Palate: cranberry, underripe cherry, maybe some slight underlying earthiness; long finish blood orange, dried herbs; dry; medium body; medium tannin; medium+ acidity
Overall thoughts: Very nice nose with good mix of fruit and earth. The palate is more fruity, but definitely not too ripe, with a hint of earthiness to make it a bit more interesting. Well balanced and put together. 88 - 89 points. Very good wine.
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Largely consistent with our tasting notes from the better bottles from the case - the perfume, the fruit, and the structure are there. If you have any left, no better time than the present.
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Over 4 years since the last bottle. Was interested to see how this was aging. Open an hour. There are some blue tones here, yet the fruit signature is squarely in the red spectrum, both of cherry and pomegranate. And the acidity is still present enough to add some grip to the wine, along with some wood tannin (?). The oak here does seem to be more present than I remember, adding a cherry-vanilla note to the wine. As for the whole cluster that has been such a part of more recent Falstaff, I don't sense much here. There is still some staying power for this 2014, with all the parts still fresh.
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Very pleasant, full-bodied CA Pinot with enough age to get it past its awkward youthful phase. Muted nose (compared the the Kelley Fox Mirabai), but this had a nice mouthfeel and presence that make it a good fit for a lot of foods. I continue to be happy w/ the quality and approach from Kutch.
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Spice on the nose and more of a cologne than a perfume along with a Native American grape type muskiness. High acid and cherry fruit palate. A challenging wine. A good wine even. I have a broad interest in wine ranging from AFWE to bold, but I struggled with this one.
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The first Kutch I've had where I felt like everything was in balance. My first several bottles featured what I considered to be very aggressive acidity, and I had concluded I probably drank them too early. Here the acid, while still present, had subsided into the whole, performing more of a supportive role. This was really quite nice. It probably has years left to go before fading. Long story short, I wouldn't be afraid to hold these and wait for the almost certain improvement to come.
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Still very youthful. Ruby red color. Beautiful nose with black cherry, earth, spice, stems, raspberry, black pepper, red cherry. Lots of flavor with red and black cherry, raspberry, spice, earth, stems. Medium body, smooth tannins in a long finish. Good balance.
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Slightly backward and restraint on the nose. Took awhile before aromatics of mild herbs, ginseng, floral spices, light red berry fruit and tangerine emerges. The palate displays red candied cherry fruits of medium bodied flavors, savory, clusters, stems, light granites, cough syrup and slight bitterness on the finish. At a good drinking point.
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Rich cherry fruit, yet a hint of leanness in the mouthfeel. Some savory notes and cola hints, then a bright-not-tart finish. Nice balance of fruit and restraint.
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This is a beautiful wine. It is a quintessential cross between some my favorite villages Burgundy. Has a beautiful dark red cherry fruit, dusty clay mineral perceptions, and beautiful spices of the baking, cinnamon type, has a great mouth feel goes down super smooth! I really like it.
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In contrast with MILLERARNER's experience, this was the right night for us with this bottle. An example I suppose of how differently the same wine can show on another night in another bottle. In any event, everyone loved this as it is a change from the more syrupy, fruit forward RRV Pinots we've had lately. This had notes of tobacco with a slight smokey essence. It is light in body but still substantial, complex and oh so interesting. Little spicey with just a touch of sweetness on entry. Maybe a bit more in the French or Oregon style but still definitely California. Our high score reflects our enjoyment in the moment and how different it was from most Pinots we drink. Ready on opening, no aeration necessary.
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Decanted & let rest for 30 min, then consumed over 2 hr. Might have just been the wrong night for this, as it seemed to underperform relative to a handful of other recent Pinots we’ve had. On the lean side & less ripe, neither of which is necessarily a knock, but it lacked personality. No flaws per se, and enjoyable enough, but no pizazz.
