. My final bottle was fruity and flabby and lacked the acid, earth and balance of my previous tasting. 3 different bottles, 3 different results
January 31, 2019 - Dinner at Mill Valley Beer Works, MV, CA. From 750ml. Popped and poured
A beautiful kaleidoscopic nose, with a decidedly rich fruited--but nuanced and lively--palate. Anderson Valley for sure, with the detail, precision and transparency that Littorai excels at. Really a pleasure and paired well with the beer braised duck leg. A contrast to the bottle opened six months previously, which seems tight and ungiving. This was ready to enjoy, but I would expect it to drink well for at least another couple of years.
October 2, 2018 - PnP. After last bottle didn't have a lot of expectations though other notes seemed to indicate that one may have been an aberration. Medium dark red. Rich nose of cherries and strawberry. On the palate this is deep and rich with excellent intensity and a long finish. Amazing! This tastes riper than many Littorai but still beautifully made. Tannins seem to have resolved or are still buried in the fruit. Given the showing from this bottle the others are in no danger of cracking up. Humbling.
June 15, 2018 - Dinner at Home, Mill Valley, CA. Opened 1/2 hour prior to serving. From 750ml
In contrast to the 07 Summa opened a few weeks earlier, this wine was closed, and simply unwilling to open throughout the evening. Great potential, but hard to judge fully today. Will age remaining bottles further.
October 19, 2017 - When I first tasted this wine in 2009 I was not impressed. Closed and awkward I could tell the fruit was there but it had not yet figured itself out. Today this wine is a dream and a wonderful example of the age worthiness of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Elegant, sensuous and expressive with good acidity and a long finish. Complex earth tones and mid-palate complexity Wonderful food beverage.
August 22, 2017 - PNP. The relatively light ruby color was the first clue that this bottle would skew towards the elegant rather than the plush. On the nose, wisps of smoke, spice,red berries and some piney/sous bois aspects. On the palate, tart cherry pie and spice. It got more sweetly fruited the longer it was open but remained well balanced. Decently long finish. On the lighter side for a Littorai pinot -- almost Oregonian in flavor profile--and so appealing. Great match with a fragrant chicken curry.
January 22, 2017 - Some pine needle sap on the nose as well as spiced plum and cherry. It is full, plump and round on the palate with good depth and excellent persistence.
January 16, 2017 - Winter in Wineland; 1/14/2017-1/20/2017 (Sonoma & Napa): Very much barnyard funk in this one. Drank next to the '14 which was just about completely closed down. In comparison this wine was very open and expressive. Longer set of flavors and the finish stays with you. Very earthy, straw, manure, mud.
November 26, 2016 - Drank over 3 hours. Rich, intense, extracted with pure, generous, sappy fruit on the palate. Still kinda grippy and quite bold. There's some dried cherry, dried herbs, sweet leather with a black tea, spice, fir/pine finish. Gains heft and density with air. Great flavor intensity and a beautiful juicy, weighty core. Long finish. Awesome stuff. Drink with a short decant.