Ripe and sweet red berry on nose and palate with mostly sweet spice as well. Exactly what to expect from Kanzler, even when made in a leaner, more elegant style. Good+ weight. Still nicely fresh with a bright finish.
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I am not going to rate this bottle as it was definitely off, compared to the bottle we drank earlier. A little fizzy and funky, it did not have the depth, nose or taste of the earlier bottle
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First off, no brett or fizzyness with this bottle. Instead, this sourced fruit was a fun drink not typical of what Rhys is producing from their vineyards - less complexity with more fruit forward through the finish. A core of dark fruit balanced with good acidity, slight rasberry but more cherry.
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Medium-dark red color with medium saturation. Aromas of sweet cherry, cinnamon, and raspberry. Palate has cherry, candied rhubarb, cinnamon, and mulberry with some floral elements that carry into a medium finish. There is some grittiness to the tannic structure of this wine and the ripeness seems like it will always dominate the structural components holding the wine together. Drink up.
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Definitely a good dose of brett evident on this. There was also some spritz on the back end. A decent and swirl took care of that immediately but the brett lingered. Not overwhelming but clearly too much for some. Bites a touch in the back of the throat. This was more muddled than interesting but not awful. Clearly Rhys moved on from this experience so this remains more a curiosity than something to be examined. Probably not for your party crowd.
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Found my lost bottle in the cellar! Surprisingly as fresh and vibrant as my last bottle in 2009! Tasty raspberry and floral aromas and flavors with vibrant spices and resolving tannins on the finish.
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Medium red color with limited transparency. Aromas of cherry pie filling, cinnamon, and blackberry. Palate shows ripe black and red berry notes with a sweet spice that carries into a medium-long finish. The slightly cooked nature of the fruit presentation suggests that this isn't one for the long haul and it is time to drink up. Drink.
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My last of 3 bottles. This bottle showed lots of the dark spice character I've noted in prior experiences amidst a palate full of black cherry fruit. A little angular and displaying a touch of heat (but nothing offensive). Decent, but probably my least favorite of the Alesia releases.
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Medium-dark red color with moderate transparency throughout. Aromas of black cherry, cherry pie filling, smoke, horse, sous bois, and cinnamon. Palate shows what seems to be a bit of brett in the form of leather and horse, but this may just be a fruit transition flavor as I've never detected brett. on this wine in the past. Regardless, it is tolerable and the black cherry, tea, dust, and licorice notes play nicely into a medium finish. Time to drink these up, but still provides plenty of drinking pleasure. Drink.
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Layered nose of cranberry, evergreen, earth and spice. Palate is bit spritzy to start - blows off. Medium bodied, medium rich fruit with good juicy acidity. Some earth and funk interwoven with red fruit and a kiss of vanilla. Medium finish.
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Blind Tasting '04-'07 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noirs (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Pretty dark red cherry nose, cola, raspberry and baking spice. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Sweet dark cherries, nice acidity. Surprised when this was unveiled b/c it showed much better than at the last tasting. (my 3rd, group's 2nd)
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PnP. Deep garnet. Dark cherries, baking spice, slight pine on nose. Fairly richly endowed fruit on palate with nice balance of acid/light tannin. Not complex. Tart-leaning, but stays on fresh side. Good balance, length and fruit expression. Matched well with food. Has years of life left.
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- Purple color and aromas of blackberry and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and dusty. Polished texture with a medium finish - I was skeptical on the first sip as it seemed tired, but it awoke and got better over the course of two hours. Had with rotissirie chicken over veggies and rice.
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This is the first Alesia/Rhys that I really don't like. Just so different from their more recent vintages. This is almost over the top compared to the subtlety and nuances of the newer stuff, especially the estate Rhys.
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14.4% alcohol. Dark red color, showing faint signs of bricking at the rim of the glass. On the nose, slightly reductive and giving off some caramelized, roasted notes, along with black cherry fruit and baking spice. In the mouth, this definitely is showing the ripeness of the vintage at this point. It feels a little tired. The mouth feel is nice, but the fruit is fading and showing more port-like notes. There is a roasted quality about the wine -- not the type of roasted quality from heat damage, either. Another 2004 victim here. Drink up. Hopefully other bottles fared better. B-
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Dark ruby. Nose of fresh red raspberry, spring blossoms, earth, fennel. Highly structured and powerful wine, with stern tannins partially obscuring the red plum and raspberry fruit. Nicely aciditic spine. Finish is moderately long, with echoes mostly of tart red fruits and some astringency. Good, but not memorable.