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Nose of sweet red berries, cola spice, herbal tea, stems, subtle green vegetal notes and forest floor. Well judged acidity on the opening, followed by medium flavors of red cherry fruits, tangerine, some rocky minerals, herbal tones and some stemmy notes on the finish.
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Geez, this is good! Such a sophisticated nose of Asian spice and basal wood. Silky fruit, with a persistent finish. This is as good a PN as I’ve had out of the Sonoma Coast. Outstanding!
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This showed well, but I think that I should have waited another year or two. Pomegranate, herbal, savory, and then a floral quality of like standing in field filled with fresh spring flora.
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Pop and pour, first glass consumed right away, but rest consumed four hours later. In the glass, rose red shading to maroon at the core. On the nose, stemmy, with cherry, nutmeg, and stone fruit. On the palate, more of the same, with enough stem to cause the wine to come off a bit lean on the attack, before the fruit kicks in. Tannins seem well resolved at this stage, so I'm not sure where this is heading. If you haven't checked in yet, now would be a good time.
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Gave this a hard 30min decant. By hard i mean furious pour and and swirling in the decanter. Then a 30min rest to settle. Wow it was fantastic!! Jamie I need more of these...
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Decanted, but it was only starting to emerge after 2 hours, still reticent, excellent structure and weight. Raspberry, spices, smoke slowly emerge. Not the typical syrupy California style. This winemaker is serious and makes nuanced, beautiful wines that are not for line-ups or pop and pour. I would hold this or give it a long decant. Needs food to shine
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A bit softer footed this time around. Nose was more floral with light red fruit. The palate still darker fruits cherry and plum but rounder. Acidity has declined a pinch but the finish was still medium plus.
Overall again a lovely wine!
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So good... Celery note on the nose. Maybe not quite the intensity of the '17 , slightly lighter but proportionate to the other elements. I like the stem on this wine.
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July 2019 Kutch Visit (Jamie's Pad in SFO): Drank as part of a 5 bottle flight of Falstaffs (2010 non-blind, with the 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018 tasted blind). Tasted right after the 2017 and that may never be a fair fight for any other wine given the beauty of that 2017. While it doesn't have the intensity and presence of the 2017, it does maintain the balance of that wine, actually a superb balance. Lightly rocky in tannin, with pure red and some blue fruit to go with it. Delicious, sexy and drinking very well for me right now.
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PnP. Ruby red. Beautiful nose with black cherry, raspberry, earth, spice and some stems. Medium weight. Great balance and acidity. Black cherry, raspberry, earth, spice on the palate. With a nice medium length smooth finish. In a really good place now, may improve with a few more years. No concerns about drinking now or holding.
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Very aromatic out of the gate with a present stemmy note and black cherry fruit on the nose. The fruit is forward and juicy, but balanced by a wiry grip of acidity and a woodsy/herbal note. Medium weight. Very graceful mouthfeel. Still youthful. Feels like a little more time could continue to open and round this out, but it is a tasty/complex wine that was also a crowd pleaser.
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Good stuff. Score may be a bit low as this really seemed to be coming on strong on the last glass after getting some more air. I'd probably say give this a little bit more time as it will likely add some more complexity.
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Opened, poured into a decanter, washed the bottle, and then poured back in. Served about 1 hour later. Ruby red color. Floral nose with some bright red raspberries. Wonderful floral elements with red fruits.
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California Vacation (Sonoma, SF, Monterey); 8/5/2017-8/12/2017: Tasted at winery. My favorite of the '14s, this showed really nice textures with the red fruited notes of raspberry and strawberry blending seamlessly with some spice and floral notes. This has a great minerality, as well as balanced acidity, body, and tannin that give it a really nice mouthfeel. Really interesting herbal notes from the stems on the nose fall into the background on the palate -- just enough there to add a little intrigue. Great finish.
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Consumed over two days following initial pop and pour. Bright red fruit, cranberries, and balanced acidity. Enjoyable now, but likely even better in a few years.
