Murky with a hint of bricking beginning with a little funk at the end. After 30 minutes, the funk was gone and all was delicious. Nose of lite berries, medium fine bodied unfiltered wine. Cedar oak mild spice tart cherries, ripe raspberries, medium long finish of caramelized cherries.
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Amazingly preserved! The color is still straw, not dark yellow or golden. Fascinating nose of stone fruit, watercress, and wet clay (in a good way... somewhat mineral). Med full palate, but this is very complex. Wow. Long finish. A great Aubert from a tough vintage.
This wine is 11 years old and is singing! It is completely integrated and is flawless. Smooth mouth feel; great fruit, but in perfect balance. If you think you can't get great pinot from Cal. that is over 10 years old, you are sadly mistaken.
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Similar to my note before, this is not the most powerful, rich or complex pinot I’ve had from Aubert, but it is one of the most beautiful. Rest In Peace, Ulises Valdez.
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A great CA pinot. Other TNs are hitting the Burgundian aspect, but I feel it is more polished and fruit oriented. Beautifully smooth wine with a cherry and damson vibe. Not as big as I was expecting - medium mouthfeel. Very easy to drink. Drinking well at 10 years and several years left
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Medium bodied, Burgundian style pinot. Light red fruit on the palate with a balance that, initially, is still a bit heavier on the acid. Very elegant and layered.
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Nice moderately dialed back pinot, more subtle CA fruit style with touch blackberries and cherries and some balanced spice notes. Excellent shape, really enjoyed this.Hedonists Meet-up at the Red Lion.
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Similar notes as previous tastings, a very vibrant yet elegant Pinot Noir with a wonderful nose and great fruit. Cherries, plums, raspberries, spice, and earthiness in the nose and flavor. Very well balanced, nice complexity, and a long finish.
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Exactly what ELINK00 said. Absolutely in a zone. I've sometimes found it difficult to nail down the best time to drink an Aubert pinot as they tend to go through some awkward phases, but this one is singing right now. Easily one of the best Aubert pinots I've had. Stylistically different from what one would typically expect from Aubert - less power and density, but instead this is gorgeous and extremely well balanced. Alcohol is barely noticeable. Very perfumed, slightly floral nose. The fresh berry fruit are in an elegant dance with the minerals and forest floor notes.
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Totally in the zone. Decanted for one hour but was pretty open at beginning, too. BE CAREFUL - it falls off after 2.5 hours. Nose is not huge but offers red fruit and slight wet sidewalk. Flavor is bursting with fresh strawberries, bright cherries, underlying minerality, and medium finish of dried strawberries.
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Pretty much a pop and pour. Aromas of brown sugar, sassafras, dried cherry, dried strawberry and touch of earth. Flavors of dried cherry, strawberry rhubarb, cranberry, anise and touch of brown sugar. Ends with a 25+ second finish with brown sugar notes. Touch a heat on this but a very nice Pinot.
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After a one hour decant, this is gorgeous. At the beginning of its maturity plateau, this nose starts with a pretty nose of black cherry and violets. The palate is beautifully balanced but still showing strong fruit concentration. Black cherry, strawberry, olive and spice. The alcohol is very well integrated without a trace of heat and the tannins are silky and partly resolved. Drink over the next five years.
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Similar notes as previous tastings. This bottle was opened by a friend and PNP. It took a good 30-45 minutes to start displaying its beauty. A great Pinot, but I would definitely decant before serving.
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In a challenging vintage, this wine is just outstanding. Long finish; the fruit is still there but the secondary notes are now showing themselves. Just beautifully integrated right now.
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Getting better and better... notes of root beer/cola, strawberry, tar, a little salt, with sweet and savory cherry... this may be 100 pts pretty soon. Finish lasts forever... world class.
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Delicious as usual. Needed some more time open. Great nose of toasted marshmallow, hazelnut, brioche. Some fullness and oakiness still characteristic of CA as opposed to Burgundy, but nice minerality. Excellent wine. I THINK I MUST HAVE ENTERED THESE NOTES FOR THE WRONG WINE! LOL!
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Aubert (Calistoga): Nose of dried cranberry, musk, and fresh turned mulch. On the palate, a linear and thin attack of black cherry, stewed plum, green peppercorn, oregano, and wet tanbark. I detected and recognized what I believed to be VA funk throughout the consumption of this wine. I was told that was a mistake and there was no VA nor any flaw, but instead just a more delicate representation of the varietal and vintage.
...Ok then...If that's the case, 84-86 points.
