At peak and still delicious !! I agree with my tasting note of one year ago !! Perfect cork after over a decade in the bottle, easily removed. Dark ruby colored with little to no oxidation and medium clarity. Consumed over two days. A very balanced Pinot Noir with a nice long finish. Made of clones: Rochioli, 667, and 115. This Valienti Ranch is located on the top of Greenwood Ridge, 6 miles from the ocean at 1,400 feet above sea level. It is a challenging site with daily maritime winds resulting in very cool temperatures throughout the growing season. The marginally fertile topsoil overlays a deep profile of sandstone and shale which roots can penetrate deeply to take up water and minerals enabling dry farming. Daytime temperatures are typically 7 to 10 degrees cooler than the Anderson Valley floor. Yields are very low. This was the last bottle of the vintage in my cellar.
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This wine is tasting really good right now !! The cork was nearly perfect after over a decade in the bottle. This is a balanced Pinot Noir that I consumed over two days. Deep ruby color with no oxidation, clarity medium. Aromas of pomegranate and rose hips, flavors of sweetened cranberry, red fruit compote, rhubarb, and marine soil with a pleasant medium to long finish. Popped and poured, this wine really benefited from gentle oxygen since it was much more soft and integrated on day two. This age worthy wine is a balanced and flavorful Pinot Noir that has more years of life left. A great fruit source from Valenti Ranch in the Mendocino Ridge AVA and a great winemaking effort from Jason Drew. I still have one bottle of this vintage remaining; I may open it in the next few months or so to verify my rating.
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By the glass at Sansei Waikiki. Very dark garnet with violet rim (looked like the Anthill Farms Syrah I had before this glass). Light(+) weight in the Pinot Noir scene of things with silky tannins. Earthy cherry black tea and cinnamon aromas. Black cherry touch of blueberry and baking spices on the palate. Long fresh red fruit finish big sleek and delicious.
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Ripe cherry and red raspberry with full mouthfeel. Nice richness of fruit witout being over the top. Spicy and fragrant nose. Hints and nuances of vanilla and cola notes. Has increased intensity of fruit on the palate with darker flavors emerging without being over the top. Has some definite aging capacity but still very approachable at this point in time.
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First ever bottle from this vineyard. I am intrigued. NOse jumps out of the glass. Favors ar restrained, but you can sense some stuff yet to come. While I think this will benefit from 5 years of aging, it's delicious right now and I will have trouble keeping my hands off this for mid week drinking. A bargain..
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Very alluring aromas with a mixture of floral and spice notes. Red fruit predominates with a brightness and purity to it that keeps beckoning for another taste. Also presented some herbal undertones and initially some tartness that softened fairly quickly.Nice effort that will continue to evolve and integrate.
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nose - of freshly brewed tea, possibly some floral aspects. delicate mouth - lively tart red fruits creating overall a rather sour experience. some backend tannins even things out a tad. this is hands down a food wine and I'm sure that's what they were going for; the equivalent of a squeeze of lemon between bites.
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Blackish purple; forest floor, dark fruits; cherry, slight cola, blackberry, tanic, chalky; medium finish, a little tart. This is drinking well now, although a few years will help integrate the flavors. A fine example of Mendo Coast wine, done very well. These are day two notes. It really needed the full day, half full bottle with cork on, to reveal itself. Day one I found it rather closed. I am probably coming back to this wine in late 2013.
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Surprisingly very good. Oozing with dark fruit and vanilla -- slight sweetness to nose. Palate was moderate for a pinot and very, very soft. Nice complexity and still with a touch of acidity. Long finish. Kosta with less octane.
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Great structure in this wine. High toned, dark red fruit ~ raspberry, pomegranate, black cherries, roses, laced with cardamom and gingerbread. Lively on the palate with high acidity and medium plus tannins and a wonderful fruit and herb profile. This should age gracefully.
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2/11/2022 - bdhanna Likes this wine: 92 Points
At peak and still delicious !! I agree with my tasting note of one year ago !!