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My first Falstaff--popped & poured-- Med pure red;nose closed down, hints of raspberry, herbs but really not much; main palate impression is one of elegant structure, great "bones", again red raspberry, pomegranate, tart cherry flavors, very primary; elegant clean finish showing great balance; this could be a legend in the making there is so much promise of development - won't try another for 8-10 yrs
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Fresh, green, and bright on the nose. Those bright aromas play into the palate with nicely layered flavors of cranberry, cherry and a earthy, peaty touch with a dash of spice. As with all Kutch wines for me, the nice structure does not exhibit depth and there is a forced sweetness that was a bit off putting. Otherwise, this is a finely made wine, with good balance that will please many.
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Tasted with Jamie Kutch at winery. Red fruit and some herbs on the nose. Taste is acidic, light, cedary. Not a lot of fruit on the palate. I liked the Bohan more, with a better balance (for me) between fruit and earth. This one is more earth. Jamie says this was a cool year so not much fruit, but the 2012 was much warmer so riper. Interesting!
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Pop and pour and served in plastic cups at a Fall Harvest Festival - roasting corn on an open wood fire. Wonderful nose of brown spice and ripe raspberries. The flavors are rich but in a light style. That is, there is good depth of flavor without the wine feeling heavy or being overdone. Fresh red cranberry notes that make the wine refreshing. Delicious.
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The wine has obvious quality but leans towards the thin side. I really like this wine and think it pairs well with food that may lean more towards white. Try with a white fish or pasta with a bit of heat from red pepper.....
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Smells allot like stems on the nose, not in a bad way, but just opened and its present and there you go. Soft and generous fruit on the mid, and then structured on the back with tannins. Not harsh tannins, just present. "Pure class" I think sums it up. Go Galloni! To lay down.
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Pretty ruby color. Interesting mix of strawberry and spice on the nose. Nice fruit, spice, and some mineral on the finish. Very nice but needs 3-5 years in the bottle.
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The nose showed pretty floral tones, crushed red berries, and hints of white pepper and olive. On the palate, I found soft textures giving way to tart cherry and minerals in a small-framed yet focused performance. It finished in a finessed and feminine way, with pretty inner florals and fresh red fruits.
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Very light strawberry color. On the nose hints of strawberry and field greens. Very earthy. Light on the palate with lots of red berries and acidity. A short to moderate finish.
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Sandhi and Kutch wines tasting with Sashi Moorman and Jamie Kutch (London Cru): This was a very different wine from hose that preceded it. Kutch take all the fruit from this vineyard. Jamie said that he thought that this was the better wine than the McDougall Ranch this year but on this showing it was hard to agree with that. The nose was full of dry spices and floral, it's really stemmy, not obviously ripe, it's very different but interesting. Very dry and good savoury finish
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Clear, medium ruby color. Youthful aromatic nose. Dry, medium+ body with fresh acidity and low tannins. Good balance, flavorful long finish. 100% whole cluster.
Overall 4-/5
Price $59 Abv
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Round 2 of '14 Falstaff. Last week, I tasted all the '14s together, over dinner and on just one evening with several other smart palates. This bottle, it just be me, over what should be 2-3 nights. Opened about 2 hours ago, ideal temp, no decant, burg stem. For Night 1, a few things pop. For one, the aromatic of stem, although they are seasoning and present, not dominating and green smelling. Yet, they are there. The palate is juicy, also accented by the stems again and they give an herbal touch. There is a peaty quality to the cherry and blueberry fruit that expresses as juicy and fleshy, with some rocky tannin closing the finish....Day 2, enjoying the wine with the same approach as yesterday. And, the wine is very similar to that profile in tone and taste. It retains the juicy core, more blue fruited tonight than red, with the mild stemmy influence and the brushing of rock in the finish. Tonight, I also find some of the citrus peel note, which is what I also found in the '13 a few weeks ago. Perhaps that aspect of Falstaff is the nature of its terroir? At this stage, this is softer styled, medium weight, juicy...Day 3 and last glass, this is the best showing. It's finally picked up some edges, some astringent grip. Still juicy but finally has a zesty tone. I'm not the type that will say a wine will be this or be that with time--that's a debate for another space but this wine is better, is different on this final night so take that info as you wish. I did enjoy the last glass above all the others and will look ahead to see how this will taste in say 2016, even beyond.
