Hmmm - this is massive. Not sure i'd guess it was pinot!
15.5% really is too much. It's stewed and port like. Bags of fruit but the alcohol is overwhelming. This will sort people out at a bbq except when you look at the price paid!
If only it was toned down a touch.
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A typical, reliable, solid, well-structured Etude pinot. Well-balanced, good acidity, red and black fruit. Not as interesting or complex as some of the Sonoma pinots, and definitely more classically austere. But some pretty solid jungle juice, just the same.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, vanilla and rose. It tastes like strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, sandalwood, dill, nutmeg and leesy. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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Very pretty ruby gem color. Musty aroma with a little strawberry. Delicious, big pinot noir. Does not taste hot despite the 14.5% ABV. Impressive showing. I'm not much of a pinot drinker, but this is a fun one. Not nearly as feminine as I'm used to pinot noir being.
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Initially, vibrant, spice, sweet dark fruit, vanilla and floral scent. Also, initially, zippy, tart cherry, herb, earth and mint flavor with plentiful fine tannins. Unfortunately, after breathing a while the fruit dissipated and the herbal earth profile dominated. Started as a 90 finished an 88.
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Good volume and loads of character. Youthful, ripe, full bodied, almost fat, but not overdone, with an inviting nose of cherries, roses, pastille, conifer, and lots of spices. This has good length, glycerine, lush cherry and raspberry flavors, and spice box persistence on the woody, fruit-laden finish.
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So strange. I disliked the first bottle that I had of this vintage, but this second bottle was much more what I expected to taste the first time from this producer. Smooth and elegant. I'm chalking this one up to the Costco effect.
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Earth, must and spice on the nose. This mouth starts with a dusty flavor, accompanied by an Indian like spice I cannot pinpoint at the moment. Another user suggested coriander, that might be it. There's some currant and raspberry in the middle and it seems to finish of with a little vanilla and caramel at the end. I've had much better Carneros Pinot, but this wine is fine.
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The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Strawberry, Red Currant, and Cherry. It tastes like Strawberry, Raspberry, Red Currant, Cherry, Dust, and Vanilla. The body is Light/Medium. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Long.
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lush ripe mixed dark fruit with glycerin and silk; on day 2 as fruit faded at bit i got more oak rather than residual structure. smooth and easy to drink but prob best enjoyed young
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Bugundian in nature, lean and very classy, with a translucent garnet color, aromas of pure strawberry and roses, carrying to the palate in a restrained mix of Bing cherry, rose petal, crisp acidity and mixed spicebox, with a long, lipsmacking finish. Drinking young, with lots of life left in the bottle, and should improve for another 8-12 years. A steal at $23 from Costco.
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We had this wine with baked chicken and loads of flavoring on the chicken. It also followed a chardonnay. For some reason this combination was a wow with this wine. Beautiful red fruit front and back, long finish full bodied. This vintage should still be available, get some. Looking forward to my other 10 bottles:)
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An excellent young Pinot Noir. A good berry aroma. Quite tart at first. After an hour, it softened and the fruit came through. More time in the bottle will improve this wine.
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lush sweet plum and black raspberry fruit with nice textural mouth sensation; good acidity and some alcohol heat up the finish just a bit; might have guessed they added some syrah, but it is very tasty.
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Ripe red cherry aromas with a hint of anise and cherry cola. More restrained flavors, with same red cherry, some raspberry, plus earthy hints.Well textured with good mouth feel.
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Light purple. Poster child of a modern Californian pinot noir: light, luscious, cherry/blackberry. There is no way not to like this wine. Delta lounge NY!
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Medium-to-deep ruby in color, this youthful Pinot shows intense aromas of wild berries, clove, coriander and a hint of cocoa. Very fresh and medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, it struts the same wild berry flavors in combination with savory herb and anise notes. The tannins are tame and the alcohol (listed as 14.5%) is well-integrated. A solid middle palate leads to an impressive finish of nice length. This is a well-made offering which should drink nicely over the next five years (or more). Drink now-2018.
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This bottling is so approachable right now. It actually has a fairly itegrated profile already. No aeration needed, but it does soften up with some air. Round and not a typical CA fruit-bomb. It is nicely balanced with the fruit subtly revealing itself...not slapping you in the face. Slight bit of heat that seemed to blow off with some aeration. Not sure this has the tannin or acidity for long-term aging, but this is a fairly tasty, sophisticated, complex wine. I've seen this range in price from $24-45. Great QPR on the lower end of that scale. Drink now-2017. Highly recommend.