Perfect cork after over a decade in the bottle, easily removed. Dark ruby colored with little to no oxidation and medium clarity. Consumed over two days. A very balanced Pinot Noir with a nice long finish. Made of clones: Rochioli, 667, and 115. This Valienti Ranch is located on the top of Greenwood Ridge, 6 miles from the ocean at 1,400 feet above sea level. It is a challenging site with daily maritime winds resulting in very cool temperatures throughout the growing season. The marginally fertile topsoil overlays a deep profile of sandstone and shale which roots can penetrate deeply to take up water and minerals enabling dry farming. Daytime temperatures are typically 7 to 10 degrees cooler than the Anderson Valley floor. Yields are very low. This was the last bottle of the vintage in my cellar.
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2/6/2021 - bdhanna Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is tasting really good right now !!
The cork was nearly perfect after over a decade in the bottle. This is a balanced Pinot Noir that I consumed over two days. Deep ruby color with no oxidation, clarity medium. Aromas of pomegranate and rose hips, flavors of sweetened cranberry, red fruit compote, rhubarb, and marine soil with a pleasant medium to long finish. Popped and poured, this wine really benefited from gentle oxygen since it was much more soft and integrated on day two. This age worthy wine is a balanced and flavorful Pinot Noir that has more years of life left. A great fruit source from Valenti Ranch in the Mendocino Ridge AVA and a great winemaking effort from Jason Drew. I still have one bottle of this vintage remaining; I may open it in the next few months or so to verify my rating.
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3/17/2015 - df1962 Likes this wine: 92 Points
By the glass at Sansei Waikiki. Very dark garnet with violet rim (looked like the Anthill Farms Syrah I had before this glass). Light(+) weight in the Pinot Noir scene of things with silky tannins. Earthy cherry black tea and cinnamon aromas. Black cherry touch of blueberry and baking spices on the palate. Long fresh red fruit finish big sleek and delicious.
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11/26/2013 - soyhead wrote:
a relatively speaking big pinot, with impressive structure, would benefit from several more years in the bottle
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10/13/2013 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 91 Points
My previous notes remain relevant. This is drinking well now and should continue 2013-2016 at least.
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10/23/2012 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 91 Points
Ripe cherry and red raspberry with full mouthfeel. Nice richness of fruit witout being over the top. Spicy and fragrant nose. Hints and nuances of vanilla and cola notes. Has increased intensity of fruit on the palate with darker flavors emerging without being over the top. Has some definite aging capacity but still very approachable at this point in time.
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10/3/2012 - Edclr wrote: 91 Points
First ever bottle from this vineyard. I am intrigued. NOse jumps out of the glass. Favors ar restrained, but you can sense some stuff yet to come. While I think this will benefit from 5 years of aging, it's delicious right now and I will have trouble keeping my hands off this for mid week drinking. A bargain..
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9/8/2012 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 92 Points
Very alluring aromas with a mixture of floral and spice notes. Red fruit predominates with a brightness and purity to it that keeps beckoning for another taste. Also presented some herbal undertones and initially some tartness that softened fairly quickly.Nice effort that will continue to evolve and integrate.
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6/3/2012 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
nose - of freshly brewed tea, possibly some floral aspects. delicate
mouth - lively tart red fruits creating overall a rather sour experience. some backend tannins even things out a tad. this is hands down a food wine and I'm sure that's what they were going for; the equivalent of a squeeze of lemon between bites.
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2/16/2012 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackish purple; forest floor, dark fruits; cherry, slight cola, blackberry, tanic, chalky; medium finish, a little tart. This is drinking well now, although a few years will help integrate the flavors. A fine example of Mendo Coast wine, done very well. These are day two notes. It really needed the full day, half full bottle with cork on, to reveal itself. Day one I found it rather closed. I am probably coming back to this wine in late 2013.
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2/8/2012 - J-Sho Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly very good. Oozing with dark fruit and vanilla -- slight sweetness to nose. Palate was moderate for a pinot and very, very soft. Nice complexity and still with a touch of acidity. Long finish. Kosta with less octane.
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10/23/2011 - Chateau Cabron wrote:
Great structure in this wine. High toned, dark red fruit ~ raspberry, pomegranate, black cherries, roses, laced with cardamom and gingerbread. Lively on the palate with high acidity and medium plus tannins and a wonderful fruit and herb profile. This should age gracefully.
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