I didn’t decant (afraid that a 12 year old CA Pinot might not have enough left after too much air). But I did use my high end Riedel PN glasses. I was greeted by raspberry and red cherry on the nose. This was followed quickly by menthol and spices. The mouth is rich but not overly so. There is still enough acid and tannin to give this wine depth. It is not the typical CA fruit bomb. The finish is lush and wonderful (but is gone after 10 to 15 seconds), with more menthol and black cherry. I don’t have the will power to wait 12 years. I was fortunate that this wine was gifted to me (by the winemaker) two weeks ago. A longer finish and this would be a 95 point wine!
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Fruit, spice, forest floor, earth, bramble, herbs. Delicious with the savory, homemade pork ribs and even better with the hoppin’ John (Peas and rice) dish and the cabbage and homemade bacon.
Drink now.
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Sweet red cherry mixed with some nice spices. Smooth and easy drinking, but as others have mentioned, is lacking a bit in acidity. Nonetheless pleasant to sip on by itself.
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Light and cloudy, with a brownish hue. Really appealing nose and a fruity profile. This is tasty. A bit low-acid, tho, which leaves the finish a touch limp. I’d drink these soon, and enjoy them. 90.
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Fairly open on PnP, although it did improve after a couple hours open. Spice box, integrated red fruit, plum, bramble. Decent length on finish with a touch of complexity. Me - 91, Wife - 90
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It is interesting how tastes vary. I found this plenty fruity, such that waiting a year or two would likely be more to my taste. Cloudy garnet....very pinot on the nose and palate.....it was better about 3 hours after opened.
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Sometimes I feel like I am drinking cartoon versions of Pinot Noir. Too much cola and ashtray on the nose and not quite enough acidity to balance the fruit for my taste
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Light purple color. Cherry and spice. Smooth on pop n pour. Elegant after being open for 60 minutes. No pinot noir bitterness. Drank this with cousins Don and Kassie. This was a BerserkerDay special.
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Another tremendous Sandler pinot. Light garnet in the glass. Delicious pinot nose of fruit and spice. Bright but balanced acids, red fruit, complex mixed notes of forest floor, mushroom, chocolate, minerals, maybe tea? Lovely, long finish. Beautifully made, balanced, complex and expresive. And as usual, the Sandler wines offer fantastic QPR.
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I didn't take notes on this, but recall it being delicious! Light red cherry, rose petals and very balanced. Light-medium body. Excellent by itself and with food.
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Beautiful color in the glass. Nice perfume on the nose. A bit hot at first, but after a couple of hours, it blew off and the tart cherry came out. Could use 1-2 years or a long decant.
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Really nice cherry, rose petal aromas. Bright acids, lighter red fruit flavors, hint of light toast, mild tannin, and nice 30 second finish. What's impressive here is balance between fruit, acids, tannin. Improved with an hour of two of slow-ox. In the running for this Oregonian's WOTY in terms of QPR for Tuesday night Pinot. Very limited experience with this producer and will definitely seek them out. A WB BD V purchase.
14.0% alcohol. Light cherry color. Aromatic and pleasant nose of red cherry, spice, and minerals. In the mouth, elegant and lovely, with finely grained sour cherry and black cherry notes, a touch of tea, and spice. Good acidity and a fine finish. This is just elegant and terrific. A-
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Light garnet color, slightly cloudy. Nose of dried cherry, cranberry, forest floor, a hint of earthiness and a touch of oak. Tart red fruit flavors on the palate with a bit more forest floor. Juicy acidity and medium- tannin, smooth mouthfeel and a nice finish. Unmistakably pinot noir and a killer QPR at the WB price. Really delicious.
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Pop and pour and served without food. Followed over 1 hour. Good ruby red color. Cleaner look than the August West version which was cloudy. Nice nose with a pinot funk, some bright red berries and earth (forest floor - pine cones). Good rich fruit with a nice streak of acidity. Just as the wine was opening up with air, it was gone.
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Falltacular 2014 (FMIII in the OC): This is completely different than the August West version. Light red color. Nose is a bit muted with red fruit sneaking out. Medium tannins with strawberry showing at the end. Excellent balance and a medium finish.
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black cherry mushroom on the nose, mushroom black cherry, baking spice nice depth of fruit medium acid, quite young needs a couple of years. Big delicious factor!
3/13/2024 - John from GR Likes this wine: 93 Points
I didn’t decant (afraid that a 12 year old CA Pinot might not have enough left after too much air). But I did use my high end Riedel PN glasses. I was greeted by raspberry and red cherry on the nose. This was followed quickly by menthol and spices. The mouth is rich but not overly so. There is still enough acid and tannin to give this wine depth. It is not the typical CA fruit bomb. The finish is lush and wonderful (but is gone after 10 to 15 seconds), with more menthol and black cherry. I don’t have the will power to wait 12 years. I was fortunate that this wine was gifted to me (by the winemaker) two weeks ago. A longer finish and this would be a 95 point wine!
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8/22/2020 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
Fruit, spice, forest floor, earth, bramble, herbs. Delicious with the savory, homemade pork ribs and even better with the hoppin’ John (Peas and rice) dish and the cabbage and homemade bacon.
Drink now.