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No decant but long so ox. To be honest i'm not a big fan of new world pinots. They just have a flavor profile that just does not resinate with my palette. All that being said, the wine is well made and much better with food, but it still has that skittles taste to me that is not interesting and boring. No rating.
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Silky smooth and a good sized Pinot but never heavy. Bold and generous with the fruit but elegant and easy to drink. Not a ton of tannins so easy to drink right now but can go several more years
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One of my favorite Pinots I've had. We all know Mark Aubert is a world class Chardonnay producer, but his Pinots can stand up to anybody. Very expressive fruit but nice balance and plenty of tannins to stand up to just about any meal. Not overly tannic so also would work well as a sipping wine on its own. Notes of blackberry, cherry, and light oak on the nose.
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Went hard to the cellar the last two days, going straight to the top shelf. Aubert, purveyor of some of the finest California chardonnay and pinot noir.
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Nice lighter styled Aubert Pinot. Still showy and full of berries and red plum fruit with gentle cinammon spice. Well balanced and quite good. Don't see this being a long ager, but lovely today.
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Tuesday Night Blind Tasting $70+ (Roswell, GA): Dark ruby core with ruby rim; high toned, sweet, alcoholic, candied, cherry nose; New World-Cali for sure, sappy red cherry, alcohol; tough going with all of these other wines, context.
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Burgundy color with a wonderful bouquet and flavor of raspberry with some vanilla oak in the background. Extraordinary balance and finesse with a long finish. Truly a remarkable Pinot Noir. Something Burgundy should emulate.
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Massive, thick, and hot. Put this in a Syrah tasting and would perform very well. Antithesis of elegant. Just not my cup of tea. Very much like the big Chards, but I'll pass on the Pinots. EWG at Green Street Tavern.
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Big and beautiful bouquet. Completely elegant wine with soft tannins and a silky feel. Plums and cherries but all in complete balance. A full bodied wine without being at all heavy. Will last for another decade but I don't know if I will be able to wait longer for more.
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Burgundy color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by typical Pinot spiciness without much fruit. Generally good balance with nothing off, but also nothing memorable. This wine may have moved too far in the direction of the "balance" crowd, which I would translate as "dumbed down." There are clearly wines that have shot over the top in terms of power (some very big Zinfandels), but there are far too many wines with weak bouquets and flavor (Burgundies). Puny is not what anyone should mean by balance or elegance. There is a very good middle ground, and Aubert can usually find it. Despite my complaints, I have given this wine 92 points, a testament to the winemaker.
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Really a wow Pinot noir... But no shrinking violet- powerful, rich texture, good acidity, persistent finish. Pine needle, forest floor, dark bramble berries... A beautiful wine.
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Lonely nose of bacon, Canadian bacon, dark black cherry fruit, dusty earth, more of the same on the palate, very rich, big body, complex, delicious, reminded me of a Grand Cru Red Burgundy on the mid palate, long, long finish, will improve over the next 2 years and plateau a long time.
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Lonely nose of bacon fat, plum, fig, hint of raspberry, more of the same on the palate, very rich, full bodied, well balanced, long, pleasant finish, deserves to age for 3 yeas to reach its peak.
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Very young, but oh so very good. Very big in the fruit department, but with some air, already blossoming with oodles of complexity, especially spice and floral notes, even some mushroom type flavors.
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Fabulous juice! Drinking really well. Such a great combo of bold yet elegant. Juicy, flowers, minerality, super long sustained juicy finish. I am going to go buy a case immediately.
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Paired with a 2011 Kosta Browne and a 2011 Williams Selyem. This is just a baby! After 3 hour decant the tannins finally relented releasing the flavor. Have 3 more and will hold for at least another 3 years.
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Cassis, blackberry liqueur, smoke and a little booze on the nose. The palate is medium to full in weight with hints of orange peel, cherries, white chocolate and some drying tannins. Very interesting and very young obviously. Hopefully it'll develop a little fuller on the fruit.
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The most focused and smooth Pinot I've ever tasted. Not your usual fruit-forward, "fruit bomb" California Pinot. Beautiful ruby color. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blueberry, black currant (cassis), and meaty. It tastes like blueberry, black currant (cassis), medium toast (french oak). The body is full. The wine has a round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Kept me coming bavk for more.
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9/6/2023 - jc510 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Murky with a hint of bricking beginning with a little funk at the end. After 30 minutes, the funk was gone and all was delicious.
Nose of lite berries, medium fine bodied unfiltered wine. Cedar oak mild spice tart cherries, ripe raspberries, medium long finish of caramelized cherries.
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7/11/2022 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:
Good deep red for a Pinot. Elegant, more cherry than other red fruits but some strawberries and raspberries. Drinking well now.
