From a double magnum, this wine was great! Mature, big, rich, round, huge mouth feel, dark fruit and savory nicely balanced. Finish long and complex. Really special.
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Bright and fruity wine - paired extremely well with salmon this evening. Agree with others stating that it is drinking well now and is likely at or near peak.
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Surprise of the night in how good this $28 bottle from nearly a decade ago is holding up. I cannot imagine it improving from here, but I think it is at peak and makes for a wonderful drink. Elegant, floral with nice bright red fruits.
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At or near peak, conveying intriguing nuance and depth. It might hold its own in a blind flight that feature red Burgundy. It will hold for a few years but further development seems unlikely. 91-92.
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Very nice. Approaching its peak time at 9 years of age. The rough edges of young pinots are gone now, and it's got a very pleasant balance and complexity. I'll get more if I can.
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medium ruby color, with a slight orange ring on the rim. Earth and stems surround the Pinot fruit on the intense nose. Smooth on the palate, medium body. Medium long finish, that starts clean and moves towards the bitter side
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An appropriate pale red. Deeper nose and flavors than you'd expect from that color, but not all good ones. Mostly a spicy bass note. Cheap spice. In fact, it tastes overwhelmingly like the stuff they splash on your neck at a $12 barbershop. Still high in acid after 9 years too. I didn't want a second glass.
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Light garnet with a ripe strawberry nose. Initially had a slight metallic note which concerned me because of some negative reviews from K&L sourced bottles. After some open time the metallic note has vaninshed, so we have an acid focus with light fruit of strawberries and well integrated tannins. I was expecting a bold fruited wine from this vintage, but this is fairly restrained toward the AFWE side. In addition to the strawberry, there is some balsam and red currants weaving about. Another night and has fleshed out with more of a ripe plum and earth note but has peaked and heading down toward stewed prunes.
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Tasted blind. Exuberant, candy-like red fruit with a bunch of gaminess and hints of ground coriander seed and mocha. Big, bright, and fun. Cherry-cola like mouthfeel. Rating: 92
Guess the wine: Pinot noir. Tastes New World but not stupid. Rhys?
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Also sourced from K&L and agree with D&V that the palate doesn't match up with the nose. However, I differ in that this is the norm for this producer has I have had many, many bottles over the years, they age surprisingly well too.
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This has a great floral nose but the finish is super bitter and it doesn't get better with oxidation. Its very unpleasant. I've had Cristoms many times and they always have a great nose and almost always don't deliver. K&L may have mishandled the wine (I have had so many poorly maintained bottles from K&L that I stopped buying from them) but this wine didn't perform even for a modest price point.
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I really appreciate the restraint here. This is not a big jammy fruit bomb, as so many of the '09 vintage unfortunately turned out to be. Deft balance, bright red fruit, smoke, spice, still a bit of grip from the tannins. I was wrong to question the longevity of this very well made wine. This has many good years ahead of it. Enjoyed over two evenings, and it was still opening up when the last glass was poured.
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Disclaimer: I don't know what it is about Cristom, but the wines just don't do anything for me. Either it's their style of wine making or I've always had a funky bottle. FYI: this one was a gift.
Opened not decanted. Light cherry and berry fruit on the nose with high heat peaking through. On the palate: Concord grape with mushroom and forest floor notes: morphs to drying tastes of oak and washed out dried cherry. Ends with some heat on a drying finish. Fair.
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An energetic, if a bit straightforward, Oregon Pinot on the riper end of the spectrum. Bright red in color, medium in body, nose of spice and blueberry. Tastes of sour cherry, candied walnut, and herbs, with a pleasant finish. 14% alcohol. This retains far more youth than I expected, though the complexity is a bit lacking. A decent value, this wine needs an hour or so to shed some of the sugar. Drink now or in next few years.
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Enjoyed this wine a lot. Not a fruit bomb, but there's good fruit along with cola. The wine has aged well and I wouldn't keep it around much longer, but it's not lost much from it's peak.
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Perfectly nice OR Pinot, medium pale Burgundy color, cherry cola, menthol, and oak on the nose, sold fresh acidity on the palate; it was a good foil for dinner. Not sure what it gained in 6 years, no tertiary characteristics to speak of, just a fresh Oregon style Pinot.
