I saved this magnum for a special occasion with a salmon dinner, and it did not disappoint -- purely delightful, a Zin-lover's pinot noir, a strawberry jam fruit bomb balanced by serious structural tannins, and a lovely long finish that just leaves you wanting more. Arista always pushes the bounds of what I think can be done with pinot, and almost always in a wonderful way. The remains of the bottle were nearly as good on day 2, leading me to believe there is some aging left in this vintage, but it's hard to tell because this was a magnum, and my natural underground cellar is a bit on the cool side, especially in the winter, prolonging aging. Drink it now, or wait a while...but not too long.
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Still tight out of the bottle. An hour of air and red fruit is punching through with maybe a hint of blueberry. Not much mid palate, and then a lightly naked finish.
4/27/2020 Ditto, called out the blueberry more this time.
11/24/2021 Very different experience this time. P n P, so didn't read my previous note. Nonetheless, lots of cherry and strawberry right out of the gate. A little tannin on the finish that was also pleasantly acidic, albeit short.
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N: Slightly closed; Attractively RIPE straws, probably more towards the dk frt side of the spectrum, with notes of earth as well?
P: MF, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '22, + could still improve through '19. Impressively done in a BIG, fairly extracted style. 14.2% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 93 pts WS, 91 Vinous (Galloni), & 90 WE @ $64. [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $79.95, although it looks like the '15 & '16 of this are upwards of $100.]
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5/11/2020 - chelidon Likes this wine: 93 Points
I saved this magnum for a special occasion with a salmon dinner, and it did not disappoint -- purely delightful, a Zin-lover's pinot noir, a strawberry jam fruit bomb balanced by serious structural tannins, and a lovely long finish that just leaves you wanting more. Arista always pushes the bounds of what I think can be done with pinot, and almost always in a wonderful way. The remains of the bottle were nearly as good on day 2, leading me to believe there is some aging left in this vintage, but it's hard to tell because this was a magnum, and my natural underground cellar is a bit on the cool side, especially in the winter, prolonging aging. Drink it now, or wait a while...but not too long.
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4/9/2020 - underwds wrote: 89 Points
Still tight out of the bottle. An hour of air and red fruit is punching through with maybe a hint of blueberry. Not much mid palate, and then a lightly naked finish.
4/27/2020 Ditto, called out the blueberry more this time.
11/24/2021 Very different experience this time. P n P, so didn't read my previous note. Nonetheless, lots of cherry and strawberry right out of the gate. A little tannin on the finish that was also pleasantly acidic, albeit short.
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3/23/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 4 *shared* bottles] from 03/22/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): From a “remote vyd… 7 mi in from the Pacific Ocean... @ an elevation of almost 1,800 ft… with soils that contain more rocks than dirt & treacherous slopes that approach almost 60%;”
N: Slightly closed; Attractively RIPE straws, probably more towards the dk frt side of the spectrum, with notes of earth as well?
P: MF, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '22, + could still improve through '19. Impressively done in a BIG, fairly extracted style. 14.2% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 93 pts WS, 91 Vinous (Galloni), & 90 WE @ $64. [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $79.95, although it looks like the '15 & '16 of this are upwards of $100.]
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2/28/2018 - JoeDwine wrote: 93 Points
Great Vineyard...Blood Orange nice Earth.
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4/11/2017 - Marie tony Likes this wine: 94 Points
4/9/17 Excellent wine. Enjoyed with bulgogi
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