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Rhys Alesia '04-'07 Blind Tasting (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Interesting nose of black cherry and sassafras. More black cherry and cola on the palate, not much acidity. A touch too sweet and fat for me, but not for everyone else. (my 8th, group's 1st)
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Full, pretty nose of black cherry, evergreen, stems and roasted herbs. Really enjoying the stemmy and green herbal (in a good way) notes on the nose - complex and interesting. Palate is medium bodied with a burst of medium-rich red fruit. Awash with juicy acidity that provides freshness and tension. Bright, tangy and lifted across the mid-palate into crisp, fresh finish. More herb and wintergreen notes in the lingering finish. Really nice effort.
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I really drankit, acidic anda tad sour, this wine has hit the down hill. I enjoyed this more in previous tasting. But yet Imanaged, much to my chagrin, to polish off the while thing in one night over 4 hours. Feeling it today. No score given after previous high 80's scores.
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The nose is what really makes this wine. Showing classic Burgundian damp forest floor aromas that made me keep poking my nose in the glass thoughout the night. The palate is balanced, shows nice dark cherry and spice and cola flavors but its the nose that excited me last night and racheted up my opinion of this wine significantly. One more btl left. While seemingly mature, I'll rolll the dice for a couple more years and see where it goes. This is not the ultra ripe sweeter candied version another well know producer makes.
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Consumed over three days. Initially showed fairly big, dark in color with some ruby at the rim; fairly ripw, showing primarily black cherry fruit. Over time, this wine mellowed considerably, improving in my opinion, suggesting that I am probably drinking these too soon (but these are what keep my hands off the estate wines). By day three, the fruit profile had transformed more to strawberry, with some muddled compote, orange peel, bay leaf and sous-bois undertones. Now deftly balanced with some bright acidity. Not my favorite Alesia, and I do prefer the style of the more recent vintages, but this bottle showed pretty well.
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I feel that this is an example of me believing on what he was trying to do rather than the actually result at this point. I have found these wines to be a little to earthy in burgundian style but not enough fruit. I still find them to be good and drinkable wines but there is better wines by this team and otheres. Specifically, I would drink these now as the aging is at the end and it in the best window it is going to be from this point on.
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14.4% alcohol. Opened two hours before drinking but not decanted. Dark black cherry color, perhaps showing the faintest signs of bricking now. Aromatic nose of black cherry, blackberry, spice, and plenty of earth. In the mouth, balanced and delightfully velvety. The fruit is still quite forward but has receded a touch in favor of earthy notes. Smooth and lingering through, with no rough edges. A-
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Medium-dark red with some raspberry color at the rim. On the nose, this initially shows some coffee and cola notes with a lot of black cherry beneath. Some burnt rubber notes emerge with some swirling. On the palate, this is a bit reduced and shows a little bit of heat. The black cherry, cola, and coffee notes are joined by blackberry, black raspberry, rhubarb, and a hint of smoke. Some of the reduction noted in the last bottle sampled in November 2009 has dissipated but it is still present here. Decant and drink or hold.
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2004 Alesia: Popped the cork and poured a taste, then let sit in the cellar for several hours. Huge expressive nose of wipe berries and earthy notes. This is true to what I associate with Kanzler, rich, bold and ripe, with the fruit dominating. Some root beer-like notes to go with the exotic wild berry flavors. Thankfully the finish was a tad short because I was getting nothing but alcohol on the finish. Its an interesting wine, not my style, but it seems to have a lot of energy and vibrancy despite the fruit forwardness. I don't see this declining anytime soon.
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My last bottle. Popped and poured and drank over 2 hours. There is a hint of brett which adds to this wine. Sour cherry is predominant. High toned but not overly acidic. Nicely balanced. I thought it was drinking well and was the best of my 3 bottles. If I had more I would drink them sooner rather than later.