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Opened at 2PM, tried immediately and then re-tasted several hours later over dinner. 100% whole cluster, no new wood, 12.9% abv. And, like all the 2014s, was bottled in late August 2015. Let me put out there right away that this bottle may have had some TCA in it. When I opened it, I caught a whiff of something musty, as my corking practice is to always smell every bottle before I pour and of the 7 Kutch wines I opened in sequence, this is the only that had that quality. Then later over dinner, Chris Seiber (who was seated next to me) commented that he thought it may have had some taint. No one led his remark so in the end, there may be some light taint to this bottle. That said, what I found in the early tasting was zesty blue and red fruits, a saline quality and a unique, Indian spice note in the finish. Over dinner, this became juicy and really tightened up with tannin. I found the fruit a little darker too, with a licorice note in the finish. The stems were pretty assertive too, being the most noticeable of all the 2014s. Not sure what to make of this wine now. Whether the TCA was a player (even to the light degree it may have been present), this wine like the '14 Bohan seems pretty coiled and in need of more bottle time. I love Kutch Falstaff so I will; reserve any judgment until I can taste another bottle in the future and provide another evaluation.
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Nose: Tart red berries, earth, cherry and some herbal notes. Palate: Enters broad with Cherry, Raspberry and Violets. Then earth and mineral notes, but very very soft on the palate. Finish: floral and sweet with good length. Never cloying or too huge.
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Simply beautiful. Opens with a vibrant lightly hued purple tinged crimson with a nose that explodes from the glass. It gets your attention right from the get-go. Fragrant violet laced sweet cranberries and red cherries with a hint of lemon rind on the back end. Palate shows the red cherries proudly. Litle and bouncy with tons of verve. Acidity perfect and tannins well woven. Seamless and elegant, this just gets better as it sits; the nose starts picking up some violets again. Holy-moly, this is a must buy.
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5/4/2024 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 89 Points
Method: pop and pour; chilled; Burg glass
Look: medium+ garnet-plum
Nose: ripe cranberry, blood orange, forest floor, light mushroom
Palate: cranberry, underripe cherry, maybe some slight underlying earthiness; long finish blood orange, dried herbs; dry; medium body; medium tannin; medium+ acidity
Overall thoughts: Very nice nose with good mix of fruit and earth. The palate is more fruity, but definitely not too ripe, with a hint of earthiness to make it a bit more interesting. Well balanced and put together. 88 - 89 points. Very good wine.
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5/4/2024 - AlyssaRock12 wrote: 91 Points
Nose: blood orange, forest floor, cranberry, mushroom, crushed gravel; great nose
Palate: blood orange, herbs, cranberry, forest floor; med - body; med + acid; smooth
Overall: in a really nice place right now, nicely put together
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2/20/2024 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
Largely consistent with our tasting notes from the better bottles from the case - the perfume, the fruit, and the structure are there. If you have any left, no better time than the present.
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10/14/2023 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Over 4 years since the last bottle. Was interested to see how this was aging. Open an hour. There are some blue tones here, yet the fruit signature is squarely in the red spectrum, both of cherry and pomegranate. And the acidity is still present enough to add some grip to the wine, along with some wood tannin (?). The oak here does seem to be more present than I remember, adding a cherry-vanilla note to the wine. As for the whole cluster that has been such a part of more recent Falstaff, I don't sense much here. There is still some staying power for this 2014, with all the parts still fresh.
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9/30/2023 - PIntag wrote: flawed
Recent auction purchase.
Badly oxidized. Undrinkable. Shame.
