Medium bodied. Does not look like a Pinot but def smells of Cali Pinot. Red red berries and sour cherries on the nose. All fruit on the palate. Good freshness and balance, held its own with filet mignon and dark cocoa and blueberry pudding. 91 but at its peak. Drink now 2025.
A big thick, blousy, syrupy fruit bomb. Don’t like how it has evolved. Definitely not my style. This grape is so much better when it’s defined by subtlety and finesse.
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This wine continues to evolve and has at least 3+ years of improvement but is drinking very well now. I doubt many people blind tasting this would guess Pinot at all. Jammy and luscious blackberry smoothed out on the nose with a hint of warmth from vanilla and almost currant like. Nose of a cassis with smoothness and depth not typical to a pinot.
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Bought these BG Clark & Telephone Pinots after tasting some aged BG with Joe Wagner some years ago at a Pinotfest. Was not a big fan of tasting at the release, just too much of everything - however these do amazingly well when laid down for some years.
No formal notes taken, but everyone was surprised at how well integrated this pinot was and still has at least 5 years more to go.
Glad i have a few more!
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Opening this wine and the nose hits you. It is very distinct and not like any other Pinot. I smell berries and undertones of vanilla. This wine rolls on the tongue. It is well balanced with smooth finish upon first pour. I can’t wait to see how it opens up in about a hour. Some of the reviews say there is a sweetness to it and I see why. But it is subtle and not overly sweet. If you are looking for a nice light Pinot this is not your wine. It is complex like a Cab and finishes like a Syrah.
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4 ans depuis ma dernière bouteille. Il y a eu une grande évolution avec les années. Au nez on commence déjà a constater des notes terrecière ce qui ma plutôt étonné car oui le vin a quelques années derrière la cravate mais cela reste bien juste 7 ans. Anyway, le vin était DÉLICIEUX !!! Une touche de vanille était bel et bien présente mais sans tomber dans l'excès. Un beau fruit frais, gouteux, cerise fraiche, mûres avec encore beaucoup de corps. Tannins présent mais bien intégré, acidité encore bien présente, vraiment un beau vin qui a crée un bon match avec la lasagne maison. Malheureusement ce vin a augmenté de 20$ la bouteille dans la dernière année. Une belle réussite !
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Agree w/Tannic Monster, this is a Pinot on steroids for sure, but it's damn delicious, apart from maximum extraction, I suspect it may be upwards of 25% syrah/petit sirah to get the massively dark colour - Dark, red fruit and vanilla on the nose, cranberry, blueberry, cherry on the palate with decent acidity, big, brawny w/high alcohol for a 'Pinot' (14.3%), definitely a warm climate version with a blend of other grapes, not traditional but oh so delicious!!! (93 Points).
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I get why people seem to either love or hate this stuff. It's like no other Pinot Noir in terms of style. It looks like a Cab in the glass, and tastes like a Pinot on steroids. It's not refined or delicate. It's the bull in the china shop of Pinot Noirs...but it's delicious. It's a massive fruit bomb party in your mouth kind of thing.
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We had this after dinner on 10/7/16. It had a deep, powerful bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, anise, cinnamon, vanilla and spice. The palate was rich, dense and a little sweet with flavors of raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla and spice.
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This is not everyone's "cup of tea." But it IS mine. Clark & Telephone is intense, intoxicating, and impressive year after year, bottle after bottle, glass after glass. After six years, this vintage is powerful and potent. The legs are massive; the color is deep purple to the edges. The aromas snap your head back with bevies of berries and deep spices. The flavors are full tilt cherry and blueberry. The finish is medium, but that's OK -- because the next sniff and sip will blow me away once again.
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Modern, full fruit Cali Pinot bomb. Delicious with grilled salmon. You know by now what this wine is like. If you don't like it, stop banging your head against it. Just leave the rest to those that do. You can always try a $50 spin at the French Burg roulette wheel and hope your ship don't sink.
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A crowd pleasing wine. Big, dark, sweet, fruity, extracted; hedonistic. As new world as pinot gets. Dark fruit nose, a bit smokey with notes of vanilla ice-cream. A bit of rosehip is the only thing really in character for a pinot noir. Black cherry, vanilla, rose and toasted oak on the palette. Fine tannin, pretty high residual sugar, and the acidity to support it. Perhaps a bit over-manipulated in the wine making. It's brash, maybe a bit fatiguing after a couple glasses. This is a cocktail hour wine, not a food wine; it will bowl-over all but the boldest dishes. Aging well, would drink over the next five years.
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Well... this was awesome! Had with dill salmon and it worked. My tastes run more Willamette and this is usually a bit much, but it was seriously terrific.
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A Pinot Noir that refuses to bow down at the altar of elegance, where any good Pinot has to be elegant, lighter bodied, and restrained. Instead, this is full bodied, dark as any Bordeaux, dense and concentrated as Syrah, and top heavy fruity as any Napa red wine. Tasted warm, there is also a discernible streak of detached sweetness that some Pinot lovers find to be a flaw, but which disappears with both additional aging and chilling. The fruit is an impressively complex mixture of black cherry, blackberry, and black plum. The mouth feel is delightfully caressing. Under the fruit is a powerful layer of acidity and tannin that gives the wine buoyancy and structure. The power of the wine ages very well into an integrated and seamless taste. Overall, this wine is a convincing case for this big red style of Pinot not only being a legitimate expression of Pinot Noir, but one of several different peaks of greatness Pinot Noir achieves.
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We decanted the wine for one hour before we poured the first glass and the wine benefited from aeration. It was dark ruby in colour and offered a restrained nose of dark cherry reduction, dark berries, spices, vanilla, clove, smoke, tar, iodine and coffee. On the palate the wine showed ripe, sweet red and dark forest berries, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, fruitcake, spice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, liquorice, coffee, tea and smoke, with distinct spiciness, medium to medium-plus acidity, medium to medium-plus tannin, a rich, creamy mouthfeel and incredible length. Full-bodied, rich, big and broad; Pinot Noir on steroids! This is not my preferred style of Pinot Noir, but I must admit that I liked this complex and very seductive wine a lot! Good QPR.
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Note that this wine benefits tremendously from an extended decant. I was ready to give it a 91 on the first night...but by day 2 the wine had opened up beautifully.
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Plush, ripe, over-extracted and unapologetic. This wine is out of balance and highly viscous for a Pinot but I love it just the same. Bottle aging has muted some of the tang this wine showed in its youth but there is still enough raw power to last a few more years.
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Such an unusually rich and full expression of Pinot...how on earth do the Wagners extract such boldness and mouth-filling depth--even from California?? If I didn't know better, I would think they are supplementing the fruit with some extra mojo that results in such elevation of intensity. Despite this mystery, the 2010 was brilliant tonight, and I'm sorry it was my last of this vintage. Enjoy most of your holdings over the next 2-3 years, then save a couple to see if it will last to 2020 without fading.
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Robe plutôt foncée pour un pinot. Nez très parfumée de fruits, de menthol, épices, a peine boisée et une touche de vanille. En bouche c'est "américain"...plutôt confiture. Moins mon style mais tout de même bien fait dans son genre...
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Much improved with time. Still a big wine and not very pinot like but good with food. Not much complexity. I prefer a more restrained pinot but this is one of my wife's favorites.