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offline at Holman and Fitch for Glen Levine's visit. A long night with alot of wine. I particularly reme,ber us not being oveerwhelmed, but at $39.. Glen and I felt that this is better than alot of stuff out there. Clearly with each vintage the improvement is impressive.
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A couple Pinots, A bunch of Spatlese, and QdC and a Port walked into a tasting: I liked this wine, but was hoping it might show a bit better. Ruby in color. The nose has some cherries and a bit of a rubbery/earthy scent that is not bad, but not as good as simple earthiness. On the palate, this is tart cherries. It probably would work better with food, but I wouldn't age this wine a whole lot longer. I like these wines, but each vintage gets better and this was an earlier one.
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Medium ruby red in the glass. Slightly reduced on the nose, showing burnt rubber and roasted coffee. With air, this dissipates to reveal a sweet red fruit aroma of raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry, with a floral quality. On the palate, this is also initially showing a bit of reduction, but once that dissipates, this is a sweet, red-fruited, easy to drink wine. Should develop nicely with more cellar time, given the reduction and volume of fruit. Drink with decanting/air or hold.
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Brett mars this one with some spritz developing on the back end. Didn't think these issues hit the Kanzlers. Bit too muchof both to really enjoy the dark cherry characters barely peaking through.
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Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. This has a nice nose, earthy with macerated cherries. Very pleasant. On the palate, it is good but not great. A bit too tart and a bit too thin for that level. That said, it went well with food and was very enjoyable.
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Dark bowl of cherry fruit with some rasberry at back end. A bit if sortiz early that disappated. Unfortunately, last one of this vintage. I think it may mellow out in a few years. Tannins we firm but starting to sound out.
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Opened about one hour prior to pouring..still exhibiting a medium dark garnet robe. The first whiff is strawberry with a hint of smoke and cola. As it sat in the glass, a bit of earth and almost "garrigue" emerged. Very different from most Sonoma pinots. Well balanced and round in the mouth...the finish still shows a nice touch of acidity and lingers on. Overall, the wine improved in the glass and was a perfect match for planked Wild Alaskan salmon with a mustard, bourbon glaze. The wine was quite drinkable but the balance and acidity bode well for a bit more aging.
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Deep, nearly opaque beet red in the glass. Aromatically very rich with aromas of loam, coffee, and cherry cola. On the palate, this shows a masculine profile, dominated by coffee, bordering on mocha, with cherries, and a dark fruit that seems like a cross between a blueberry and a black plum. Brash, but drinkable. Should integrate and develop further with additional bottle age.
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The first wine that has really captured my interest in a while... Great right out of the bottle with excellent fruit and texture... Seamless and well balanced.. Fruit and spice on the finish. In a really nice place right now. Kudos to the Rhys team.
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Celebrating our first home made dinner in our new house. Underbrush, clay, juniper and sweet mint on the nose. Juniper and underbursh continued to the attack giving it a little bit of a wild quality at first. Switches to a pure sweet cocoa finish with plenty of bracing acidity to prevent the sweetness from being over the top. This had definitely picked up some more complexity with another 9 months in the bottle from my last visit. Went very well with grilled lemon pepper chicken.
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Really great Kanzler, probably my favorite producer of this vineyard. Strong dark cherry note and slightly sprizty upon opening. This lasted nicely over three days (in fridge overnight). Drkin em!
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After about an hour, my wife got some sweet roasted red peppers on the nose. The crisp acidity is going away and the palate is wider, with more dark fruits but much less of that laser focused finish I loved in the beginning.the wine comes off more round as it is warming to room temp. maybe next bottle should stay a bit more chilled. LOVE this wine, and yes I am being very critical. Complementi to the Rhys team. This wine, so early in your wine making careers is certainly a star! BRAVO
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Nose - deep, dark, sappy, herbal, intense dark fruits. Intense, round, herbal, rich, black plum, lemon marmalade, nice medium toast. 96 pts My #1, group #5 4/1/1/0 (69)
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Spritzy, which is suprising given it's age but good none the less. More on the dark berry side of pinot, but definately more delicate than other versions from this vineyard. Ready to go so drink up.
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I thought there was a small amount of brett here, but it could just be the "mushroom" others detected. Fruit was a tad muted (why I also thought some brett), but overall enjoyable. The nose, with the earthy funk, has some red fruit and iron.