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7/4/2023 - gresch Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very pleasant, full-bodied CA Pinot with enough age to get it past its awkward youthful phase. Muted nose (compared the the Kelley Fox Mirabai), but this had a nice mouthfeel and presence that make it a good fit for a lot of foods. I continue to be happy w/ the quality and approach from Kutch.
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9/27/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Light earthy raisin; length; smooth tannin; semi-sweet finish.
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6/26/2022 - jshufelt wrote: 88 Points
Largely consistent with prior bottles, but perhaps a bit more astringent and unyielding?
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1/1/2022 - gmbdds wrote: 87 Points
Spice on the nose and more of a cologne than a perfume along with a Native American grape type muskiness. High acid and cherry fruit palate. A challenging wine. A good wine even. I have a broad interest in wine ranging from AFWE to bold, but I struggled with this one.
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6/25/2021 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
The first Kutch I've had where I felt like everything was in balance. My first several bottles featured what I considered to be very aggressive acidity, and I had concluded I probably drank them too early. Here the acid, while still present, had subsided into the whole, performing more of a supportive role. This was really quite nice. It probably has years left to go before fading. Long story short, I wouldn't be afraid to hold these and wait for the almost certain improvement to come.
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3/22/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very youthful. Ruby red color. Beautiful nose with black cherry, earth, spice, stems, raspberry, black pepper, red cherry. Lots of flavor with red and black cherry, raspberry, spice, earth, stems. Medium body, smooth tannins in a long finish. Good balance.
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3/6/2021 - Wardyn wrote: 91 Points
Slightly backward and restraint on the nose. Took awhile before aromatics of mild herbs, ginseng, floral spices, light red berry fruit and tangerine emerges. The palate displays red candied cherry fruits of medium bodied flavors, savory, clusters, stems, light granites, cough syrup and slight bitterness on the finish. At a good drinking point.
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3/5/2021 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous tasting note.
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1/19/2021 - underwds wrote: 92 Points
Rich cherry fruit, yet a hint of leanness in the mouthfeel. Some savory notes and cola hints, then a bright-not-tart finish. Nice balance of fruit and restraint.
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1/10/2021 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a beautiful wine. It is a quintessential cross between some my favorite villages Burgundy. Has a beautiful dark red cherry fruit, dusty clay mineral perceptions, and beautiful spices of the baking, cinnamon type, has a great mouth feel goes down super smooth! I really like it.
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11/3/2020 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of savory notes mixed with fruit on a tart earthy palate. Surprisingly herbal and earthy, perhaps a stem influence. Not a rebuy for me.
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7/19/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine:
Last of our Kutch Falstaffs. Decanted and paired with pork tenderloin. Not quite up to our last bottle a few months ago, but still a nice wine.
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5/30/2020 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 95 Points
In contrast with MILLERARNER's experience, this was the right night for us with this bottle. An example I suppose of how differently the same wine can show on another night in another bottle.
In any event, everyone loved this as it is a change from the more syrupy, fruit forward RRV Pinots we've had lately.
This had notes of tobacco with a slight smokey essence. It is light in body but still substantial, complex and oh so interesting. Little spicey with just a touch of sweetness on entry.
Maybe a bit more in the French or Oregon style but still definitely California. Our high score reflects our enjoyment in the moment and how different it was from most Pinots we drink.
Ready on opening, no aeration necessary.
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5/10/2020 - millerarner wrote: 90 Points
Decanted & let rest for 30 min, then consumed over 2 hr. Might have just been the wrong night for this, as it seemed to underperform relative to a handful of other recent Pinots we’ve had. On the lean side & less ripe, neither of which is necessarily a knock, but it lacked personality. No flaws per se, and enjoyable enough, but no pizazz.
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5/9/2020 - Wardyn wrote: 91 Points
Nose of sweet red berries, cola spice, herbal tea, stems, subtle green vegetal notes and forest floor. Well judged acidity on the opening, followed by medium flavors of red cherry fruits, tangerine, some rocky minerals, herbal tones and some stemmy notes on the finish.