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Savory with dark but fairly lean fruit, soy, earth, tobacco, smoke. Expansive with a strawberry floral lift. This is a lovely complex wine, grounded in solid pretty fruit. Not everything is as integrated as I'd like, feels a little disjointed. Acid just a bit high. Very nice.
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Nose is fine; strawberries, rose petals. Mouth is flat, unbalanced acidity dominates. Also drank our '07 and '10 this week; they were so much better with great fruit still balancing out the acidity. Tannins also almost gone from the '09. Probably should have drunk it earlier.
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We really enjoyed this at the winery, especially tasting against the 10 and 11 version - just jumped out of the glass and demanded attention. However, this bottle was just... eh. Flat and without the burst of fruit and acid like we expected. From the string of reviews this one was just off so don't hold this against what was a great wine at the tasting, and one that everyone seems to really enjoy. I'll try to track down another.
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Nice fruity Pinot nose. Exuberantly fruity on the palate with judicious use of oak. Just enough acidity to keep the almost over ripe fruit in balance. Tannins unobtrusive.
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Willamette with a touch of Wedding Planning (or vice versa); 7/2/2014-7/4/2014 (Willamette Valley): Very interesting to do the vertical with the 2011 and 2010 (2010 was my favorite of the group). This had lots more fruit than either of the above. Still the oak and spice. To my taste the 2010 was the best balance across the flavors. This one did feel more approachable - prob the extra year helped, but potentially also the warmer vintage. I'd still lay it down a bit more, but would expect you would drink this with less age than the other two.
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Great forward fruit and back end spice. Needed some time to breath but it was well worth the wait. This wine will continue to develop. No need to rush to open this one.
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Willamette Valley - Tasted at winery: Nicely balanced nose expressing dark berries and red cherries. Flavors of earth and oak expressed themselves on the palate, along with dark berries and cherries. Big tannins and enjoyable. Give this wine another year or two in the cellar and it should add a couple of points.
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7/29/2023 - kvls08@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Drinkimg fabulously with velvet mouth feel, lively fruit and lingering finish. Drink over the next 3 years.
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8/19/2022 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 92 Points
From a double magnum, this wine was great! Mature, big, rich, round, huge mouth feel, dark fruit and savory nicely balanced. Finish long and complex. Really special.
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7/26/2019 - Hortonbill Likes this wine: 92 Points
At it's peak now. Delicate, delicious, rich, complex. Wonderful companion to tonight's main course of grilled salmon with citrus salsa verde.
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5/3/2019 - bboard wrote:
Brought to restaurant to open, still needs 1hour+ airtime to open up. Lots of life ahead, drinking nicely.
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11/23/2018 - Hortonbill Likes this wine: 90 Points
Reaching prime. Strong fruit, complex flavors with great balance. Hints of cherry, pear, chocolate and tobacco.
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10/3/2018 - bboard Likes this wine:
No details note. Needed an hour to open up and balance out. Plenty of fruit, decent complexity, quite enjoy. 1 bottle left
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9/14/2018 - Drewski1975 wrote: 92 Points
Paired well with salmon. Bright and fruity wine that is near peak...
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9/14/2018 - Drewski1975 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright and fruity wine - paired extremely well with salmon this evening. Agree with others stating that it is drinking well now and is likely at or near peak.
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8/10/2018 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 84 Points
Popped and poured:nice nose with a little spice; raspberry on the palate and medium finish. Paired well with over roasted salmon with green beans.
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7/15/2018 - cadamson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprise of the night in how good this $28 bottle from nearly a decade ago is holding up. I cannot imagine it improving from here, but I think it is at peak and makes for a wonderful drink. Elegant, floral with nice bright red fruits.
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6/18/2018 - Motz wrote: 91 Points
At or near peak, conveying intriguing nuance and depth. It might hold its own in a blind flight that feature red Burgundy. It will hold for a few years but further development seems unlikely. 91-92.
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1/29/2018 - Wowcoolman Likes this wine: 88 Points
Full mouthfeel, earthy notes dominate with some spicy peppery notes. Fruit is pushed way into the background. Finishes dry and leathery.
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1/20/2018 - mac-eye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice. Approaching its peak time at 9 years of age. The rough edges of young pinots are gone now, and it's got a very pleasant balance and complexity. I'll get more if I can.
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1/15/2018 - yarnon Likes this wine: 90 Points
medium ruby color, with a slight orange ring on the rim.
Earth and stems surround the Pinot fruit on the intense nose.
