March 30, 2019 - This was really good! We drank this in March 2019 and it really held up well. With a deep purple color, it had a great balance of fruit, pepper, and tannins. The wine matched brilliantly with food and is a great example of what Pinot should taste like. It finishes strong with great legs. The fact that a 2008 Pinot held up this well after 11 years illustrates the complexity and tannic structure not commonly encountered in a Pinot Noir.
December 31, 2018 - A fuller bodied and well-balanced Sonoma Coast Pinot. Excellent paired with braised lamb shanks.
March 25, 2017 - A totally brilliant wine, the 2008 Occidental Ridge Pinot delivers a classy full blown experience tonight With the red fruit and rather forward acidity as its main components. At first sniff there is abundant red fruits with strawberry and red currant. But a secondary layer of forest floor and saddle leather emerges. The palate delivers sublime integration and balance with nothing being of the top. Acidity speaks up a bit in the backend, but that is exactly as it is supposed to be and very typical for the varietal. With a length on the finish lasting some 35-40 seconds this is a wine to remember and which drinks perfectly right now. No reason to hold off if you have any bottles in the cellar!
May 26, 2015 - Burgundian, elegant and still going strong after 8 years, still great on the second night
February 14, 2015 - Dark cherry licorice on the nose accented by menthol and herb, and faintly, flowers on the nose. Plenty of verve and acidic structure makes this taste young yet, to me, but the middle weight red Pinot fruit is racy and tasty, layers of ripe raspberry and cherry licorice. This has charm but not ballet dancer grace on the tongue and leaves an impression on the palate. More Nuits St. George than Volnay if you will forgive the conceit.
January 12, 2015 - We love this wine! The 2008 vintage is our favorite, although the 2010 also drinks very well!
October 25, 2014 - Long mouthfeel, was hard to not open this one for a few years
August 17, 2014 - A nice combo if richness, deep red color, great mouthfeel, with very good acidity.
July 25, 2014 - Drank this at North Square in NYC with Flyertalkers at WineDo 7. This was delicious. I wish I could find my notes.
January 31, 2014 - Decanted for 4 hours. Elegant, balanced, delicious. One of the more amazing pinots I've had in my life.