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5/6/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Geez, this is good! Such a sophisticated nose of Asian spice and basal wood. Silky fruit, with a persistent finish. This is as good a PN as I’ve had out of the Sonoma Coast. Outstanding!
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3/22/2020 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
This showed well, but I think that I should have waited another year or two. Pomegranate, herbal, savory, and then a floral quality of like standing in field filled with fresh spring flora.
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1/23/2020 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour, first glass consumed right away, but rest consumed four hours later. In the glass, rose red shading to maroon at the core. On the nose, stemmy, with cherry, nutmeg, and stone fruit. On the palate, more of the same, with enough stem to cause the wine to come off a bit lean on the attack, before the fruit kicks in. Tannins seem well resolved at this stage, so I'm not sure where this is heading. If you haven't checked in yet, now would be a good time.
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12/27/2019 - Rgentile wrote: 93 Points
Gave this a hard 30min decant. By hard i mean furious pour and and swirling in the decanter. Then a 30min rest to settle. Wow it was fantastic!! Jamie I need more of these...
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11/10/2019 - vindictive wrote:
Decanted, but it was only starting to emerge after 2 hours, still reticent, excellent structure and weight. Raspberry, spices, smoke slowly emerge. Not the typical syrupy California style. This winemaker is serious and makes nuanced, beautiful wines that are not for line-ups or pop and pour. I would hold this or give it a long decant. Needs food to shine
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9/17/2019 - Rgentile wrote: 92 Points
A bit softer footed this time around. Nose was more floral with light red fruit. The palate still darker fruits cherry and plum but rounder. Acidity has declined a pinch but the finish was still medium plus.
Overall again a lovely wine!
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9/1/2019 - brigcampbell wrote:
So good... Celery note on the nose. Maybe not quite the intensity of the '17 , slightly lighter but proportionate to the other elements. I like the stem on this wine.
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7/27/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:
July 2019 Kutch Visit (Jamie's Pad in SFO): Drank as part of a 5 bottle flight of Falstaffs (2010 non-blind, with the 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018 tasted blind). Tasted right after the 2017 and that may never be a fair fight for any other wine given the beauty of that 2017. While it doesn't have the intensity and presence of the 2017, it does maintain the balance of that wine, actually a superb balance. Lightly rocky in tannin, with pure red and some blue fruit to go with it. Delicious, sexy and drinking very well for me right now.
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7/13/2019 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Ruby red. Beautiful nose with black cherry, raspberry, earth, spice and some stems. Medium weight. Great balance and acidity. Black cherry, raspberry, earth, spice on the palate. With a nice medium length smooth finish. In a really good place now, may improve with a few more years. No concerns about drinking now or holding.
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6/9/2019 - decaturwinedude wrote: 92 Points
Very aromatic out of the gate with a present stemmy note and black cherry fruit on the nose. The fruit is forward and juicy, but balanced by a wiry grip of acidity and a woodsy/herbal note. Medium weight. Very graceful mouthfeel. Still youthful. Feels like a little more time could continue to open and round this out, but it is a tasty/complex wine that was also a crowd pleaser.
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4/24/2019 - vindictive wrote:
lovely, understated style, still needs time - a favorite producer
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4/10/2019 - Rgentile wrote: 92 Points
Nose: black cherry, raspberry, earth and stems
Palate: cherry, earth and some spice on the back with medium + acid and medium + finish.
PNP. Overall this was integrated, balanced and just lovely. Enjoy!
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10/7/2018 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Good stuff. Score may be a bit low as this really seemed to be coming on strong on the last glass after getting some more air. I'd probably say give this a little bit more time as it will likely add some more complexity.
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9/10/2018 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Raspberry; textured; some plum; balanced; sweet and earthy finish.
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8/26/2018 - t_moderne wrote: 93 Points
Opened, poured into a decanter, washed the bottle, and then poured back in. Served about 1 hour later.