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4/15/2022 - PortFanatic wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly preserved! The color is still straw, not dark yellow or golden. Fascinating nose of stone fruit, watercress, and wet clay (in a good way... somewhat mineral). Med full palate, but this is very complex. Wow. Long finish. A great Aubert from a tough vintage.
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4/1/2022 - Lessthanzero Likes this wine:
High toned, fruit forward, but well integrated. Amazingly alive after 11 years for a CAPN.
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3/9/2022 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is 11 years old and is singing! It is completely integrated and is flawless. Smooth mouth feel; great fruit, but in perfect balance. If you think you can't get great pinot from Cal. that is over 10 years old, you are sadly mistaken.
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1/8/2022 - bhrubin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice wine…but a bit faded in fruit, minerality, acidity, etc. Past its promise for me.
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4/13/2021 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to my note before, this is not the most powerful, rich or complex pinot I’ve had from Aubert, but it is one of the most beautiful. Rest In Peace, Ulises Valdez.
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2/21/2021 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
A great CA pinot. Other TNs are hitting the Burgundian aspect, but I feel it is more polished and fruit oriented. Beautifully smooth wine with a cherry and damson vibe. Not as big as I was expecting - medium mouthfeel. Very easy to drink. Drinking well at 10 years and several years left
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11/26/2020 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium bodied, Burgundian style pinot. Light red fruit on the palate with a balance that, initially, is still a bit heavier on the acid. Very elegant and layered.
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8/30/2020 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 93 Points
A classy pinot in a very Burgundian style. Lots of layers with great depth.
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6/2/2020 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid and delicious with Cooper River Salmon
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5/26/2020 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark color, extracted berries, smooth finish after a 45 min decant. Delicious and pleasant on the palate.
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5/3/2020 - dlcass Likes this wine: 97 Points
Magnificent! Beautiful nose, texture and finish. Refined, elegant.
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2/24/2020 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Nice moderately dialed back pinot, more subtle CA fruit style with touch blackberries and cherries and some balanced spice notes. Excellent shape, really enjoyed this.Hedonists Meet-up at the Red Lion.
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11/13/2019 - davidsm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Spectacular. Still has a lot of life left in it, one of the best drinking 2011 Aubert Pinots.
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9/1/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar notes as previous tastings, a very vibrant yet elegant Pinot Noir with a wonderful nose and great fruit. Cherries, plums, raspberries, spice, and earthiness in the nose and flavor. Very well balanced, nice complexity, and a long finish.
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6/26/2019 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 94 Points
Exactly what ELINK00 said. Absolutely in a zone. I've sometimes found it difficult to nail down the best time to drink an Aubert pinot as they tend to go through some awkward phases, but this one is singing right now. Easily one of the best Aubert pinots I've had. Stylistically different from what one would typically expect from Aubert - less power and density, but instead this is gorgeous and extremely well balanced. Alcohol is barely noticeable. Very perfumed, slightly floral nose. The fresh berry fruit are in an elegant dance with the minerals and forest floor notes.
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5/22/2019 - NI1234 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sadly my last bottle!
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5/9/2019 - WizardNeedsFood Likes this wine: 94 Points
Totally in the zone. Decanted for one hour but was pretty open at beginning, too. BE CAREFUL - it falls off after 2.5 hours. Nose is not huge but offers red fruit and slight wet sidewalk. Flavor is bursting with fresh strawberries, bright cherries, underlying minerality, and medium finish of dried strawberries.
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4/14/2019 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty much a pop and pour. Aromas of brown sugar, sassafras, dried cherry, dried strawberry and touch of earth. Flavors of dried cherry, strawberry rhubarb, cranberry, anise and touch of brown sugar. Ends with a 25+ second finish with brown sugar notes. Touch a heat on this but a very nice Pinot.
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12/25/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
After a one hour decant, this is gorgeous. At the beginning of its maturity plateau, this nose starts with a pretty nose of black cherry and violets. The palate is beautifully balanced but still showing strong fruit concentration. Black cherry, strawberry, olive and spice. The alcohol is very well integrated without a trace of heat and the tannins are silky and partly resolved. Drink over the next five years.
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12/12/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar notes as previous tastings. This bottle was opened by a friend and PNP. It took a good 30-45 minutes to start displaying its beauty. A great Pinot, but I would definitely decant before serving.
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9/14/2018 - Markus IWC wrote: 87 Points
US BYOB #2: Bright nose with red/blue fruit, cranberries, violet, licorice, bay leaf, caramel and some green notes.
Juicy mouthfeel, primary fruit driven, harsh tannins, warm, jammy sweet fruit.