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This has mellowed significantly since our last bottle in 2012, and for the better. Still fruit forward, but this now shows a bit more complexity and definitely more spice. Very atypical for a Santa Maria pinot, this shows far more ripe lush fruit while still maintaining some firm acidity. Not a style for everyone -- I preferred this more than my wife did. An easy-drinking red wine which packs plenty of flavor, this is Chuck Wagner's style. Enjoy!
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Consistent with my previous note. The heat has disappeared and the wine is more in balance from the initial pour. Still very shiraz-like, with a palate bursting with fruit.
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Yes, this wine does get better with age! This Pinot Noir has an intense strawberry palate with a tangy finish. As much as I liked this wine last year, it now has a richer, deeper mouthfeel with greater complexity. This has to be one of the best price/value Pinot's I have had in a long time.
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Ruby in color with high concentration. Fruity nose, followed by a very big wine on the palate, with dark red fruit ink. The 14.3% alcohol shows in the body of the wine. Deep sweet finish. Not a typical pinot. Needs to be paired with heavy food.
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Nice deep purple, nose of earth and smoke, big berry taste, full body, long finish. Drinking well right now but may open a little more over the next few years.
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Well balanced, rounded, and medium to full bodied pinot. I had this by the glass before and at that time agreed with the syrupy, Syrah like comments. However a 2 hour decant after a little more bottle age made this a very enjoyable pinot for me. Will buy again
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Luscious, forward red fruits with integrated tannins. Concentrated flavors, almost but not quite jammy. This is not a typical Pinot. It is heavier, more fruity, but well balanced and presented. Not for the light of heart or if you only prefer classic old world Pinots. Contrary to tasting notes from others, I do not find this thick, viscous or overly sweet.
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Black-purple, powerful, not much real Pinot likeness but it is enjoyable in it's own way. Hi alcohol, smooth, long finish, strong but not overly jammy. It should have it's own category, Godzilla Noir.
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PnP - 750 ml; Intensely dark purple as merlot. Intense aromas of dark fruit. Flavors of intense dark fruit, cola, spice. Very thick and heavy and certainly not my style of pinot. Would be best as ice cream topping. Not sure why this is so well rated unless rated as Pinot Port Wine. PASS.
Drinking nicely now. Much smoother after 30 minutes airing. No more 2010 vintage available, but will purchase the 2011 based upon the positive reviews here. Terrific pairing with seared ahi...a winner! Day 2 with pasta: didn't think the pairing would work, but the fruit matched fine. Bought 2 more bottles of next vintage.
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Just a wonderful full fruit pinot that I think should be drank without food. This bottle gave me a touch more spice than previous. Everyone around the table thought this was more a syrah than pinot but nobody wanted to put it down. Drink now to 2018
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Dark ruby in colour. Aromas of bright red cherries, raspberries, cinnamon, all spice, and licorice. On the palate, loads of red fruit and spice. Good length and acidity, but a bit alcoholic on the finish (14.3%). Full bodied Cali pinot. Not for Burgundy lovers.
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Deep purple in color, earth and berry aroma, rich chocolatey palate, but at the same time disappointingly one dimensional. Honestly, I was expecting more from this wine. I'm sure it would age well, but not sure I would like it more when it grew up.
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Surprising deep color for a Pinot. The entire wine has perfect balance with a very Shiraz-like feel. Nose is mellow with red fruit mixed with coffee and truffle. The palate contains an abundance of mixed red and black fruits, which carried through the finish. The finish is a little short and disappointing. Best to decant this for at least one hour as it was a little hot coming out of the bottle.
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If you like big pinots this wine is for you. Purple and full bodied. Earthy and dark fruit nose. Sweat black cherries pop on the palate and linger on finish. Tannins have rounded nicely. Fruit forward and drinking nicely. 5+12+16+8=91
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Carafé 1 heure avant le service,Couleur rouge rubis,au nez c'est très fruité,au gout la cerise domine suivi d'un petit coté épicé.L'accord Tannins,alcool n'est pas très bien équilibré.Cependant c'est quand meme un vin très agréable.Il me reste une autre bouteille,je vais attendre quelques années avant de l'ouvrir.
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Opened my previous bottle a year ago. This bottle has changed from a bit closed off to fruity and wonderful. This pinot to me is more of a drink it by itself pinot than a food wine. I got a lot of blueberry flavors to go along with hints of dark cherries on the finish. Drink now till 2018
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A nice $35 Pinot without the elegance or boldness of say a Martinelli. Still, a great bottle with a floral nose, nice balance that you can drink on a given Tuesday night.
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An explosion of fruit for this Cali Pinot. Dark fruit dominate the nose and the palate with some tartness on the nose that made it more interesting. A full rich Pinot, one for the Cab drinker as they say. Went pretty well with chicken marsala and mashed potatoes with asparagus. Great mouth feel, decent complexity, good balance, medium finish.
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Love this Pinot Noir. Rich, fruit forward wine with cherry, raspberry notes and a nice, smooth spice finish. The wine evolves in the glass over an hour and gets even more silky smooth. Would imagine this wine will get even better with some age.
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Bright red fruits with some slight earthier notes emerging after an hour or so decanted. Medium bodied. Overall I think less fruity than the 2009. Typical of emerging California Pinot style.
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Another taster said that a traditional lover of Pinot may not like this wine, well I agree. The wine bursts forth with" juicy" red fruits not found in a traditional Pinot. Little to Jammy and sweet though I still can recognize as a good wine as long as you like the big juice and Jammy taste. My friends who do not care for the boldness of a Cal cab or the earthiness of a rhone love when I bring over this wine.
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Big juicy blackberries and dark cherries. Rich, smooth, and slightly sweet. Typical pinot flavors develop after a little time. Damn good, but I can see where lovers of traditional pinots might not like as much. I've been seeing more of this style from the Central Coast.
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This is a unique tasting Pinot rich in Cherry and Vanilla. A bit sweet on opening but we did not decant. As time went on the sweetness seemed to die off a tad. Very enjoyable in my opinion, medium finish, nice silky smooth body, rich ruby color.
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Dark and syrupy. A guilty pleasure, but showing more structure and less sweetness than my last taste. Although the Pinot Noir is evident, can't help but think some other varietals in the blend.
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In a blind tasting, I am not sure I would identify this as a Pinot. Dark color. To nose is cherry, raspberry and spice. The palate is raspberry with slight sweetness.
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Typical of the Santa Barbara style. Lots of bright fruit, but this one has some interesting darker cherry notes, spice, and some hints of forest floor. Well integrated right now with a good, balanced finish. I am not as optimistic as others about it's ability to age and keep in balance.
Deep garnet colour with very expressive and persistent vanilla and dark cherry cola nose. Very approachable now, with lush choke cherry and blueberry fruit. Nicely balanced with enough acidity to keep it structured. Only minimal hints of pinot at the onset. 2 hours in the decanter (highly recommended with this one) reveals many more typical pinot noir notes. Incredibly long, savoury finish. Not for the Burgundian palate, but for those preferring a more Syrah/Cab style pinot - this is delicious. Should peak in 5-6 years. Score - 92.