Smooth on the palate, medium body. Medium long finish, that starts clean and moves towards the bitter side
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11/26/2017 - Rico100 wrote: 91 Points
Nice house brand wine
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5/27/2017 - Shrages wrote: 87 Points
An appropriate pale red. Deeper nose and flavors than you'd expect from that color, but not all good ones. Mostly a spicy bass note. Cheap spice. In fact, it tastes overwhelmingly like the stuff they splash on your neck at a $12 barbershop. Still high in acid after 9 years too. I didn't want a second glass.
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5/21/2017 - bboard Likes this wine:
No detail notes but for sure long years ahead for this wine - lots of elements, not jammy at all, acidity to balance out, nice earthiness to finish
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1/22/2017 - silbakor wrote: 88 Points
Didn't make notes, but recall it being reasonably good for the price.
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1/20/2017 - Sixchips600 Likes this wine:
This has improved into a nice window. Cherry fruit, herbs, rich and ripe but not flabby. Best day one.
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1/11/2017 - Hargate Likes this wine: 92 Points
I like this wine. It has aged beautifully and tastes nmore Burgundian than CA/OR.
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12/25/2016 - mehalchin Likes this wine:
Excellent with the Christmas turkey feast.
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12/23/2016 - dsgris Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light garnet with a ripe strawberry nose. Initially had a slight metallic note which concerned me because of some negative reviews from K&L sourced bottles. After some open time the metallic note has vaninshed, so we have an acid focus with light fruit of strawberries and well integrated tannins. I was expecting a bold fruited wine from this vintage, but this is fairly restrained toward the AFWE side. In addition to the strawberry, there is some balsam and red currants weaving about. Another night and has fleshed out with more of a ripe plum and earth note but has peaked and heading down toward stewed prunes.
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12/9/2016 - Frank-H wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine.
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11/28/2016 - mjanousek wrote: flawed
Also got a bottle at K&L (reduced price; now I wonder why?) and I've to believe that my bottle is flawed. Terrible bitter nose and unflattering taste.
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11/28/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted blind. Exuberant, candy-like red fruit with a bunch of gaminess and hints of ground coriander seed and mocha. Big, bright, and fun. Cherry-cola like mouthfeel. Rating: 92
Guess the wine: Pinot noir. Tastes New World but not stupid. Rhys?
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11/15/2016 - Dale M wrote:
Also sourced from K&L and agree with D&V that the palate doesn't match up with the nose. However, I differ in that this is the norm for this producer has I have had many, many bottles over the years, they age surprisingly well too.
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11/15/2016 - danielhess Does not like this wine: 85 Points
This has a great floral nose but the finish is super bitter and it doesn't get better with oxidation. Its very unpleasant. I've had Cristoms many times and they always have a great nose and almost always don't deliver. K&L may have mishandled the wine (I have had so many poorly maintained bottles from K&L that I stopped buying from them) but this wine didn't perform even for a modest price point.
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10/26/2016 - TheMounty Likes this wine: 92 Points
I really appreciate the restraint here. This is not a big jammy fruit bomb, as so many of the '09 vintage unfortunately turned out to be. Deft balance, bright red fruit, smoke, spice, still a bit of grip from the tannins. I was wrong to question the longevity of this very well made wine. This has many good years ahead of it. Enjoyed over two evenings, and it was still opening up when the last glass was poured.
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10/11/2016 - Tahoebrad Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nicely balanced. Stronger start but shorter/mellowed finish. Medium body and less acidity but great earthiness.
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8/25/2016 - tanglenet wrote:
Disclaimer: I don't know what it is about Cristom, but the wines just don't do anything for me. Either it's their style of wine making or I've always had a funky bottle. FYI: this one was a gift.
Opened not decanted. Light cherry and berry fruit on the nose with high heat peaking through. On the palate: Concord grape with mushroom and forest floor notes: morphs to drying tastes of oak and washed out dried cherry. Ends with some heat on a drying finish. Fair.
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6/19/2016 - mckillop Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Overly bitter. Nice colour.
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6/2/2016 - msuwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
An energetic, if a bit straightforward, Oregon Pinot on the riper end of the spectrum. Bright red in color, medium in body, nose of spice and blueberry. Tastes of sour cherry, candied walnut, and herbs, with a pleasant finish. 14% alcohol. This retains far more youth than I expected, though the complexity is a bit lacking. A decent value, this wine needs an hour or so to shed some of the sugar. Drink now or in next few years.