2 BV, 1 WV.
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8/15/2018 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Pretty ruby. Still bursting with ripe fruits, cherry, raspberry, lightly tart, gentle tannin, very open at present.
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7/15/2018 - Dalex Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needed an hour to open up and then it was an amazingly balanced Pinot with excellent over all characteristics. Even my picky wife liked it.
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6/15/2018 - MemorialWineFan wrote: 92 Points
Very good pinot for California. Not too much cherry and not over-sugared.
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4/26/2018 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 97 Points
In a challenging vintage, this wine is just outstanding. Long finish; the fruit is still there but the secondary notes are now showing themselves. Just beautifully integrated right now.
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4/23/2018 - jonnyoro wrote: 98 Points
Getting better and better... notes of root beer/cola, strawberry, tar, a little salt, with sweet and savory cherry... this may be 100 pts pretty soon. Finish lasts forever... world class.
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4/3/2018 - dlcass Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious as usual. Needed some more time open. Great nose of toasted marshmallow, hazelnut, brioche. Some fullness and oakiness still characteristic of CA as opposed to Burgundy, but nice minerality. Excellent wine. I THINK I MUST HAVE ENTERED THESE NOTES FOR THE WRONG WINE! LOL!
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3/20/2018 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious but fading.
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1/13/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 93 Points
Delicious
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9/29/2017 - csimm wrote: 86 Points
Aubert (Calistoga): Nose of dried cranberry, musk, and fresh turned mulch. On the palate, a linear and thin attack of black cherry, stewed plum, green peppercorn, oregano, and wet tanbark. I detected and recognized what I believed to be VA funk throughout the consumption of this wine. I was told that was a mistake and there was no VA nor any flaw, but instead just a more delicate representation of the varietal and vintage.
...Ok then...If that's the case, 84-86 points.
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7/14/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to previous tasting notes. Normally age these longer but the 2011 continues to perform beautifully.
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6/18/2017 - Justinwine wrote: 96 Points
Delicious.
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6/6/2017 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great color, crispness on the palate, good flavor, nice palate feel.
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6/1/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to previous tasting notes, a very vibrant Pinot Noir with a wonderful nose, great fruit, complexity, balance, and a long finish.
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5/21/2017 - repoper wrote:
No decant but long so ox. To be honest i'm not a big fan of new world pinots. They just have a flavor profile that just does not resinate with my palette. All that being said, the wine is well made and much better with food, but it still has that skittles taste to me that is not interesting and boring. No rating.
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5/14/2017 - Winedad53 wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully crafted wine with harmonious balance of cherry, smoke and ripe berry flavors easing toward a long soft finish.
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12/31/2016 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Silky smooth and a good sized Pinot but never heavy. Bold and generous with the fruit but elegant and easy to drink. Not a ton of tannins so easy to drink right now but can go several more years
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11/29/2016 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic!
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9/11/2016 - shaferguy91 wrote:
No decant.
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9/3/2016 - jescott81 Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of my favorite Pinots I've had. We all know Mark Aubert is a world class Chardonnay producer, but his Pinots can stand up to anybody. Very expressive fruit but nice balance and plenty of tannins to stand up to just about any meal. Not overly tannic so also would work well as a sipping wine on its own. Notes of blackberry, cherry, and light oak on the nose.
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7/16/2016 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Went hard to the cellar the last two days, going straight to the top shelf. Aubert, purveyor of some of the finest California chardonnay and pinot noir.
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7/12/2016 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Very good but the 15.2% alcohol bothered me some.
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6/25/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice lighter styled Aubert Pinot. Still showy and full of berries and red plum fruit with gentle cinammon spice. Well balanced and quite good. Don't see this being a long ager, but lovely today.
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6/8/2016 - JR512 Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose and taste are a match... Big and beautiful.
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5/18/2016 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huge rich pinot
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4/28/2016 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dynamite rich Pinot. Killer juice
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4/19/2016 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Blind Tasting $70+ (Roswell, GA): Dark ruby core with ruby rim; high toned, sweet, alcoholic, candied, cherry nose; New World-Cali for sure, sappy red cherry, alcohol; tough going with all of these other wines, context.
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3/23/2016 - winestine wrote: 93 Points
Opened with no decanting. Fabulous! Perfect expression of American Pinot. Paired great with wife's pot roast.
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3/13/2016 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 96 Points
Burgundy color with a wonderful bouquet and flavor of raspberry with some vanilla oak in the background. Extraordinary balance and finesse with a long finish. Truly a remarkable Pinot Noir. Something Burgundy should emulate.