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Our best wine on this trip yet. After a rainy day of reading and Skyfall, we had a delightful meal at Fish Out of Water. The food was very good and we finally found a good wine list. We told the waiter jokingly that we wanted a magnum and he didn't believe us. So we had the 750 then ordered a second....nose of cherries and moss. Taste started off closed, but with good acidity and complexity. Opened up to dark cherry with good tannins and complexity. Lingering finish. Best wine in Destin so far.
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Good, but needs more time. I remember reading a comment saying this is a cabernet lover's wine and I agree. Not a traditional pinot. I prefer the Las Alturas vineyard pinot over this for the same price.
88 points; purchased for $40 from Binny's
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We are not big on Pinot, but the Wagner family got this one right! The best Pinot Noir we have tasted. And an absolutely bargain for the price! Do not miss out on this.
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Understand the crowd love, cannot understand the scores. While barely identifiable as pinot noir, this is very rich with slick and glossy cherry fruit and vanilla, and even at 14.3, still a bit hot. It denies any sense of place, and invests only in a model of manufactured profile that says more about economic agenda than it does wine. For the record, my wife loves it. For me, obvious spoof-a-licious.
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Very rich Pinot. Cherry is the dominant note throughout. When first opened, fruity richness with mellow tannic finish. The wine then changed - became quite sweet. With a little more time changed again, an the sweetness faded, the finish became more balanced with spicy tannins. Would recommend a 2+ hour decant to fully enjoy!
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Huge, hedonistic pinot noir. Really well made and delicious, even though it wasn't the style I usually go for. I thought the winery's tasting notes were spot on: berry pie and spice.
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- Brick color and aromas of raspberry and has flavours of raspberry with a medium/full body - Just an outstanding wine, fruity, well balanced, perfect for short rib
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- Brick color and aromas of black currant and has flavours of strawberry jam with a medium/full body with a medium finish - Unusual sweetness. Opened up amazingly on day two.
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When I first started to get into wine, I started off with the basics then discovered my love for Pinot Noir. First it was Sanford, then I moved into Belle Glos. I really did enjoy these and still do, although I think these wines have gotten more extracted and sacrificed structure. This has a lot of big red fruit on the nose with blackberry, cherry and boysenberry. On the palate, this revealed a ton of cherry and plum flavors that are very big but it lacked the structure I use to find in the wines. Perhaps it needed more air? Still not a bad wine.
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A delicious ripe full bodied extracted wine that retains varietal character with probably some residuual sugar or just incredibly sweet fruit. A wine that Burgundy wishes it could produce.
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Very dark, extracted with very long legs. Delightful cherry, raspberry and raisin aromas. Rich and fruit forward with potpourri of flavors. Need to buy more before this vintage is gone.
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New world in style, youthful, sweet, layered, and concentrated. Impressive for its rich, full-body, pronounced acidity, excellent intensity, and taffeta-like texture. Notes of cherries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, earth, and leather. Has a whiff of heat. Touches of black and blue fruit, chocolate, and spice box. Closes with keen minerality and the prick of red pepper flakes on the lengthy finish. Outstanding. Decant.
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This one has me conflicted. On day one things were pretty good overall. It was a little hot to start, but evolved quickly out of that and cooled down. Boatload of cherry/raspberry fruit that has some confection notes to it, not good for me, but it's light on it's feet somehow and most of the time you pick up some earth notes to counterbalance the fruit. Some brief stemmy type notes that are interesting later on. Nicely delineated structure. On day two, holy fruit bomb. Don't get me wrong, it's quality fruit, but this is after a Napa Cab and I'm still feeling some gloopiness. Put on a ton of weight, and got blowsy. Well...
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PnP. Deep Purple color. Medium legs. Cedar, Burnt Caramel and Dried Cherry nose. Tastes of Cherry, Currant and Pencil Lead. Slightly tart balance. Medium Smooth texture. Long finish. 14.3% ABV.
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Hot nose of stewed dark fruit. Great concentration of dark fruit flavors, including blackberry and boysenberry. Silky Wagner texture up front, gets a little more real towards the end with fine tannins and generous acidity. Long finish changes things over to savory; mint, beef jerky, and cedar.
Not what I was expecting; more savory, balanced, and acidic than the extra-fruity BGs I've had in the past, and not even entirely Pinot-like, especially with the meat on the finish. Regardless; complex, balanced, and long. Good stuff.
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Still can't believe this is Pinot noir. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that this is really a syrah down the road. Either way, won't be mad since I really enjoy it
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Powerful and concentrated, I greatly prefer this one to their Taylor Lane offering (haven't tried Las Alturas yet). I can't recall drinking a better Pinot for under $40.
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Elegant, approachable Pinot Noir. Red fruit in color and nose. Needs another year. Touch of cola with the berries. Nice finish. Liked it a lot at $35, but I liked last vintage slightly more. Also bought Las Alturas Vnyd, but that needs a year or two before trying.
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A Fruit bomb as would be expected of a Caymus family wine. Smooth as silk, goes down easy...too easy. Drank a lot of this tonight. I prefer this one over the Alturas. Will buy more definitely. Should hit it's prime 2014+
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Big nose and flavor. Red berry, mineral, vanilla, and some earth on the nose. In the mouth one could be confused this is a pinot as I consider this a cab lovers pinot meaning it's in your face. Big wine with more berry, spice, and a lingering finish.
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Been drinking this for a while and loving it. Exceptional dark for Pinot. Cherry and spice on nose and palate. Fruit forward, but balanced and delightful. Was a crowd pleaser tonight as it has been for a while. Might be better with time, but is so good right now.
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Incredibly dark in color for a pinot, with powerful aromas of dark, fresh fruit and vanilla. Big silky mouthfeel with a long finish with moderate complexity. Paired very well with salmon, and even better with bacon fried potatoes. Overall a great wine, if you like this style of pinot. Great now, but will improve with age. Wait if you can!
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Yet another favorite of my California style Pinots. Very dark color and tons of eathy mineral and spice notes. I get the butterscotch too. Silky wine that is extremely well made. Lot of cherry fruit with perfect balance and a long lingering finish. For California Pinot Noir this is just a great wine.
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This bottle developed a leak in shipping. Otherwise would not have opened. Dark purple color. Nose opens spicy cherries and currents. Wonderful for such a young wine. Flavors include spicy cherries and strawberry. Finishes a little hot but not unpleasantly so. Very well structured with layers of fruit that should easily outlast the silky tannins. Best California Pinot Noir I have had since tasting the single vineyard Calera's years ago. Highly recommended. No doubt our score will be higher next time. Will be serving with Wild Salmon rolled with Feta and Spinach. 2 hours later-fruits flavors become more pronounced.
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pop and decant. Drank with the '04 maiden. Woo, strawberry and more strawberry! While it is rich and ever so tasty (hello Caymus) it does have some acid underneath that causes me to keep drinking. Otherwise, I think I would have had to quit after a glass or two. It did evolve somewhat with a bit of tartness in the mouth, but still smooth on the finish. Nice wine like all the Belle Glos I've had. Not for those who want to experience a burgundian pinot. (duh!)
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Tasted today. Sweet and fruity but no cloying. Will need to lay down for a while but this is way bigger than other C&T vintages that I have tried in the past. Will be a very good bottle of wine!
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I found this extremely intense with big bold dark cherries almost to a blueberry flavor on both the nose and when I take a drink. This has a bit of spice that borders heat. I really think this will be an excellent wine when everything comes together in a year or so. The problem will be keeping my hads off this until that point because I loved the big dark cherries to blueberries in this wine. Drink now or hold for 18 months and try again and again over then next 5 years!