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10/29/2023 - bulani wrote:
Past its prime
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11/30/2019 - RCTS wrote: 85 Points
Clumsy and a bit over the hill
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6/8/2019 - Barry G wrote: 88 Points
Hmmm - this is massive. Not sure i'd guess it was pinot!
15.5% really is too much. It's stewed and port like. Bags of fruit but the alcohol is overwhelming. This will sort people out at a bbq except when you look at the price paid!
If only it was toned down a touch.
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11/26/2017 - snowman94114 wrote:
Drinking perfectly. Really softened and the complexity increased. 91 pts.
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9/27/2017 - Pipcelot Likes this wine: 91 Points
A typical, reliable, solid, well-structured Etude pinot. Well-balanced, good acidity, red and black fruit. Not as interesting or complex as some of the Sonoma pinots, and definitely more classically austere. But some pretty solid jungle juice, just the same.
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8/1/2017 - SCosgrove wrote: 91 Points
Beauty!!!
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2/7/2017 - SCosgrove wrote: 92 Points
This is a great pinot, big, bold, smooth, succulent.
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12/21/2015 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
robust and fleshy, as if a bit of sryah was added; cassis and a bit of herb underneath the big fruit; gulpable.
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10/15/2015 - misco wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, vanilla and rose. It tastes like strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, sandalwood, dill, nutmeg and leesy. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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7/19/2015 - HPrimdahl wrote: 90 Points
Lækker og kraftig pinot noir
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3/2/2015 - VinoBee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very pretty ruby gem color. Musty aroma with a little strawberry. Delicious, big pinot noir. Does not taste hot despite the 14.5% ABV. Impressive showing. I'm not much of a pinot drinker, but this is a fun one. Not nearly as feminine as I'm used to pinot noir being.
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11/19/2014 - bin905 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Initially, vibrant, spice, sweet dark fruit, vanilla and floral scent. Also, initially, zippy, tart cherry, herb, earth and mint flavor with plentiful fine tannins. Unfortunately, after breathing a while the fruit dissipated and the herbal earth profile dominated. Started as a 90 finished an 88.
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10/25/2014 - j30 wrote: 88 Points
Impressive, refreshing, bold, red fruit on the nose, but the palate is full bodied and strong - not your typical pinot.
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10/1/2014 - SCosgrove wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic, spicy,, plum, dark cherry, smooth and lovely.
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9/6/2014 - Volunteer1995 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very bold red. Need at least a two hour decant. Would pair nice with a lamb chop!
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6/28/2014 - SCosgrove wrote: 94 Points
This is a really bold Pinot Noir, on the heavy side. Would have thought I had opened a Syrah or even a Cab. Smoky, great with Salmon grilled.
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5/24/2014 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Good volume and loads of character. Youthful, ripe, full bodied, almost fat, but not overdone, with an inviting nose of cherries, roses, pastille, conifer, and lots of spices. This has good length, glycerine, lush cherry and raspberry flavors, and spice box persistence on the woody, fruit-laden finish.
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5/1/2014 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
lovely smooth ripe/rich mixed dark berry, albeit with too much oak for my taste; too big for the mushroom ravioli....better with the ribs.
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4/3/2014 - wineduggery wrote: 90 Points
So strange. I disliked the first bottle that I had of this vintage, but this second bottle was much more what I expected to taste the first time from this producer. Smooth and elegant. I'm chalking this one up to the Costco effect.
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3/7/2014 - wineduggery Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Thin and simple. The Grace Benoist Ranch is much better.
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2/28/2014 - scotty_b wrote: 90 Points
Strawberry, wild cherry and spice. Great energy.
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1/20/2014 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
Confirmatory of my 7/20/13 impressions...this is simply a delightful Pinot. Drink now-2018.
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1/16/2014 - Legend38 wrote: 88 Points
Earth, must and spice on the nose. This mouth starts with a dusty flavor, accompanied by an Indian like spice I cannot pinpoint at the moment. Another user suggested coriander, that might be it. There's some currant and raspberry in the middle and it seems to finish of with a little vanilla and caramel at the end. I've had much better Carneros Pinot, but this wine is fine.
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1/4/2014 - LMWS Jimmy and Rocio wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Strawberry, Red Currant, and Cherry. It tastes like Strawberry, Raspberry, Red Currant, Cherry, Dust, and Vanilla. The body is Light/Medium. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Long.
