What a double surprise! I didn’t have this in CT and was very surprised when I found it in a corner of my cellar. “Probably vinegar, but let me try it anyway.” Backup wine ready to go. No need for the backup - this Freeman Keefer Ranch is still singing! Plenty of fresh red fruit, coupled with that ‘age flavor’ I like in my wine. Absolutely delicious - after an hour and half on an open bottle, it was starting to fade. I am so happy I still have one other bottle left. Another example that CA pinot can last a long time if you let them (or in this case, forget them…)
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14.2% alcohol. This has plateaued. Solid red cherry color. Initially, the nose was that brilliant, bright cherry that has made this wine so intoxicating. But it quickly faded out and went through two separate phases. Initially, the wine quite quickly fell off, seeming to lose most of its character. But it came back, reforming as a more complex, secondary wine. Overall, it's very nice but certainly better in its youth. I'm a bit ambivalent about how I feel about it, given just how good it was in its first five years of life. This still had a good line of cherry fruit, and the mushroom and earth notes it took on were compelling. The mouth feel was very good. Just a tad less complete and enjoyable as previously. As if the complexity didn't pack enough of a punch to bring it to its previous levels. A-
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Nose of stewed prunes, raisins. Mid-flavors have simple fruit., Finish is coarse and bitter. it is starting to soften up with a couple hours, but I do not think this has much complexity. I would expect more for the price.
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Perhaps an off bottle, or just not holding up well, but this was stewed, hot and flat. Started with a hot and raisiny nose which carried forward to the palate.
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14.2% alcohol. Nuts. This bottle was slightly cooked. Everything that makes this wine so wonderful was there, but you could get that sense of stewed fruit and bit of flabby dullness that is the hallmark of a flawed wine. A genuine shame. It was still drinkable and quite enjoyable -- except if you know what a good bottle of this wine should be. Flawed.
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A friend brought this bottle, and we drank it along with (too many) others. Very nice Calif Pinot. It was still a bit youthful, but that quieted down after a while. Good fruit. Regardless, IMHO, it was a very different wine than the '02 Burgundy we opened to provide a comparison of Pinots. It is not a Burgundy, but it was still excellent drinking.
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forest floor and dark cherry nose; very impressive mixed dark cherry with forest floor, stone/mineral; hints of citrus; just right slight tartness; burgundian style; sl odd stony finish; rounds out a bit over time; needs food as it is distinctive, and the fruit has that combination of lightness and staying power, but this is only moderately enjoyable on its own. balanced, and with enough acid/structure to further improve with time;
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Took to Lalimes (Berkeley) for dinner on New Year's Eve. Quick notes: dark, sappy black cherry notes that morphs to a lighter cherry citrus finish. Good to Very Good.
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Opened not decanted. Quick notes: strong attack of tart cherry; and as it opens, sweet strawberry. A semi-dry finish with some sourness. Good to Very Good.
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Opened not decanted. I took this to Bellanico in Oakland for dinner. I was so impressed with the food that I really didn't pay attention to the wine. Also, my dishes really over powered the delicate nature of this wine. The only mental notes that I have: strawberry on the palate with a dry citrus finish. Good to Very Good.
Food notes: quail stuffed with wild boar sausage as an appetizer and an entree pasta dish with wild boar, blood orange and radicchio and / or arugula (I don't remember it exactly). All dishes under $20. This is, seriously, the best restaurant in Oakland right now. Superb food in the Glenview neighborhood, with a $15 corkage.
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Really loaded with sweet raspberry and cherry fruit. It's forward and seductive, but has substantial mineral and baking spice to support the fruit. Lovely balance, although the fruit leans toward candied. Drink now-2012. 89 pts.
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14.2% alcohol. This is developing so phenomenally well. First time I've drunk this since just after bottling, with Ed at the winery. An elegant, refined, extraordinarily pretty Pinot. Beautiful black cherry, spice, and floral nose. In the mouth, like an alluring brunette in a swanky cocktail dress, wearing red lipstick. Red and black cherry fruit, bolstered by precise spice and floral notes. Minerality surrounds the acidity, and the finish goes on endlessly. Beautiful. Great wine. A
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Opened not decanted. Plum colored with 1/4" clarity at the edge of the glass. Strawberry and red licorice on the nose. On the palate: dried red fruit with subtle notes of sweet strawberry, some must, raspberry mixed with faint citrus; ends with a dried apricot finish. Not compelling right now. Either closed or needs to be decanted. Good.