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nose: big cherry nose and high heat taste: hot with flavors to match, big red fruits, resonating red cherry, intense strawberry, some herbal notes, medium to big bodied, mainly dry, lengthy finish of subtle oak
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BIG pinot -- if there is such a pinot. This one isn't subtle. The fruit is nicely balanced, but is almost as concentrated as a lollipop. Still, a nice pinot.
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Just a step slower than the Las Alturas vineyard. This is an excellent, full bodied Pinot. Well balance, quality fruit that is ready to drink today or can lay down for a few. Would be fun to buy several and see how it progresses over time.
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11/14/2021 - Santaliz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full bodied Pinot. Great wine
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6/27/2021 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
Always a marvel.
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5/26/2020 - Pike_Fisherman Likes this wine: 93 Points
It t became one of my favorite. I really liked it.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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3/28/2020 - FabesMTL Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium bodied. Does not look like a Pinot but def smells of Cali Pinot. Red red berries and sour cherries on the nose. All fruit on the palate. Good freshness and balance, held its own with filet mignon and dark cocoa and blueberry pudding. 91 but at its peak. Drink now 2025.
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1/14/2019 - Martnmac wrote: 92 Points
Triple yum. Deep dark delicious
Surprisingly heavy but on a good way
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1/4/2019 - Macsim wrote: 87 Points
Thicky and syrupy with little acidity and medium finish. Lacks the finesse of a good Pinot noir
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11/29/2018 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely awesome!
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6/20/2018 - Bluecharm Does not like this wine: 85 Points
A big thick, blousy, syrupy fruit bomb. Don’t like how it has evolved. Definitely not my style. This grape is so much better when it’s defined by subtlety and finesse.
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1/4/2018 - naberly wrote: 93 Points
This wine continues to evolve and has at least 3+ years of improvement but is drinking very well now.
I doubt many people blind tasting this would guess Pinot at all.
Jammy and luscious blackberry smoothed out on the nose with a hint of warmth from vanilla and almost currant like. Nose of a cassis with smoothness and depth not typical to a pinot.
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12/26/2017 - Cabernet4me2 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bought these BG Clark & Telephone Pinots after tasting some aged BG with Joe Wagner some years ago at a Pinotfest. Was not a big fan of tasting at the release, just too much of everything - however these do amazingly well when laid down for some years.
No formal notes taken, but everyone was surprised at how well integrated this pinot was and still has at least 5 years more to go.
Glad i have a few more!
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10/7/2017 - GimpyBoy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opening this wine and the nose hits you. It is very distinct and not like any other Pinot. I smell berries and undertones of vanilla. This wine rolls on the tongue. It is well balanced with smooth finish upon first pour. I can’t wait to see how it opens up in about a hour. Some of the reviews say there is a sweetness to it and I see why. But it is subtle and not overly sweet. If you are looking for a nice light Pinot this is not your wine. It is complex like a Cab and finishes like a Syrah.
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6/17/2017 - shank wrote: 90 Points
Bold Pinot that is heavier and overextracted. That is not a bad thing, but don't plan for Burgundian type Pinot.
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6/5/2017 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 93 Points
4 ans depuis ma dernière bouteille. Il y a eu une grande évolution avec les années. Au nez on commence déjà a constater des notes terrecière ce qui ma plutôt étonné car oui le vin a quelques années derrière la cravate mais cela reste bien juste 7 ans. Anyway, le vin était DÉLICIEUX !!! Une touche de vanille était bel et bien présente mais sans tomber dans l'excès. Un beau fruit frais, gouteux, cerise fraiche, mûres avec encore beaucoup de corps. Tannins présent mais bien intégré, acidité encore bien présente, vraiment un beau vin qui a crée un bon match avec la lasagne maison. Malheureusement ce vin a augmenté de 20$ la bouteille dans la dernière année. Une belle réussite !
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1/23/2017 - Rcapria Likes this wine: 91 Points
excellent fryut forward....
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1/2/2017 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
No surprises here. This is a strong, forward and tasty cocktail Pinot. This has lost just a step since a bottle I gave a 90 to a few years ago.
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1/1/2017 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
Agree w/Tannic Monster, this is a Pinot on steroids for sure, but it's damn delicious, apart from maximum extraction, I suspect it may be upwards of 25% syrah/petit sirah to get the massively dark colour - Dark, red fruit and vanilla on the nose, cranberry, blueberry, cherry on the palate with decent acidity, big, brawny w/high alcohol for a 'Pinot' (14.3%), definitely a warm climate version with a blend of other grapes, not traditional but oh so delicious!!! (93 Points).
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11/25/2016 - Tannic Monster Likes this wine: 92 Points
I get why people seem to either love or hate this stuff. It's like no other Pinot Noir in terms of style. It looks like a Cab in the glass, and tastes like a Pinot on steroids. It's not refined or delicate. It's the bull in the china shop of Pinot Noirs...but it's delicious. It's a massive fruit bomb party in your mouth kind of thing.
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10/7/2016 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
We had this after dinner on 10/7/16. It had a deep, powerful bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, anise, cinnamon, vanilla and spice. The palate was rich, dense and a little sweet with flavors of raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla and spice.
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8/23/2016 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 93 Points
This is not everyone's "cup of tea." But it IS mine. Clark & Telephone is intense, intoxicating, and impressive year after year, bottle after bottle, glass after glass. After six years, this vintage is powerful and potent. The legs are massive; the color is deep purple to the edges. The aromas snap your head back with bevies of berries and deep spices. The flavors are full tilt cherry and blueberry. The finish is medium, but that's OK -- because the next sniff and sip will blow me away once again.
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7/21/2016 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Modern, full fruit Cali Pinot bomb. Delicious with grilled salmon. You know by now what this wine is like. If you don't like it, stop banging your head against it. Just leave the rest to those that do. You can always try a $50 spin at the French Burg roulette wheel and hope your ship don't sink.
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7/2/2016 - Stelvinator Likes this wine: 90 Points
A crowd pleasing wine. Big, dark, sweet, fruity, extracted; hedonistic. As new world as pinot gets. Dark fruit nose, a bit smokey with notes of vanilla ice-cream. A bit of rosehip is the only thing really in character for a pinot noir. Black cherry, vanilla, rose and toasted oak on the palette. Fine tannin, pretty high residual sugar, and the acidity to support it. Perhaps a bit over-manipulated in the wine making. It's brash, maybe a bit fatiguing after a couple glasses. This is a cocktail hour wine, not a food wine; it will bowl-over all but the boldest dishes. Aging well, would drink over the next five years.
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5/24/2016 - Rcapria Likes this wine: 91 Points
good overall wine better then its little brother meomi
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3/12/2016 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Not Pinot like but much improved. Smoky flavor, very dark color, pretty tasty. Still not Pinot like.
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2/7/2016 - Mark Brandon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well... this was awesome! Had with dill salmon and it worked. My tastes run more Willamette and this is usually a bit much, but it was seriously terrific.
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1/28/2016 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine wrote: 93 Points
I wish I could add something additional to the previous reviewer, but it summed it up very nicely. Big, elegant fruit with that suppleness. WOW!