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Day one: immediately expressive nose that jumps out of the glass. Campfire smoke, plumbs, clove and slightly sweet macerated purple fruit. Someone picked up on a mushroom note in the background that was spot on. A bit more alc (14.4% abv) on the finish than what I would prefer.
Day two: it has evolved quite nicely and is drinking it's best today. The heat at the finish has largely subsided, and I am getting a bit more acidity on the palate. It's still all about cloves and purple fruits, and is quite enjoyable.
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Another homerun. The first day I remember a lot of fruit and some earth, but the finish was blah. The 2nd day, this wine opend up more with nose of concenbtrated black fruits, spearmint. The palate has this initial attack of minerals and fruit and finishes off with a long sweet and metal finish. Only 1 bottle left!!!! which I'll open in the next few years.
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Popped and aerated in the glass for 90 minutes. Dark ruby color. Nose was a rush of raspberry, crushed cranberry, iodine, and violets. On the palate, bracing layers of black cherry, raspberry, and licorice combined with brisk acidity and sweet tannins all the way to the complex, juicy, slightly grippy finish. Terrific wine of energy and texture, still on the upswing in my belief.
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Served with brisket for Rosh Hashanah at friends' house from small glasses and this never really did much of anything for me. Probably not a great pairing and the wine was not decanted. I didn't really get pinot or anything I enjoyed that much
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Well-made wine in its style. Maybe I went through these too quickly and maybe they will develop more with time. Right now it's well-balanced and ripe, no green notes and nothing out of place, but unidimensional.
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Darkish red. Strong concentration of color for a Pinot. Lots of fruit on the nose. Moderate tannin and lively acidity. Well balanced with a tangy finish. Nice raspberry and cherry flavors and aromas. Good stuff. We'll see where it goes tomorrow.
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A little fizzy at first pour, almost like some secondary fermentation was going on, but that blew off quickly. Intense piney forest floor, violets and mushrooms on the nose with just a hint of cinammon sweetness. Smoothly testured with a nice meaty attack, swithching to a dark cherry fruit on a long finish . Very silky textured. Drinking nicely now, but should show even more in a few years.
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I only got a brief taste of this one, and it was outside in windy conditions. But I liked it quite a bit better than the other 2004 Alesias I've tried, the Sonoma Coast, Chileno Valley, and the Sonatera. Too bad I didn't get any of these. It was much more restrained and showed a better varietal profile.
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This hits a sweet spot for me. Dark raspberry, with intense violets, minerals, stony black cherry on the midpalate with firm acidity and tannins. All in great balance with a silky presence. Tastes like a stately young pinot.
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Popped and poured. Medium to dark in glass. Friday night, the nose was interesting, with under-ripe strawberry, herbs, earth......and a funky, almost feral aroma (reduction?). Feral aromas seemed to blow off after about 45-60 minutes in glass. Plush in mouth, with the same under-ripened red fruit flavors as on the nose plus some spice.......seemed closed and not too giving........although there was none of the spritz that others have experienced. Due to the nose, and overall tightness I decided to re-cork and drink again on second day. On day 2 the "funk" had completely dissipated, leaving aromas that were far more pronounced and interesting........with red fruits now complimented by a distinct herbaceous character.....think mint, parsley and earth. Also, an added floral element appeared. Still plush on the palate, the red fruits, spice, and earth were quite nice. Could of probably lasted to a third day but there was no way that was going to happen! If I had any more bottles of this I would certainly wait until next summer before opening one.......to me, this is another outstanding example of CA Pinot Noir from 2004 that NEEDS bottle time to really show. Should only get better.
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Interesting evolution over the night. Started dry and acidic, with very little fruit. Then, two hours later, the fruit burst through revealing raspberry, strawberry, and a touch of blackberry. By hour three, everything seemed to come into balance, with a touch of earthiness working with the fruit. I experienced very little tannin, and no fizziness. All in all, quite nice.
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Opened and poured ... Dark, deep red in color. Nice red berry nose. Initially, very "bright" on the tongue. I assume this is the spritziness others have described, but it was barely noticable. Medium bodied, with nice cherry, earth and spice flavors. Nicely balanced with a lengthy finish, without and traces of heat. I thought the wine was really enjoyable, but will be in no hurry to finish my last bottles, as it should contnue to drink well for the next few years.