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Decanted 1 hour. Served with baked salmon with P&M in Woodburn. This surprised me with somewhat narrow and reticent red fruit with strawberry and cherry coming through and endign with a crisp citrus finish. Good, but should be better. I think this is somewhat closed right now.
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Nice pinot but quite closed at the moment. Tasted against Sea Smoke Southling and Walter Hansel pinots which blew this one away but it was still a very enjoyable pinot once it started to open up after about an hour.
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Tasted flabby straight out of the bottle, but opened up considerably an hour after decanting; light ruby color; floral and citrus notes on the nose; smooth mineral aftertaste; I must admit I doubted this one at first, but very nice once it had a chance to breathe. --MD
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Purchased off the list at the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. Restrained nose of spice, wood, and strawberry. Somewhat birght and tart fruit with a refined finish. Much more elegant that the Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir La Neblina. Very good. Paired with rabbit in mustard sauce.
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Pale red color. Nose of cola/root beer and cedar. Medium bodied and delicate with lots of blueberry flavor. Overall very good, except in our case it was overpowered by the paella we were eating it with.
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2/20/2022 - ivar Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a double surprise!
I didn’t have this in CT and was very surprised when I found it in a corner of my cellar. “Probably vinegar, but let me try it anyway.” Backup wine ready to go.
No need for the backup - this Freeman Keefer Ranch is still singing! Plenty of fresh red fruit, coupled with that ‘age flavor’ I like in my wine. Absolutely delicious - after an hour and half on an open bottle, it was starting to fade. I am so happy I still have one other bottle left.
Another example that CA pinot can last a long time if you let them (or in this case, forget them…)
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8/10/2015 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
14.2% alcohol. This has plateaued. Solid red cherry color. Initially, the nose was that brilliant, bright cherry that has made this wine so intoxicating. But it quickly faded out and went through two separate phases. Initially, the wine quite quickly fell off, seeming to lose most of its character. But it came back, reforming as a more complex, secondary wine. Overall, it's very nice but certainly better in its youth. I'm a bit ambivalent about how I feel about it, given just how good it was in its first five years of life. This still had a good line of cherry fruit, and the mushroom and earth notes it took on were compelling. The mouth feel was very good. Just a tad less complete and enjoyable as previously. As if the complexity didn't pack enough of a punch to bring it to its previous levels. A-
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10/19/2013 - xyzsch wrote: 88 Points
Nose of stewed prunes, raisins. Mid-flavors have simple fruit., Finish is coarse and bitter. it is starting to soften up with a couple hours, but I do not think this has much complexity. I would expect more for the price.
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6/23/2013 - Nanda wrote:
Perhaps an off bottle, or just not holding up well, but this was stewed, hot and flat. Started with a hot and raisiny nose which carried forward to the palate.
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4/9/2012 - davidspieker wrote: 89 Points
Light ruby color. Aromas of cherry cola, cinnamon, and orange. Medium body with good balance and integrated finish. Not a lot of complexity.
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9/7/2011 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicious pinot, but lacked the complexity of the previous 2 bottles.
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11/3/2010 - gutt22 wrote: flawed
14.2% alcohol. Nuts. This bottle was slightly cooked. Everything that makes this wine so wonderful was there, but you could get that sense of stewed fruit and bit of flabby dullness that is the hallmark of a flawed wine. A genuine shame. It was still drinkable and quite enjoyable -- except if you know what a good bottle of this wine should be. Flawed.
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8/8/2010 - John Nezlek wrote: 89 Points
A friend brought this bottle, and we drank it along with (too many) others. Very nice Calif Pinot. It was still a bit youthful, but that quieted down after a while. Good fruit. Regardless, IMHO, it was a very different wine than the '02 Burgundy we opened to provide a comparison of Pinots. It is not a Burgundy, but it was still excellent drinking.
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6/15/2010 - KristinL wrote:
Lovely example of RRV pinot noir. A cut above most. Very rich. Would buy again.
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4/21/2010 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
Nice ruby color. Aromatics of cherry cola, baking spice and orange rind. Medium body with nice acidity and pleasant medium length finish.
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2/10/2010 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
forest floor and dark cherry nose; very impressive mixed dark cherry with forest floor, stone/mineral; hints of citrus; just right slight tartness; burgundian style; sl odd stony finish; rounds out a bit over time; needs food as it is distinctive, and the fruit has that combination of lightness and staying power, but this is only moderately enjoyable on its own. balanced, and with enough acid/structure to further improve with time;
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1/1/2010 - tanglenet wrote:
Took to Lalimes (Berkeley) for dinner on New Year's Eve. Quick notes: dark, sappy black cherry notes that morphs to a lighter cherry citrus finish. Good to Very Good.