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1/1/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 93 Points
A Pinot Noir that refuses to bow down at the altar of elegance, where any good Pinot has to be elegant, lighter bodied, and restrained. Instead, this is full bodied, dark as any Bordeaux, dense and concentrated as Syrah, and top heavy fruity as any Napa red wine. Tasted warm, there is also a discernible streak of detached sweetness that some Pinot lovers find to be a flaw, but which disappears with both additional aging and chilling. The fruit is an impressively complex mixture of black cherry, blackberry, and black plum. The mouth feel is delightfully caressing. Under the fruit is a powerful layer of acidity and tannin that gives the wine buoyancy and structure. The power of the wine ages very well into an integrated and seamless taste. Overall, this wine is a convincing case for this big red style of Pinot not only being a legitimate expression of Pinot Noir, but one of several different peaks of greatness Pinot Noir achieves.
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11/19/2015 - PSPatrick wrote: 92 Points
We decanted the wine for one hour before we poured the first glass and the wine benefited from aeration. It was dark ruby in colour and offered a restrained nose of dark cherry reduction, dark berries, spices, vanilla, clove, smoke, tar, iodine and coffee. On the palate the wine showed ripe, sweet red and dark forest berries, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, fruitcake, spice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, liquorice, coffee, tea and smoke, with distinct spiciness, medium to medium-plus acidity, medium to medium-plus tannin, a rich, creamy mouthfeel and incredible length. Full-bodied, rich, big and broad; Pinot Noir on steroids! This is not my preferred style of Pinot Noir, but I must admit that I liked this complex and very seductive wine a lot! Good QPR.
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10/4/2015 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 93 Points
Everything I love about C&T. Another fabulous vintage of my favorite Central Coast Pinot Noir.
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8/31/2015 - jdbooth Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superb.
Note that this wine benefits tremendously from an extended decant. I was ready to give it a 91 on the first night...but by day 2 the wine had opened up beautifully.
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7/18/2015 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 93 Points
If I had no Pinot Noir but Clark & Telephone to enjoy for the rest of my life, I would die a very, very happy man.
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6/21/2015 - garryhellmich wrote: 92 Points
Still a red fruit bomb.
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6/14/2015 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plush, ripe, over-extracted and unapologetic. This wine is out of balance and highly viscous for a Pinot but I love it just the same. Bottle aging has muted some of the tang this wine showed in its youth but there is still enough raw power to last a few more years.
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5/7/2015 - WineWright Likes this wine: 94 Points
Such an unusually rich and full expression of Pinot...how on earth do the Wagners extract such boldness and mouth-filling depth--even from California?? If I didn't know better, I would think they are supplementing the fruit with some extra mojo that results in such elevation of intensity. Despite this mystery, the 2010 was brilliant tonight, and I'm sorry it was my last of this vintage. Enjoy most of your holdings over the next 2-3 years, then save a couple to see if it will last to 2020 without fading.
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3/21/2015 - Beebeat wrote: 89 Points
Robe plutôt foncée pour un pinot. Nez très parfumée de fruits, de menthol, épices, a peine boisée et une touche de vanille. En bouche c'est "américain"...plutôt confiture. Moins mon style mais tout de même bien fait dans son genre...
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2/20/2015 - mouton45 wrote: 91 Points
Dark and concentrated. A combination of mixed berries on the palate. Very good structure. Room for more development over the next few years.
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12/2/2014 - Grenik Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherry and vanilla nose. Some cola notes. Bright, sweet red wine. Well balanced, but dominated by raspberry and cherry. Soft finish. Drink now.
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11/30/2014 - rlafreni wrote: 92 Points
Really dark, syrupy for a Pinot Noir. Long finish. Really liked this one
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11/23/2014 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine: 88 Points
Much improved with time. Still a big wine and not very pinot like but good with food. Not much complexity. I prefer a more restrained pinot but this is one of my wife's favorites.
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11/12/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 89 Points
Well made in a fun style with tons of lush ripe fruit without seeming out of whack.
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11/8/2014 - maitredgreg2 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous right now
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9/18/2014 - Mkaeske Likes this wine: 100 Points
Our favorite belle glos pinot
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7/25/2014 - BostonHoosier wrote: 93 Points
One of my favorite pinot noirs - highly recommend if you can find it
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5/4/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has mellowed significantly since our last bottle in 2012, and for the better. Still fruit forward, but this now shows a bit more complexity and definitely more spice.
Very atypical for a Santa Maria pinot, this shows far more ripe lush fruit while still maintaining some firm acidity. Not a style for everyone -- I preferred this more than my wife did.
An easy-drinking red wine which packs plenty of flavor, this is Chuck Wagner's style. Enjoy!
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3/30/2014 - lagavulin wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my previous note. The heat has disappeared and the wine is more in balance from the initial pour. Still very shiraz-like, with a palate bursting with fruit.
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3/3/2014 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yes, this wine does get better with age! This Pinot Noir has an intense strawberry palate with a tangy finish. As much as I liked this wine last year, it now has a richer, deeper mouthfeel with greater complexity. This has to be one of the best price/value Pinot's I have had in a long time.
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1/21/2014 - nonexpert wrote: 89 Points
Ruby in color with high concentration. Fruity nose, followed by a very big wine on the palate, with dark red fruit ink. The 14.3% alcohol shows in the body of the wine. Deep sweet finish. Not a typical pinot. Needs to be paired with heavy food.
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1/13/2014 - mhenry Likes this wine: 91 Points
A little heavier than many other pinots, but not a fruit bomb. Enjoyed by all. Paired well with bbq salmon.
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1/12/2014 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice deep purple, nose of earth and smoke, big berry taste, full body, long finish. Drinking well right now but may open a little more over the next few years.
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1/3/2014 - shank wrote: 89 Points
Overextracted fruit. Too intense for top rated pinot. Decanted 2 hours.
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12/21/2013 - Denton Cellars Likes this wine: 89 Points
Heavy fruit on the nose. Very balanced, smooth and drinkable. A bit more heavy than a typical pinot.
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11/28/2013 - jviz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well balanced, rounded, and medium to full bodied pinot. I had this by the glass before and at that time agreed with the syrupy, Syrah like comments. However a 2 hour decant after a little more bottle age made this a very enjoyable pinot for me. Will buy again
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11/17/2013 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Luscious, forward red fruits with integrated tannins. Concentrated flavors, almost but not quite jammy. This is not a typical Pinot. It is heavier, more fruity, but well balanced and presented. Not for the light of heart or if you only prefer classic old world Pinots. Contrary to tasting notes from others, I do not find this thick, viscous or overly sweet.
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11/17/2013 - jlmaz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Our wine came in 4th out of 10 wines. It was the only pinot tasted.
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11/2/2013 - scaredone Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black-purple, powerful, not much real Pinot likeness but it is enjoyable in it's own way. Hi alcohol, smooth, long finish, strong but not overly jammy. It should have it's own category, Godzilla Noir.
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11/2/2013 - Ben Paquet wrote: 86 Points
not my style of pinot
86
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11/2/2013 - Fowler52 wrote:
Returned to the store. Not my style of pinot
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10/29/2013 - BornToRhone Does not like this wine: 85 Points
PnP - 750 ml; Intensely dark purple as merlot. Intense aromas of dark fruit. Flavors of intense dark fruit, cola, spice. Very thick and heavy and certainly not my style of pinot. Would be best as ice cream topping. Not sure why this is so well rated unless rated as Pinot Port Wine. PASS.