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5/19/2016 - Frijole wrote:
medium plum red, lots of clarity, brownish, slight amber hue
Nose: plum, cinnamon, clove, cigar, wet earth, vanilla, caramel, green pepper, stem, toasted oak
Pal: plum, cinnamon, clove, cigar, wet earth, vanilla, caramel, green pepper, silver, stem, toasted oak
Feel: medium, savory
Finish: medium
TC8
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5/8/2016 - mid_palate Likes this wine:
Loads of cinnamon and baked plum on the nose. Clear rims.
Wine retains good fruit, and nice earthiness. Refreshing acidity.
Classic Cristom, and really nice mid-weight pinot.
Could probably go another few years: doesn't taste tired. But I don't see it improving much.
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3/12/2016 - chbeaumont wrote: 88 Points
Retains good colour; baked plums, meaty; fulsome, rich, bulky; punchy finish, a touch of heat. (Another person enjoyed this more).
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1/26/2016 - GGinSF wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyed this wine a lot. Not a fruit bomb, but there's good fruit along with cola. The wine has aged well and I wouldn't keep it around much longer, but it's not lost much from it's peak.
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11/26/2015 - Scott Simos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Takes a long while to open up. Can't disagree with previous notes and pro ratings.
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11/13/2015 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine: 89 Points
Perfectly nice OR Pinot, medium pale Burgundy color, cherry cola, menthol, and oak on the nose, sold fresh acidity on the palate; it was a good foil for dinner. Not sure what it gained in 6 years, no tertiary characteristics to speak of, just a fresh Oregon style Pinot.
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8/16/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Savory with dark but fairly lean fruit, soy, earth, tobacco, smoke. Expansive with a strawberry floral lift. This is a lovely complex wine, grounded in solid pretty fruit. Not everything is as integrated as I'd like, feels a little disjointed. Acid just a bit high. Very nice.
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7/11/2015 - Mennotas wrote: 84 Points
Nose is fine; strawberries, rose petals. Mouth is flat, unbalanced acidity dominates. Also drank our '07 and '10 this week; they were so much better with great fruit still balancing out the acidity. Tannins also almost gone from the '09. Probably should have drunk it earlier.
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12/13/2014 - Ewhite30 wrote:
We really enjoyed this at the winery, especially tasting against the 10 and 11 version - just jumped out of the glass and demanded attention. However, this bottle was just... eh. Flat and without the burst of fruit and acid like we expected. From the string of reviews this one was just off so don't hold this against what was a great wine at the tasting, and one that everyone seems to really enjoy. I'll try to track down another.
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11/14/2014 - melzar wrote: 90 Points
Nice fruity Pinot nose. Exuberantly fruity on the palate with judicious use of oak. Just enough acidity to keep the almost over ripe fruit in balance. Tannins unobtrusive.
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9/22/2014 - mike l. Likes this wine: 92 Points
what a splendid half bottle for sunday dinner at home. very lush persistent fruit. this vintage is in a good place right now.
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7/25/2014 - MRichman wrote:
Silky, dense, dark chrry. Some coffee, smoke, soy. Tight tannins and bracing acidic finish. Long, expansive. Very good, my fave among the 09, 10, 11.
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7/2/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 89 Points
Willamette with a touch of Wedding Planning (or vice versa); 7/2/2014-7/4/2014 (Willamette Valley): Very interesting to do the vertical with the 2011 and 2010 (2010 was my favorite of the group). This had lots more fruit than either of the above. Still the oak and spice. To my taste the 2010 was the best balance across the flavors. This one did feel more approachable - prob the extra year helped, but potentially also the warmer vintage. I'd still lay it down a bit more, but would expect you would drink this with less age than the other two.
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12/30/2013 - jdpearse Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great forward fruit and back end spice. Needed some time to breath but it was well worth the wait. This wine will continue to develop. No need to rush to open this one.
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4/18/2012 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Willamette Valley - Tasted at winery: Nicely balanced nose expressing dark berries and red cherries. Flavors of earth and oak expressed themselves on the palate, along with dark berries and cherries. Big tannins and enjoyable. Give this wine another year or two in the cellar and it should add a couple of points.
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11/6/2011 - Tags17 wrote: 90 Points
Lots of fruit, great balance excellent value
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