Ruby red color.
Floral nose with some bright red raspberries.
Wonderful floral elements with red fruits.
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7/4/2018 - vindictive wrote:
Hard to find California pinot of this caliber. Well-balanced, still young, good structure, lovely
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8/7/2017 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
California Vacation (Sonoma, SF, Monterey); 8/5/2017-8/12/2017: Tasted at winery. My favorite of the '14s, this showed really nice textures with the red fruited notes of raspberry and strawberry blending seamlessly with some spice and floral notes. This has a great minerality, as well as balanced acidity, body, and tannin that give it a really nice mouthfeel. Really interesting herbal notes from the stems on the nose fall into the background on the palate -- just enough there to add a little intrigue. Great finish.
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7/29/2017 - Hoopin365 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed over two days following initial pop and pour. Bright red fruit, cranberries, and balanced acidity. Enjoyable now, but likely even better in a few years.
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6/26/2017 - vinojones wrote: 93 Points
My first Falstaff--popped & poured-- Med pure red;nose closed down, hints of raspberry, herbs but really not much; main palate impression is one of elegant structure, great "bones", again red raspberry, pomegranate, tart cherry flavors, very primary; elegant clean finish showing great balance; this could be a legend in the making there is so much promise of development - won't try another for 8-10 yrs
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3/27/2017 - MarkWhite Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fresh, green, and bright on the nose. Those bright aromas play into the palate with nicely layered flavors of cranberry, cherry and a earthy, peaty touch with a dash of spice. As with all Kutch wines for me, the nice structure does not exhibit depth and there is a forced sweetness that was a bit off putting. Otherwise, this is a finely made wine, with good balance that will please many.
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1/16/2017 - WineGold wrote: 90 Points
Tasted with Jamie Kutch at winery. Red fruit and some herbs on the nose. Taste is acidic, light, cedary. Not a lot of fruit on the palate. I liked the Bohan more, with a better balance (for me) between fruit and earth. This one is more earth. Jamie says this was a cool year so not much fruit, but the 2012 was much warmer so riper. Interesting!
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9/17/2016 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour and served in plastic cups at a Fall Harvest Festival - roasting corn on an open wood fire.
Wonderful nose of brown spice and ripe raspberries. The flavors are rich but in a light style. That is, there is good depth of flavor without the wine feeling heavy or being overdone. Fresh red cranberry notes that make the wine refreshing. Delicious.
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8/25/2016 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine has obvious quality but leans towards the thin side. I really like this wine and think it pairs well with food that may lean more towards white. Try with a white fish or pasta with a bit of heat from red pepper.....
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7/7/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Smells allot like stems on the nose, not in a bad way, but just opened and its present and there you go. Soft and generous fruit on the mid, and then structured on the back with tannins. Not harsh tannins, just present. "Pure class" I think sums it up. Go Galloni! To lay down.
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5/4/2016 - H2OMansLibrary Likes this wine:
Pretty ruby color. Interesting mix of strawberry and spice on the nose. Nice fruit, spice, and some mineral on the finish. Very nice but needs 3-5 years in the bottle.
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5/1/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 91 Points
The nose showed pretty floral tones, crushed red berries, and hints of white pepper and olive. On the palate, I found soft textures giving way to tart cherry and minerals in a small-framed yet focused performance. It finished in a finessed and feminine way, with pretty inner florals and fresh red fruits.
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4/15/2016 - jnocera Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very light strawberry color. On the nose hints of strawberry and field greens. Very earthy. Light on the palate with lots of red berries and acidity. A short to moderate finish.
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2/26/2016 - kingkanu wrote:
Sandhi and Kutch wines tasting with Sashi Moorman and Jamie Kutch (London Cru): This was a very different wine from hose that preceded it. Kutch take all the fruit from this vineyard. Jamie said that he thought that this was the better wine than the McDougall Ranch this year but on this showing it was hard to agree with that. The nose was full of dry spices and floral, it's really stemmy, not obviously ripe, it's very different but interesting. Very dry and good savoury finish
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12/7/2015 - jjschneider wrote:
Tasted at Kutch with Jamie and Joanna.