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10/19/2013 - pomelo wrote: 88 Points
Pinot noir gonflé aux stéroïdes. Pas mauvais, mais pas mal "guidoune".
Pas de subtilité et rien à voir avec le pinot noir.
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9/25/2013 - P-Milly-NYC Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very jammy, "Juicy Juice" style of wine. Suitable to serve pre-dinner, but too fruit forward for me.
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7/23/2013 - mhenry Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking nicely now. Much smoother after 30 minutes airing. No more 2010 vintage available, but will purchase the 2011 based upon the positive reviews here. Terrific pairing with seared ahi...a winner!
Day 2 with pasta: didn't think the pairing would work, but the fruit matched fine. Bought 2 more bottles of next vintage.
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6/28/2013 - NEwino wrote: 92 Points
Just a wonderful full fruit pinot that I think should be drank without food. This bottle gave me a touch more spice than previous. Everyone around the table thought this was more a syrah than pinot but nobody wanted to put it down. Drink now to 2018
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6/26/2013 - ctjared wrote:
Consistent. This is not Pinot. But I don't mind. It's great.
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6/24/2013 - Fowler52 wrote: 88 Points
Dark ruby in colour. Aromas of bright red cherries, raspberries, cinnamon, all spice, and licorice. On the palate, loads of red fruit and spice. Good length and acidity, but a bit alcoholic on the finish (14.3%). Full bodied Cali pinot. Not for Burgundy lovers.
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6/11/2013 - Chrisinroch Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Huge jammy vanilla dark fruit cocktail. Not recognizable as Pinot noir. Not food friendly. Not interesting Either a bad bottle or winemaker fail.
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5/14/2013 - gmbdds wrote: 90 Points
Decidedly forward and big with generous dark fruit but still an obvious pinot noir. Smooth and sleek but perhaps not nuanced enough for some.
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4/27/2013 - winejow wrote: 89 Points
Deep purple in color, earth and berry aroma, rich chocolatey palate, but at the same time disappointingly one dimensional. Honestly, I was expecting more from this wine. I'm sure it would age well, but not sure I would like it more when it grew up.
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4/21/2013 - lagavulin wrote: 92 Points
Surprising deep color for a Pinot. The entire wine has perfect balance with a very Shiraz-like feel. Nose is mellow with red fruit mixed with coffee and truffle. The palate contains an abundance of mixed red and black fruits, which carried through the finish. The finish is a little short and disappointing. Best to decant this for at least one hour as it was a little hot coming out of the bottle.
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4/14/2013 - Delli Likes this wine: 91 Points
If you like big pinots this wine is for you. Purple and full bodied. Earthy and dark fruit nose. Sweat black cherries pop on the palate and linger on finish. Tannins have rounded nicely. Fruit forward and drinking nicely. 5+12+16+8=91
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4/12/2013 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 89 Points
Carafé 1 heure avant le service,Couleur rouge rubis,au nez c'est très fruité,au gout la cerise domine suivi d'un petit coté épicé.L'accord Tannins,alcool n'est pas très bien équilibré.Cependant c'est quand meme un vin très agréable.Il me reste une autre bouteille,je vais attendre quelques années avant de l'ouvrir.
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4/1/2013 - Pluecht wrote: 91 Points
Full bodied and drinking well. Slightly jammy compared to last bottle but still a party favorite.
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3/25/2013 - Dasbird wrote: 93 Points
The window on this wine is finally open. Tastes very smooth, and has come together as a nice full bodied pinot.
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3/18/2013 - NEwino wrote: 91 Points
Opened my previous bottle a year ago. This bottle has changed from a bit closed off to fruity and wonderful. This pinot to me is more of a drink it by itself pinot than a food wine. I got a lot of blueberry flavors to go along with hints of dark cherries on the finish. Drink now till 2018
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3/9/2013 - Rafili wrote: 90 Points
A nice $35 Pinot without the elegance or boldness of say a Martinelli. Still, a great bottle with a floral nose, nice balance that you can drink on a given Tuesday night.
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3/5/2013 - darklord wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour, probably the best example of a Pinot that I have consumed. Spice, licorice, cherry... delicious.
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2/24/2013 - Dpkelley wrote: 92 Points
Very dark. Spicy Pinot. Great after bite.
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2/17/2013 - Petiger wrote: 88 Points
Strong red cherry nose but tasted like a thick syrup. Very sweet.
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2/14/2013 - Furry Goat wrote: 90 Points
An explosion of fruit for this Cali Pinot. Dark fruit dominate the nose and the palate with some tartness on the nose that made it more interesting. A full rich Pinot, one for the Cab drinker as they say. Went pretty well with chicken marsala and mashed potatoes with asparagus. Great mouth feel, decent complexity, good balance, medium finish.
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2/12/2013 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love this Pinot Noir. Rich, fruit forward wine with cherry, raspberry notes and a nice, smooth spice finish. The wine evolves in the glass over an hour and gets even more silky smooth. Would imagine this wine will get even better with some age.
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2/2/2013 - mgammelgaard wrote: 92 Points
Amazing, full bodied, lots of fruit. Big.
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1/25/2013 - Mountster27 wrote: 91 Points
Bright red fruits with some slight earthier notes emerging after an hour or so decanted. Medium bodied. Overall I think less fruity than the 2009. Typical of emerging California Pinot style.
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1/14/2013 - Paterbrian wrote: 89 Points
Another taster said that a traditional lover of Pinot may not like this wine, well I agree. The wine bursts forth with" juicy" red fruits not found in a traditional Pinot. Little to Jammy and sweet though I still can recognize as a good wine as long as you like the big juice and Jammy taste. My friends who do not care for the boldness of a Cal cab or the earthiness of a rhone love when I bring over this wine.
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1/6/2013 - Jobu wrote: 94 Points
Big juicy blackberries and dark cherries. Rich, smooth, and slightly sweet. Typical pinot flavors develop after a little time. Damn good, but I can see where lovers of traditional pinots might not like as much. I've been seeing more of this style from the Central Coast.
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12/31/2012 - pkomma Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious, notes of fig, very smooth, perfect Pinot
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12/27/2012 - t0pshelf Likes this wine:
Velvety rich texture. One of my favorite Pinots.
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12/26/2012 - CP4 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a unique tasting Pinot rich in Cherry and Vanilla. A bit sweet on opening but we did not decant. As time went on the sweetness seemed to die off a tad. Very enjoyable in my opinion, medium finish, nice silky smooth body, rich ruby color.
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12/24/2012 - pkatz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark and syrupy. A guilty pleasure, but showing more structure and less sweetness than my last taste. Although the Pinot Noir is evident, can't help but think some other varietals in the blend.
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12/23/2012 - Griffin5416 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a fan. This one came across with a tinge of syrup and sweet. Like these but perhaps not as much as the onset.
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12/16/2012 - KSWinegeek Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a blind tasting, I am not sure I would identify this as a Pinot. Dark color. To nose is cherry, raspberry and spice. The palate is raspberry with slight sweetness.