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Not really impressed. Moderately expressive nose or earth and spice, but rather bitter and hollow on the midpalate. Mediium length finish. Some fizziness was detectible and distracting. I was expecting more from this wine.
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5/31/08, 14.4% alcohol. Terrific color, dark like Kanzler tends to be. Distinctly lighter than any other Kanzler I've tasted, and it had a more fruity, aromatic nose than most Kanzlers. Distinctively black cherry and blackberry, with background oak. A fair bit of spice component, but not tons. In the mouth, very smooth and balanced, with a terrific kick of acidity. Lots of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Plenty of tannin and structure at the back end, although the finish is compelling. This is youthful, but I felt the urge to check back in on Alesia. This is quality stuff.
A-
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Double decanted and given a good shake to release the considerable dissolved CO2. Fruit on the nose leans towards the red end of the spectrum with a pleasing herbal/pine note to complement it. The fruit on the palate is certainly ripe and fairly big, but there's enough acidity to keep this much closer to restrained than most other CA Pinot, though as it warms in the glass it gets fatter and some heat pokes out on the back end. I didn't get much tannic structure to this at all, which would make me hesitant to predict further evolution. A good wine that I definitely enjoyed, but which didn't impress me mightily. I prefer the structure of the Santa Cruz Mountains bottlings.
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Pomegranate, cranberries, pine needles, a mild whiff of spice, and plenty of high-toned citrus notes and lemon zest. Seems to be lacking in concentration and sweet ripe fruit as compared to my previous go with this wine. A nice cleansing acidity, but without the corresponding depth that I expect from an outstanding wine. Damn close, but not quite.
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Doubled decanted and poured, and then consumed over 5 hours. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, strawberries, sandalwood, and light smoke. On the palate, strawberries, citrus, and a touch of x-mas spice on the long 30-second finish. Decent structure and balance here, and the acidity seemed less overt than a year ago. Drinking well, but does not stir excitement as much as it seemingly should...the bits and pieces are there, but the whole is not greater than the parts. Nevertheless, an enjoyable pour!
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I thought this wine was spectacular. Wasn't expecting much after my last bottle but I really enjoyed this. Gobs of dark fruits and a nose that wouldn't quit. Picked up more weight and thickness as the night wore on. Loved it! Enjoyed with leftovers and peanut m&m's.
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Popped and poured. Fizzy, spritzy, and almost tangy. Something seemed off -- the fruit was hidden and it certainly wasn't balanced. I let it settle for a few hours and it evolved into a subtler, calmer style. Still not up to my expectations --fruit was still MIA. Maybe an off bottle, will try again next year.
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this had enough complexity to almost warrant an outstanding score, but too much extraction and alcohol on the nose. the KB use of this fruit showed more purity when i had it almost a year ago. maybe just bad karma tonight with this producer.
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Straight to the decanter from 50 degree cellar and spritz and cola at first. Opened with time and actually fairly delicate while definitely ripe CA fruit. Cranberry and red fruits. Pinot not my thing but I enjoyed this
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This was disappointing as I literally could not taste any fruit. 15 min. after a splash decant it started to come together. My husband said it was hitting the back of his mouth, where of course I have that atrophied taste bud thing still going on. I will let my other two bottles sleep for at least a year in hopes that this wine just needs some time.
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Evolving into a very nice pinot. Joan loved it more than I did. I made the mistake of not decanting longer as the last glass was much better than the first. I am looking forward to the evolution of this wine.
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dark red in the glass, a little smoke, charcoal and maple on the nose swirling around with the plummy fruit. lovely medium length finish. dark, but not zinfandelly..
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Lots of red berry, some red cherry. Same aromas and flavors, with background baking spice throughout. Very fleshy, coming across as so ripe right now that it detracts from the intrinsic quality of the wine for me. Better to cellar until at least 2012 for that baby fat to fade, 89-90 point potential.
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The color is medium ruby red. The nose smells of sweet ripe fruit (cherries), subtle oak and dried maple leaves. The palate shows medium weight and good balance. Good firm tannin and focused acidity. Good finish. This has got to be one of the better CA Pinot's I've had in awhile. Really well put together and I can see this improving for a few years.