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12/15/2009 - pjhr wrote: 94 Points
Coming together beautifully! Wonderful complexity and balance.
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5/23/2009 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Delicious strawberries and raspberries on the nose and palate with hints of Asian spice with a long finish and nicely balanced acidity.
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5/10/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Quick notes: strong attack of tart cherry; and as it opens, sweet strawberry. A semi-dry finish with some sourness. Good to Very Good.
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4/1/2009 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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2/20/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. I took this to Bellanico in Oakland for dinner. I was so impressed with the food that I really didn't pay attention to the wine. Also, my dishes really over powered the delicate nature of this wine. The only mental notes that I have: strawberry on the palate with a dry citrus finish. Good to Very Good.
Food notes: quail stuffed with wild boar sausage as an appetizer and an entree pasta dish with wild boar, blood orange and radicchio and / or arugula (I don't remember it exactly). All dishes under $20. This is, seriously, the best restaurant in Oakland right now. Superb food in the Glenview neighborhood, with a $15 corkage.
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2/8/2009 - riccodog13 wrote: 89 Points
Really loaded with sweet raspberry and cherry fruit. It's forward and seductive, but has substantial mineral and baking spice to support the fruit. Lovely balance, although the fruit leans toward candied. Drink now-2012. 89 pts.
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1/21/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
This bottle closed, but still a worthy drink. Should score two points higher with time.
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1/14/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
14.2% alcohol. This is developing so phenomenally well. First time I've drunk this since just after bottling, with Ed at the winery. An elegant, refined, extraordinarily pretty Pinot. Beautiful black cherry, spice, and floral nose. In the mouth, like an alluring brunette in a swanky cocktail dress, wearing red lipstick. Red and black cherry fruit, bolstered by precise spice and floral notes. Minerality surrounds the acidity, and the finish goes on endlessly. Beautiful. Great wine. A
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11/25/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Plum colored with 1/4" clarity at the edge of the glass. Strawberry and red licorice on the nose. On the palate: dried red fruit with subtle notes of sweet strawberry, some must, raspberry mixed with faint citrus; ends with a dried apricot finish. Not compelling right now. Either closed or needs to be decanted. Good.
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10/28/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Similar to the last bottle. Need to let these age! But they are tasty...
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7/6/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Decanted 1 hour. Served with baked salmon with P&M in Woodburn. This surprised me with somewhat narrow and reticent red fruit with strawberry and cherry coming through and endign with a crisp citrus finish. Good, but should be better. I think this is somewhat closed right now.
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6/14/2008 - aaronwine wrote: 90 Points
Nice pinot but quite closed at the moment. Tasted against Sea Smoke Southling and Walter Hansel pinots which blew this one away but it was still a very enjoyable pinot once it started to open up after about an hour.
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5/25/2008 - mike_d wrote: 92 Points
Tasted flabby straight out of the bottle, but opened up considerably an hour after decanting; light ruby color; floral and citrus notes on the nose; smooth mineral aftertaste; I must admit I doubted this one at first, but very nice once it had a chance to breathe. --MD
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5/14/2008 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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3/23/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Grapefruit tinged pinot fruit, tasted like a Rosella's. Still young. Try again in a year.
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2/9/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com; 2/8/2008-2/10/2008 (Various Sonoma County Locations): Served as part of the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com. Served as part of the catered dinner: nose of hard candy cherry Lifesaver without the sweetness; on the palate, dry, delineated fruit with a spicy finish. Very Good to Excellent.
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12/20/2007 - 97mjr wrote:
really it 6 months ago, now a little heat, steely, and over the top. will hold.
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8/5/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Purchased off the list at the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. Restrained nose of spice, wood, and strawberry. Somewhat birght and tart fruit with a refined finish. Much more elegant that the Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir La Neblina. Very good. Paired with rabbit in mustard sauce.
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7/7/2007 - EricFromMD wrote: 91 Points
Pale red color. Nose of cola/root beer and cedar. Medium bodied and delicate with lots of blueberry flavor. Overall very good, except in our case it was overpowered by the paella we were eating it with.
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3/14/2007 - dougsmith wrote: 90 Points
David Bowler Spring 2007 Portfolio Tasting (New York City): Light ruby color. Nose of country herbs, red fruit and smoke. Good grip and length on the palate.
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