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12/14/2012 - Grenik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical of the Santa Barbara style. Lots of bright fruit, but this one has some interesting darker cherry notes, spice, and some hints of forest floor. Well integrated right now with a good, balanced finish. I am not as optimistic as others about it's ability to age and keep in balance.
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12/10/2012 - Starbuck7777ca Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet colour with very expressive and persistent vanilla and dark cherry cola nose. Very approachable now, with lush choke cherry and blueberry fruit. Nicely balanced with enough acidity to keep it structured. Only minimal hints of pinot at the onset. 2 hours in the decanter (highly recommended with this one) reveals many more typical pinot noir notes. Incredibly long, savoury finish. Not for the Burgundian palate, but for those preferring a more Syrah/Cab style pinot - this is delicious. Should peak in 5-6 years. Score - 92.
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12/10/2012 - CBJB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of black cherry on the nose. Full-bodied. Drinks well on its own. Laying a couple bottles down to see how it evolves.
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12/8/2012 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice fruit (blueberries) and rather full bodied for a Pinot.
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11/27/2012 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 91 Points
Our best wine on this trip yet. After a rainy day of reading and Skyfall, we had a delightful meal at Fish Out of Water. The food was very good and we finally found a good wine list. We told the waiter jokingly that we wanted a magnum and he didn't believe us. So we had the 750 then ordered a second....nose of cherries and moss. Taste started off closed, but with good acidity and complexity. Opened up to dark cherry with good tannins and complexity. Lingering finish. Best wine in Destin so far.
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11/25/2012 - Griffin5416 wrote: 92 Points
A touch sweeter than remembered. Big ripe Pinot.
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11/23/2012 - Griffin5416 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young but delicious. Needs time in decanter to unwind a bit. This one was a tad sweet but great aroma, mouthfeel and finish.
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11/23/2012 - JGinMO wrote: 91 Points
Drank next to the 05, which was terrific. This was young but shows promise for aging
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11/22/2012 - paulrc56 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A wonderful Pinot Noir. Ready to drink, lot of cherry - big nose. Paired with Thanksgiving turkey. Just ordered 4 more to enjoy over the next year.
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11/22/2012 - smcilhen Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good, but needs more time. I remember reading a comment saying this is a cabernet lover's wine and I agree. Not a traditional pinot. I prefer the Las Alturas vineyard pinot over this for the same price.
88 points; purchased for $40 from Binny's
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11/22/2012 - erikjwithak Likes this wine: 93 Points
A new favorite. Weighty Pinot with rich cherry and vanilla notes while retaining the distinctive Pinot Noir character.
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11/21/2012 - JHumps Likes this wine: 91 Points
We are not big on Pinot, but the Wagner family got this one right! The best Pinot Noir we have tasted. And an absolutely bargain for the price! Do not miss out on this.
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11/6/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 85 Points
Understand the crowd love, cannot understand the scores. While barely identifiable as pinot noir, this is very rich with slick and glossy cherry fruit and vanilla, and even at 14.3, still a bit hot. It denies any sense of place, and invests only in a model of manufactured profile that says more about economic agenda than it does wine. For the record, my wife loves it. For me, obvious spoof-a-licious.
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11/4/2012 - csillabu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very rich Pinot. Cherry is the dominant note throughout. When first opened, fruity richness with mellow tannic finish. The wine then changed - became quite sweet. With a little more time changed again, an the sweetness faded, the finish became more balanced with spicy tannins. Would recommend a 2+ hour decant to fully enjoy!
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11/3/2012 - jhieb wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful. Silky smooth, well balanced, and cherry and vanilla notes all day long. The perfect Christmas Pinot?
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10/28/2012 - gpatramanis wrote: 92 Points
Paired with Chili in a chili cook off. Excellent as always. Love to see people's expression when they try it for the first time.
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10/20/2012 - Griffin5416 wrote: 93 Points
Love this. Non wine geek wife stated "this is an excellent wine." big fruit big body, berries, sweetness. One of my fav pinot's.
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10/13/2012 - defnefferson wrote: 92 Points
Huge, hedonistic pinot noir. Really well made and delicious, even though it wasn't the style I usually go for. I thought the winery's tasting notes were spot on: berry pie and spice.
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10/7/2012 - Santaliz wrote: 94 Points
Great flavor for this cab like Pinot. 3 Bottles later still wanted more among two couples.
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9/18/2012 - Santaliz wrote: 93 Points
Wife loved the fruit, great Pino for me with some depth.
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9/6/2012 - gino'svino wrote: 93 Points
Dark, fruity, concentrated. Very good. There is some tannin to let it age for maybe six more years or so. This is just a guess. Will buyh again.
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8/30/2012 - KeithSurg wrote: 93 Points
PnP at Wildfish. Sweet cherry and jam flavors with impressive depth and richness. Earthy notes preceed the sweet finish. Drinking beautifully already.
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8/30/2012 - Casadellago wrote:
- Brick color and aromas of raspberry and has flavours of raspberry with a medium/full body - Just an outstanding wine, fruity, well balanced, perfect for short rib
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8/19/2012 - Mmargowine wrote: 92 Points
- Brick color and aromas of black currant and has flavours of strawberry jam with a medium/full body with a medium finish - Unusual sweetness. Opened up amazingly on day two.
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8/18/2012 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 90 Points
When I first started to get into wine, I started off with the basics then discovered my love for Pinot Noir. First it was Sanford, then I moved into Belle Glos. I really did enjoy these and still do, although I think these wines have gotten more extracted and sacrificed structure. This has a lot of big red fruit on the nose with blackberry, cherry and boysenberry. On the palate, this revealed a ton of cherry and plum flavors that are very big but it lacked the structure I use to find in the wines. Perhaps it needed more air? Still not a bad wine.
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8/18/2012 - pkatz wrote: 94 Points
A delicious ripe full bodied extracted wine that retains varietal character with probably some residuual sugar or just incredibly sweet fruit. A wine that Burgundy wishes it could produce.
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8/13/2012 - KSWinegeek wrote: 92 Points
Very dark, extracted with very long legs. Delightful cherry, raspberry and raisin aromas. Rich and fruit forward with potpourri of flavors. Need to buy more before this vintage is gone.
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8/12/2012 - Gonzo007 wrote: 92 Points
Very fruity notes, light body. Enjoyed w a meal or alone. Brilliant wine.
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8/12/2012 - Gonzo007 wrote: 93 Points
Very fruity, light body, easy to pair with or drink alone. A revelation. Highly recommended.
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8/6/2012 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
New world in style, youthful, sweet, layered, and concentrated. Impressive for its rich, full-body, pronounced acidity, excellent intensity, and taffeta-like texture. Notes of cherries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, earth, and leather. Has a whiff of heat. Touches of black and blue fruit, chocolate, and spice box. Closes with keen minerality and the prick of red pepper flakes on the lengthy finish. Outstanding. Decant.
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8/2/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 87 Points
This one has me conflicted. On day one things were pretty good overall. It was a little hot to start, but evolved quickly out of that and cooled down. Boatload of cherry/raspberry fruit that has some confection notes to it, not good for me, but it's light on it's feet somehow and most of the time you pick up some earth notes to counterbalance the fruit. Some brief stemmy type notes that are interesting later on. Nicely delineated structure. On day two, holy fruit bomb. Don't get me wrong, it's quality fruit, but this is after a Napa Cab and I'm still feeling some gloopiness. Put on a ton of weight, and got blowsy. Well...