Clear, medium ruby color. Youthful aromatic nose. Dry, medium+ body with fresh acidity and low tannins. Good balance, flavorful long finish. 100% whole cluster.
Overall 4-/5
Price $59
Abv
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11/18/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Round 2 of '14 Falstaff. Last week, I tasted all the '14s together, over dinner and on just one evening with several other smart palates. This bottle, it just be me, over what should be 2-3 nights. Opened about 2 hours ago, ideal temp, no decant, burg stem. For Night 1, a few things pop. For one, the aromatic of stem, although they are seasoning and present, not dominating and green smelling. Yet, they are there. The palate is juicy, also accented by the stems again and they give an herbal touch. There is a peaty quality to the cherry and blueberry fruit that expresses as juicy and fleshy, with some rocky tannin closing the finish....Day 2, enjoying the wine with the same approach as yesterday. And, the wine is very similar to that profile in tone and taste. It retains the juicy core, more blue fruited tonight than red, with the mild stemmy influence and the brushing of rock in the finish. Tonight, I also find some of the citrus peel note, which is what I also found in the '13 a few weeks ago. Perhaps that aspect of Falstaff is the nature of its terroir? At this stage, this is softer styled, medium weight, juicy...Day 3 and last glass, this is the best showing. It's finally picked up some edges, some astringent grip. Still juicy but finally has a zesty tone. I'm not the type that will say a wine will be this or be that with time--that's a debate for another space but this wine is better, is different on this final night so take that info as you wish. I did enjoy the last glass above all the others and will look ahead to see how this will taste in say 2016, even beyond.
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11/12/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Opened at 2PM, tried immediately and then re-tasted several hours later over dinner. 100% whole cluster, no new wood, 12.9% abv. And, like all the 2014s, was bottled in late August 2015. Let me put out there right away that this bottle may have had some TCA in it. When I opened it, I caught a whiff of something musty, as my corking practice is to always smell every bottle before I pour and of the 7 Kutch wines I opened in sequence, this is the only that had that quality. Then later over dinner, Chris Seiber (who was seated next to me) commented that he thought it may have had some taint. No one led his remark so in the end, there may be some light taint to this bottle. That said, what I found in the early tasting was zesty blue and red fruits, a saline quality and a unique, Indian spice note in the finish. Over dinner, this became juicy and really tightened up with tannin. I found the fruit a little darker too, with a licorice note in the finish. The stems were pretty assertive too, being the most noticeable of all the 2014s. Not sure what to make of this wine now. Whether the TCA was a player (even to the light degree it may have been present), this wine like the '14 Bohan seems pretty coiled and in need of more bottle time. I love Kutch Falstaff so I will; reserve any judgment until I can taste another bottle in the future and provide another evaluation.
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10/22/2015 - RockinCabs wrote: 92 Points
Kutch/Parr Seminar; 10/21/2015-10/22/2015 (Gordon's Wines - Waltham, MA): I had this side by side with the 2012.
Nose: Tart red berries, earth, cherry and some herbal notes. Palate: Enters broad with Cherry, Raspberry and Violets. Then earth and mineral notes, but very very soft on the palate. Finish: floral and sweet with good length. Never cloying or too huge.
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9/24/2015 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
Simply beautiful. Opens with a vibrant lightly hued purple tinged crimson with a nose that explodes from the glass. It gets your attention right from the get-go. Fragrant violet laced sweet cranberries and red cherries with a hint of lemon rind on the back end. Palate shows the red cherries proudly. Litle and bouncy with tons of verve. Acidity perfect and tannins well woven. Seamless and elegant, this just gets better as it sits; the nose starts picking up some violets again. Holy-moly, this is a must buy.
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