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14.4% alcohol. decanted. i can only presume that this wine hits the bulls eye for many; however, not for me. it's nicely put together, and i compliment the winemaking for it's obvious melding of components. i simply don't enjoy the flavors. too full of rustic earth, and way too much cherry cola for me. in fact, it rather tastes like the old RC cola soda pop. certainly the wine is young and tannic, but this basic flavor profile will not change regardless of age. most likely, i'm never going to be able to wrap my arms around this one.
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Popped and poured. Observed over two days. Big boysenberry nose that gets bigger over 15 minutes at which point resembles a syrah. Big fruited with good acidity, elegant. Develops more red berries and cherries with some air time, becomes a bit more restrained for some time. Definitely a very big fruited wine without being clumsy, disjointed, hot or overly citrus on the finish. About an hour in big earth comes out on the nose to my surprise, somewhat barnyardy but not bretty. More cranberry and pomegranate with time. Yummy. Day 2: Wow....still a big nose that somehow seems even more expressive adding some sarsaparilla and cola, orange rind. Still big fruited and seems very much in contrast with the Sonoma Coast bottling in that it is a bigger fruited with and seems less complex or at least doesn't suggest stem inclusion but this wine did change over a couple days as did the SC and for some reason brings to mind a Rivers Marie wine. This drinks very well now but my other bottles will sleep at least another year to see where it goes. This is the kind of wine that is hard not to enjoy, hedonistic and big fruited but still a well crafted wine that is not unbalanced across the palate and never a suggestion of heat.
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Decent bottle of CA pinot that probably needs at least another year or two to realize it's potential. The wine had a nose of primarily cherries and earth on the palate more cherries, spice and vanilla. The finish was not great and the wine showed some heat. I ranked it a 90 on the potential.....that is I believe it will be a much better bottle in time.
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Nose is loaded with cherry fruit. Very deep and dark nose. Lots of body and tannin for a pinot. Acidity is there was well. At this point it is still a little disjointed but there is a ton potential here.
As it got some air and opened up it smoothed out and integrated a bit. This wine could use more time in the cellar. Will drink another in two years.
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The color is dark garnet and the nose is absolutely fantastic. Smells like cherry, leather, milk chocolate, and freshly cut flowers. Fresh, fruity, and rustic on the palate, with great length and a nice finish with loads of dry extract, balance and a level of finesse seldom found in Sonoma Coast wines. Great wine that will last for many years. Does not resemble the KB version from the same vineyard at all.
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Very fleshy, very fruit forward wine with an incredible nose and a very nice, tasty mouth. The length is a bit tangy, but otherwise, the wine seems in good balance. The tastes are quite fruity, with ripe, canned cherries; raspberries and blackberries; and notes of dark orange melons. Very rish. What it lacks in complexity, it makes up in sheer punch.
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[Lemon Sole Pasta] Pop and pour Open nicely w typical SC qualities. High-toned acid, spice, red, and blue fruit. Developed some weight, also some vanilla and sweetness after 2 hrs or so; not for me. The nose was better than the palate
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Dull ruby in color. Missing complexity that was present in the previous bottle. Mostly cinnamon spice aromas and flavors but not much else. Seemed out of balance with acidity and alcohol on the finish. [Decanted 30 minutes and probably needed it]
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Probably/hopefully at an awkward stage. Lovely weight and texture, but otherwise out-of-balance. Hot on the finish and somewhat angular acidity...The nose upon opening is beguiling and complex (a little pine, spice, earth, red berries), so I think this will be fine in the long/medium run.
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Had only 1 glass on the second day and it was terrific. Cherry, cola, vanilla, mocha, bramble on the nose , with toasted herb, black cherry and a spritzy spice cake palate. The color is kinda dull, but the taste is pure and attractive. A simple but decorative PN.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, cherries, strawberries, and sandalwood. On the palate, black cherries, citrus, and a touch of vanilla on the 30-second finish. Some tart acidity with lots of up-front fruit, this wine took a good hour or more to open up on the finish and provide a more balanced package. This bottling could gain a point or two if the acidity tones down over time. Good wine, but I liked the Sonoma Coast better right now.