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7/20/2012 - sabrage wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Deep Purple color. Medium legs. Cedar, Burnt Caramel and Dried Cherry nose. Tastes of Cherry, Currant and Pencil Lead. Slightly tart balance. Medium Smooth texture. Long finish. 14.3% ABV.
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7/19/2012 - Pluecht wrote: 91 Points
Yummy
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7/18/2012 - tomherer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hot nose of stewed dark fruit. Great concentration of dark fruit flavors, including blackberry and boysenberry. Silky Wagner texture up front, gets a little more real towards the end with fine tannins and generous acidity. Long finish changes things over to savory; mint, beef jerky, and cedar.
Not what I was expecting; more savory, balanced, and acidic than the extra-fruity BGs I've had in the past, and not even entirely Pinot-like, especially with the meat on the finish. Regardless; complex, balanced, and long. Good stuff.
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7/14/2012 - gossba wrote: 92 Points
Full of fruit. A very bold Pinot
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7/14/2012 - 321Nomad wrote: 89 Points
Drank with my beautiful bride...
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7/8/2012 - mranderson Likes this wine: 90 Points
very nice! Well balanced...maybe a bit young a touch of alcoholic heat on the end. Will sit on the other for a few years ...very enjoyable!
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7/4/2012 - ctjared wrote:
Still can't believe this is Pinot noir. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that this is really a syrah down the road. Either way, won't be mad since I really enjoy it
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6/24/2012 - JackieTreehorn wrote: 85 Points
Not my style of pinot... very dark and big. Fruit was too sweet for me and overpowered the other elements of the wine.
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6/22/2012 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Pete and Jan come to Toronto.; 6/21/2012-6/23/2012 (Mark and Erica's): Planned this with the salad course. Great aromatics but was a little sweet with the meal. We reverted back to the whites. NR'ed
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6/20/2012 - bjr11 wrote: 92 Points
Agree with the recent June reviews, I love this wine, especially the value!
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6/18/2012 - jljones wrote: 93 Points
Powerful and concentrated, I greatly prefer this one to their Taylor Lane offering (haven't tried Las Alturas yet). I can't recall drinking a better Pinot for under $40.
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6/15/2012 - lee.reiswig wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully concentrated and balanced. Silky & smooth.
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6/15/2012 - coreywb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Elegant, approachable Pinot Noir. Red fruit in color and nose. Needs another year. Touch of cola with the berries. Nice finish. Liked it a lot at $35, but I liked last vintage slightly more. Also bought Las Alturas Vnyd, but that needs a year or two before trying.
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6/14/2012 - gpatramanis wrote: 92 Points
Fruity, terrific. Still my favorite pinot.
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6/8/2012 - gpatramanis Likes this wine: 92 Points
A Fruit bomb as would be expected of a Caymus family wine. Smooth as silk, goes down easy...too easy. Drank a lot of this tonight. I prefer this one over the Alturas. Will buy more definitely. Should hit it's prime 2014+
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5/25/2012 - Foodievines Likes this wine: 89 Points
Big nose and flavor. Red berry, mineral, vanilla, and some earth on the nose. In the mouth one could be confused this is a pinot as I consider this a cab lovers pinot meaning it's in your face. Big wine with more berry, spice, and a lingering finish.
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5/11/2012 - KSWinegeek wrote: 92 Points
Been drinking this for a while and loving it. Exceptional dark for Pinot. Cherry and spice on nose and palate. Fruit forward, but balanced and delightful. Was a crowd pleaser tonight as it has been for a while. Might be better with time, but is so good right now.
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5/4/2012 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 92 Points
Incredibly dark in color for a pinot, with powerful aromas of dark, fresh fruit and vanilla. Big silky mouthfeel with a long finish with moderate complexity. Paired very well with salmon, and even better with bacon fried potatoes. Overall a great wine, if you like this style of pinot. Great now, but will improve with age. Wait if you can!
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4/25/2012 - Steve Jones wrote: 91 Points
Riedel Glass Demonstration (Josef Barbados Restaurant): Fruity and earthy, very smooth and balanced. Big strawberry flavors. Great drinker young. Very intense.
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4/14/2012 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Yet another favorite of my California style Pinots. Very dark color and tons of eathy mineral and spice notes. I get the butterscotch too. Silky wine that is extremely well made. Lot of cherry fruit with perfect balance and a long lingering finish. For California Pinot Noir this is just a great wine.
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4/9/2012 - Nyindallas wrote: 92 Points
This bottle developed a leak in shipping. Otherwise would not have opened. Dark purple color. Nose opens spicy cherries and currents. Wonderful for such a young wine. Flavors include spicy cherries and strawberry. Finishes a little hot but not unpleasantly so. Very well structured with layers of fruit that should easily outlast the silky tannins. Best California Pinot Noir I have had since tasting the single vineyard Calera's years ago. Highly recommended. No doubt our score will be higher next time. Will be serving with Wild Salmon rolled with Feta and Spinach. 2 hours later-fruits flavors become more pronounced.
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3/31/2012 - bruinesq84 wrote: 92 Points
pop and decant. Drank with the '04 maiden. Woo, strawberry and more strawberry! While it is rich and ever so tasty (hello Caymus) it does have some acid underneath that causes me to keep drinking. Otherwise, I think I would have had to quit after a glass or two. It did evolve somewhat with a bit of tartness in the mouth, but still smooth on the finish. Nice wine like all the Belle Glos I've had. Not for those who want to experience a burgundian pinot. (duh!)
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3/17/2012 - mojowine wrote:
Tasted today. Sweet and fruity but no cloying. Will need to lay down for a while but this is way bigger than other C&T vintages that I have tried in the past. Will be a very good bottle of wine!
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3/14/2012 - NEwino Likes this wine: 92 Points
I found this extremely intense with big bold dark cherries almost to a blueberry flavor on both the nose and when I take a drink. This has a bit of spice that borders heat. I really think this will be an excellent wine when everything comes together in a year or so. The problem will be keeping my hads off this until that point because I loved the big dark cherries to blueberries in this wine. Drink now or hold for 18 months and try again and again over then next 5 years!
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3/3/2012 - europat55 wrote: 89 Points
Wagner Family Wines (WineBank, Menlo Park, California): Very good nose. Good palate. Dark berries. Still tannic. Could use a few more years. Very nice finish.
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2/26/2012 - Thobman wrote: 87 Points
Very sweet and fruity. Has Carmel or butterscotch on the nose. Pop and drink.
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2/25/2012 - pizzasomm wrote: 90 Points
nose: big cherry nose and high heat
taste: hot with flavors to match, big red fruits, resonating red cherry, intense strawberry, some herbal notes, medium to big bodied, mainly dry, lengthy finish of subtle oak
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2/13/2012 - crumbletop Likes this wine: 88 Points
BIG pinot -- if there is such a pinot. This one isn't subtle. The fruit is nicely balanced, but is almost as concentrated as a lollipop. Still, a nice pinot.
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2/9/2012 - Lee Fining wrote: 92 Points
Just a step slower than the Las Alturas vineyard. This is an excellent, full bodied Pinot. Well balance, quality fruit that is ready to drink today or can lay down for a few. Would be fun to buy several and see how it progresses over time.
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