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12/30/2013 - wabi47 wrote: 89 Points
lush ripe mixed dark fruit with glycerin and silk; on day 2 as fruit faded at bit i got more oak rather than residual structure. smooth and easy to drink but prob best enjoyed young
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12/27/2013 - cucycling wrote: 83 Points
Beautiful color with a nice nose, but so tart and a bit hot I was expecting much more. Maybe time would have helped.
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12/21/2013 - WineLover007 wrote: 93 Points
drank at a blind pinot wine tasting with friends - this was the top pinot.
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12/12/2013 - Snoman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bugundian in nature, lean and very classy, with a translucent garnet color, aromas of pure strawberry and roses, carrying to the palate in a restrained mix of Bing cherry, rose petal, crisp acidity and mixed spicebox, with a long, lipsmacking finish. Drinking young, with lots of life left in the bottle, and should improve for another 8-12 years. A steal at $23 from Costco.
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12/6/2013 - Jmwalt1 wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied. Deep grape/purple appearance. Bouquet of plum and light tobacco. Smooth on the palate with a nice long finish.
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11/26/2013 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
silky, lush dark berry, licorice and earth; medium acidity; finishes with some heat; can stand up to the shortribs
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11/26/2013 - joedv8s Likes this wine: 93 Points
We had this wine with baked chicken and loads of flavoring on the chicken.
It also followed a chardonnay. For some reason this combination was a wow with this wine. Beautiful red fruit front and back, long finish full bodied.
This vintage should still be available, get some.
Looking forward to my other 10 bottles:)
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11/24/2013 - 9-Toes Likes this wine: 91 Points
An excellent young Pinot Noir. A good berry aroma. Quite tart at first. After an hour, it softened and the fruit came through. More time in the bottle will improve this wine.
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10/31/2013 - Red5TX wrote:
Excellent bottle of pilot, especially at the price point.
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9/25/2013 - Fbarba wrote: 83 Points
Disappointing vintage. Too hot and disjointed
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8/7/2013 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
lush sweet plum and black raspberry fruit with nice textural mouth sensation; good acidity and some alcohol heat up the finish just a bit; might have guessed they added some syrah, but it is very tasty.
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8/3/2013 - Mauest wrote: 91 Points
Had a bottle at Scratch in Mt. View. Nice Carneros Pinot.
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7/29/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Ripe red cherry aromas with a hint of anise and cherry cola. More restrained flavors, with same red cherry, some raspberry, plus earthy hints.Well textured with good mouth feel.
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7/28/2013 - willthethrill Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light purple. Poster child of a modern Californian pinot noir: light, luscious, cherry/blackberry. There is no way not to like this wine. Delta lounge NY!
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7/20/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium-to-deep ruby in color, this youthful Pinot shows intense aromas of wild berries, clove, coriander and a hint of cocoa. Very fresh and medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, it struts the same wild berry flavors in combination with savory herb and anise notes. The tannins are tame and the alcohol (listed as 14.5%) is well-integrated. A solid middle palate leads to an impressive finish of nice length. This is a well-made offering which should drink nicely over the next five years (or more). Drink now-2018.
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7/12/2013 - nav2u wrote: 90 Points
Ruby red. Medium body. Fruit-forward, but not over-the-top. Notes of red fruits, fresh figs, and earth. Nice acid and pliant tannins. Very enjoyable.
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6/23/2013 - Niccolo Donzella wrote: 91 Points
Medium red color with thick legs. Broad earthy nose, followed by dried fruit, then pepper and a long warm finish.
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6/18/2013 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 88 Points
Abit of a lightweight but nice.
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6/15/2013 - Dabolts wrote: 90 Points
Great carneros pinot! Fruit forward with a slightly earthy back palate. Like strawberry candy.
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5/21/2013 - Niccolo Donzella wrote: 91 Points
Drinking so well right now. Earthy nose, tobacco and leather mid-palate, with a long dry finish.
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5/9/2013 - sellerscellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottling is so approachable right now. It actually has a fairly itegrated profile already. No aeration needed, but it does soften up with some air. Round and not a typical CA fruit-bomb. It is nicely balanced with the fruit subtly revealing itself...not slapping you in the face. Slight bit of heat that seemed to blow off with some aeration. Not sure this has the tannin or acidity for long-term aging, but this is a fairly tasty, sophisticated, complex wine. I've seen this range in price from $24-45. Great QPR on the lower end of that scale. Drink now-2017. Highly recommend.
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3/17/2013 - Iceman611 wrote: 93 Points
Super delicious. Wow.
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3/3/2013 - sfjosh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really good. Fruity. Great taste. Could drink with anything, or on its own.
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