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1/10/2019 - td1836 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet red cherry mixed with some nice spices. Smooth and easy drinking, but as others have mentioned, is lacking a bit in acidity. Nonetheless pleasant to sip on by itself.
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12/22/2018 - jmull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light and cloudy, with a brownish hue. Really appealing nose and a fruity profile. This is tasty. A bit low-acid, tho, which leaves the finish a touch limp. I’d drink these soon, and enjoy them. 90.
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10/12/2018 - njgolfer wrote:
Tastes of blackberry and dark fruits. Smokey on both the palate and the nose. Hints of smoked.meat on the palate. Fine, refined tannins.
Fruit was fresher on the palate with about 30min decant but as the night wore on, the wine became a little one dimensional.
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5/20/2018 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly open on PnP, although it did improve after a couple hours open.
Spice box, integrated red fruit, plum, bramble.
Decent length on finish with a touch of complexity.
Me - 91, Wife - 90
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9/10/2017 - thalver wrote:
It is interesting how tastes vary. I found this plenty fruity, such that waiting a year or two would likely be more to my taste. Cloudy garnet....very pinot on the nose and palate.....it was better about 3 hours after opened.
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7/6/2017 - Tudz Drkl Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Sometimes I feel like I am drinking cartoon versions of Pinot Noir. Too much cola and ashtray on the nose and not quite enough acidity to balance the fruit for my taste
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2/11/2017 - Quarked wrote: 91 Points
Sour cherry notes but also notes of sweet raspberry candy. More full-bodied than its looks.
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2/4/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium body with cherry and slight spice. Fruit was slightly muted
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5/24/2015 - dhammer53 wrote: 90 Points
Light purple color. Cherry and spice. Smooth on pop n pour. Elegant after being open for 60 minutes. No pinot noir bitterness. Drank this with cousins Don and Kassie. This was a BerserkerDay special.
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3/18/2015 - blakel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another tremendous Sandler pinot. Light garnet in the glass. Delicious pinot nose of fruit and spice. Bright but balanced acids, red fruit, complex mixed notes of forest floor, mushroom, chocolate, minerals, maybe tea? Lovely, long finish. Beautifully made, balanced, complex and expresive. And as usual, the Sandler wines offer fantastic QPR.
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2/8/2015 - RDHudak wrote: 92 Points
I didn't take notes on this, but recall it being delicious! Light red cherry, rose petals and very balanced. Light-medium body. Excellent by itself and with food.
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9/30/2014 - pjhr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious tart cherry and spice on the nose and palate with lavender and cedar on the tasty finish. Drank after 8 hour slow-ox.
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8/29/2014 - wiscgrad wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful color in the glass. Nice perfume on the nose. A bit hot at first, but after a couple of hours, it blew off and the tart cherry came out. Could use 1-2 years or a long decant.
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7/11/2014 - arthrovine wrote:
Really nice cherry, rose petal aromas. Bright acids, lighter red fruit flavors, hint of light toast, mild tannin, and nice 30 second finish. What's impressive here is balance between fruit, acids, tannin. Improved with an hour of two of slow-ox. In the running for this Oregonian's WOTY in terms of QPR for Tuesday night Pinot. Very limited experience with this producer and will definitely seek them out. A WB BD V purchase.
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7/10/2014 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
14.0% alcohol. Light cherry color. Aromatic and pleasant nose of red cherry, spice, and minerals. In the mouth, elegant and lovely, with finely grained sour cherry and black cherry notes, a touch of tea, and spice. Good acidity and a fine finish. This is just elegant and terrific. A-
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6/27/2014 - Biskuit Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bright, nicely tart, cherry with (sandalwood?) (cedar?) on the nose. Really gulpable with plenty of intrigue.
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6/20/2014 - Neat Water Back wrote:
Big Pinot. Tart cherry and bright acid. Definitely age worthy. Wish I had one or two more of these, part of Berserker Day V purchase.
Very enjoyable nose and I felt that the finish was medium-long.
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6/9/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright cherry fruit with some earth and a good acid and tannin backbone. Another great value Sandler Pinot.
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6/8/2014 - Rich S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light garnet color, slightly cloudy. Nose of dried cherry, cranberry, forest floor, a hint of earthiness and a touch of oak. Tart red fruit flavors on the palate with a bit more forest floor. Juicy acidity and medium- tannin, smooth mouthfeel and a nice finish. Unmistakably pinot noir and a killer QPR at the WB price. Really delicious.
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5/23/2014 - DrewWyman wrote: 91 Points
Delicious. Light, bright fruit. Some earthy undertones.
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5/9/2014 - t_moderne wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour and served without food. Followed over 1 hour.
Good ruby red color. Cleaner look than the August West version which was cloudy. Nice nose with a pinot funk, some bright red berries and earth (forest floor - pine cones).
Good rich fruit with a nice streak of acidity.
Just as the wine was opening up with air, it was gone.
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2/23/2014 - brigcampbell wrote:
Falltacular 2014 (FMIII in the OC): This is completely different than the August West version. Light red color. Nose is a bit muted with red fruit sneaking out. Medium tannins with strawberry showing at the end. Excellent balance and a medium finish.
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2/4/2014 - scott w wrote: 90 Points
black cherry mushroom on the nose, mushroom black cherry, baking spice nice depth of fruit medium acid, quite young needs a couple of years. Big delicious factor!
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