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2/28/2016 - peternelson wrote:
Massive, thick, and hot. Put this in a Syrah tasting and would perform very well. Antithesis of elegant. Just not my cup of tea. Very much like the big Chards, but I'll pass on the Pinots. EWG at Green Street Tavern.
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1/30/2016 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 95 Points
Burgundy in color, this wine is smooth and elegant. I taste notes of cherry and minerals. The finish is long and smooth.
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11/29/2015 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich cherry fruit. Long finish.
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10/4/2015 - Skip4wine wrote: 95 Points
Big and beautiful bouquet. Completely elegant wine with soft tannins and a silky feel. Plums and cherries but all in complete balance. A full bodied wine without being at all heavy. Will last for another decade but I don't know if I will be able to wait longer for more.
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9/18/2015 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Burgundy color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by typical Pinot spiciness without much fruit. Generally good balance with nothing off, but also nothing memorable. This wine may have moved too far in the direction of the "balance" crowd, which I would translate as "dumbed down." There are clearly wines that have shot over the top in terms of power (some very big Zinfandels), but there are far too many wines with weak bouquets and flavor (Burgundies). Puny is not what anyone should mean by balance or elegance. There is a very good middle ground, and Aubert can usually find it. Despite my complaints, I have given this wine 92 points, a testament to the winemaker.
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9/16/2015 - jonnyoro wrote: 95 Points
Really a wow Pinot noir... But no shrinking violet- powerful, rich texture, good acidity, persistent finish. Pine needle, forest floor, dark bramble berries... A beautiful wine.
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8/5/2015 - KeithSurg wrote: 92 Points
Very nicely balanced and structured California-styled pinot, medium body. Did not decant, and did not open up to express much. Silky texture.
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6/1/2015 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Delicious and may yet improve.
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3/14/2015 - El Tej wrote: 94 Points
Benefits from an hour in the decanter. Savory notes of dark cherries, smoked meats and sage, with a medium body and round finish.
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11/29/2014 - Dnathanson wrote: 94 Points
Hold
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9/7/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lonely nose of bacon, Canadian bacon, dark black cherry fruit, dusty earth, more of the same on the palate, very rich, big body, complex, delicious, reminded me of a Grand Cru Red Burgundy on the mid palate, long, long finish, will improve over the next 2 years and plateau a long time.
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8/29/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lonely nose of bacon fat, plum, fig, hint of raspberry, more of the same on the palate, very rich, full bodied, well balanced, long, pleasant finish, deserves to age for 3 yeas to reach its peak.
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8/2/2014 - Dnathanson wrote: 96 Points
Full bodied Pinot with hints of smoke. Phenomenal.
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7/30/2014 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 91 Points
Summer 2014 Distinguished Cellar Auction Tasting (Spectrum Wine Auctions @ San Diego Wine Storage Solana Beach): The wine has a beautiful garnet color, light in the glass with almost no legs. The nose was light with hints of fruit and minerals. A light fruity taste that is tart and not sweet and a smooth texture. The finish is long. My favorite of the new pinots, but not a good QPR to me.
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6/16/2014 - cadamson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very young, but oh so very good. Very big in the fruit department, but with some air, already blossoming with oodles of complexity, especially spice and floral notes, even some mushroom type flavors.
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6/10/2014 - voldar wrote: 96 Points
Fabulous juice! Drinking really well. Such a great combo of bold yet elegant. Juicy, flowers, minerality, super long sustained juicy finish. I am going to go buy a case immediately.
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2/28/2014 - buckeye76 wrote: 97 Points
COMPLEX PINOT WITH CHERRIES, SPICE, A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS, AND RASPBERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. ELEGANT WINE WITH A LONG FINISH
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2/14/2014 - MemorialWineFan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paired with a 2011 Kosta Browne and a 2011 Williams Selyem. This is just a baby! After 3 hour decant the tannins finally relented releasing the flavor. Have 3 more and will hold for at least another 3 years.
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2/12/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Cassis, blackberry liqueur, smoke and a little booze on the nose. The palate is medium to full in weight with hints of orange peel, cherries, white chocolate and some drying tannins. Very interesting and very young obviously. Hopefully it'll develop a little fuller on the fruit.
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1/18/2014 - WineMan916 Likes this wine: 98 Points
The most focused and smooth Pinot I've ever tasted. Not your usual fruit-forward, "fruit bomb" California Pinot. Beautiful ruby color. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blueberry, black currant (cassis), and meaty. It tastes like blueberry, black currant (cassis), medium toast (french oak). The body is full. The wine has a round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Kept me coming bavk for more.
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