Dark red, with light transparency. Aromas of brett (leather, horse sweat), toast, and some cherry hiding under all the brett. On the palate, this is medium-heavy brett infested with a fair dose of wood tannins, vanilla, cherry, and a bit of black olive. Initially, I couldn't figure out if this was reduced or if it had brett and toast combining to seem like the brimstone/burnt tire version of reduction. Half the bottle left overnight in the cellar was pretty oxidized by day two, with stewed tomato notes replacing the red fruit, but the brett remaining at the fore. Ruling: Brett. Tomato sauced pasta helped fix the oxidation, enough to make this drinkable on the second day. If you like or can tolerate brett, you might like this more than I did. Disappointing.
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Beautiful color and some brambly, herbacious qualities that might be appealing if they were accoompanied by something good. Instead they sit on top of a sour raspberry/rhubarb core, and the whole thing is encased by a sort of aged funk. Modest expectations, but they were disappointed. Tired, thin and way too acidic. Tasted over a 6 hour period wth no improvement.
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Lots of cherry cola and oak with tart raspberry and ripening strawberry. This is quintessential Russian River pinot. Hints of sweetness and tannin give way to a red delicious apple finish.
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A ripe and rich wine with aromas of blackberry, plum, and floral. The flavors of dark berries and cherry are very nice. The wine has firm, but integrated tannins with just a touch of heat. This is not as polished as the 2003 or 2004.
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Nice berry aromas upon opening, but there was little or no balance here. I will revisit this on night two to see if there is any improvement.
Revisited this on night two and it was even worse. I've changed my rating from 85 to NR because I'm not sure what is wrong with this bottle. It is undrinkable and was poured down the drain. It's not corked, but there's no way this can be a representative sample. I only had this one bottle, but if I had any more I would give this some time to see if the volatility disappears.
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11/11/2011 - bluemaxx wrote: 92 Points
On the decline but still quite vibrant.
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2/3/2010 - fredb wrote:
Dark red, with light transparency. Aromas of brett (leather, horse sweat), toast, and some cherry hiding under all the brett. On the palate, this is medium-heavy brett infested with a fair dose of wood tannins, vanilla, cherry, and a bit of black olive. Initially, I couldn't figure out if this was reduced or if it had brett and toast combining to seem like the brimstone/burnt tire version of reduction. Half the bottle left overnight in the cellar was pretty oxidized by day two, with stewed tomato notes replacing the red fruit, but the brett remaining at the fore. Ruling: Brett. Tomato sauced pasta helped fix the oxidation, enough to make this drinkable on the second day. If you like or can tolerate brett, you might like this more than I did. Disappointing.
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11/17/2008 - gportilla wrote:
Earthy, darker fruit, a bit of a let down. Not one for the long haul
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5/31/2008 - Pinot Evil wrote: 84 Points
Quite disappointing, brownish color unbalanced and not much of a finish
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2/4/2008 - swp3 wrote: 82 Points
Beautiful color and some brambly, herbacious qualities that might be appealing if they were accoompanied by something good. Instead they sit on top of a sour raspberry/rhubarb core, and the whole thing is encased by a sort of aged funk. Modest expectations, but they were disappointed. Tired, thin and way too acidic. Tasted over a 6 hour period wth no improvement.
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3/10/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 90 Points
Lots of cherry cola and oak with tart raspberry and ripening strawberry. This is quintessential Russian River pinot. Hints of sweetness and tannin give way to a red delicious apple finish.
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10/6/2006 - matthen wrote: 89 Points
A ripe and rich wine with aromas of blackberry, plum, and floral. The flavors of dark berries and cherry are very nice. The wine has firm, but integrated tannins with just a touch of heat. This is not as polished as the 2003 or 2004.
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11/27/2005 - thelostverse wrote:
Nice berry aromas upon opening, but there was little or no balance here. I will revisit this on night two to see if there is any improvement.
Revisited this on night two and it was even worse. I've changed my rating from 85 to NR because I'm not sure what is wrong with this bottle. It is undrinkable and was poured down the drain. It's not corked, but there's no way this can be a representative sample. I only had this one bottle, but if I had any more I would give this some time to see if the volatility disappears.
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7/9/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 86 Points
Currently a bit volatile and out of balance, with distracting brettanomyce funk.
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