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This wine was one of 18 wines tasted during our March 17 OL event. This was one of only three wines that was decanted ... and it was double decanted. I contributed this wine and wanted to love it, but it just got lost in the shuffle and did not stand out or truly reveal itself to me. I sampled it on day two and still not blowing me away. A nice wine, but not a stand out. Tart cherry and cinnamon on the palate with a bit of a sour finish. This one may need some time in the bottle to truly evolve. AS AN UPDATE: this bottle was not finished during the OL event and the remainder sat in my cellar for about a week. When I opened it up about a week later to finish it off, I found that it had settled down and was much more enjoyable. Lesson learned - let these age and, when opened, breathe as long as possible.
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Pinot tasting (Y&M's in Brooklyn): Almos a menthol note on the nose. A bit hightoned, but otherwise beautiful nose. On the palate, this is an elegant, if slightly simple, soft wine with great darker fruits. My kind of pinot - wish it were a touch more complex.
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The 90 points is solely based on potential. The wine needs time to come together as there's a distinct fiz upon opening. The flavors are enjoyable, but the heat on the finish is a bit out of whack. There's a distinct candied cherry taste throughout. Nice mouthfeel with sufficient weight to carry its flavor profile. Will wait 2-3 years to pop the last one as time will benefit this wine greatly.
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Even while the proportions of this wine are classic and restrained, the flavors remain on the candied side with a vivid taste of black licorice and, though less intense, watermelon gelee. I like how the palate combines black and red fruit together and with time in the glass it picks up an interesting sensation of clay dust. This is less complex and expressive than it was a few months ago but also less of a moving target, and what it lost in dynamism it's gained in integration.
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Crushed this with the epic Friday line-up with Matt/Daniela, Ryan/Jess and Rick/Shelley (drank 03 Lewis Chardonnay, 03 Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay, 04 Dehlinger Napa Chardonnay, 2004 Alesia Kanzler Pinot, 2004 Domain Alfred Califa Pinot, 2004 Drew Gatekeeper Pinot, 04 Schilld Estate Shiraz and 03 Bonaccorsi Star Lane.
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Dark red color. Lush nose of cherries, vanilla and earth. Rich taste of red fruits, spice and earth. Fruit continues on mid-palatte and broad finish. This wine kept getting better. A real treat.
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Med red. Clear. Smell is cherries and earth. Taste is cherries, cranberry, spice, earth. Slightly spritzy even after 2 hours in decanter. Good acidity. Goes nice with lamb chops.
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Showed some spritz on popping but quickly settled down. Lots of red fruits, a bit more packed than the Sonoma but more Pinot Noir flavors. Classic big Pinot flavors, easy to understand. Will probably be better in a couple of years, but I don't think this needs much age. Very agreeable.
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First Half bottle: popped and poured. Dark ruby color. Cherries on the nose. Mid weight on the palate, sparkly mouthfeel (perhaps a touch of effervescence), bright red fruits, very well balanced, but overall a tad muted. This was good wine, very tasty, but it seemed to me that someone had turned the volume down slightly. The second half was rebottled in a 375, I'll see how that is in a day or three.
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Fantastic wine. Very floral, medium weight, with a silky smooth mouthfeel. Red fruits were in perfect balance with the acidity. Luscious without being big. Drink one now and put the rest away for 1-2 years
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Poured a glass and let bottle sit for 1hr. Balanced, but the slightest touch of heat in the chest. What is most impressive is the silky concentration of earthy, raspberry/black cherry fruit. This has just the right amount of extraction and manages to not cross the line. Drinking well without that much air and, IMO, won't last beyond 5yrs.
Day 2: the heat and acidity really attacked my throat... fruit became more forward also. I'm concerned.
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At first this seemed a bit disjointed, overripe, and spritzy, so I threw it in the decanter for a couple of hours. It then came nicely into balance, showing a beautiful core of sweet fruit, some earth, good elegance and structure. Very enjoyable.
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It was hard to get a handle on this wine as its characteristics seemed to change frequently. Notes are from memory, hence no notes on color. Wine was complex with notes of sweet cherries, almost a cherry pie like taste. Also noticed some root beer barrel, cocoa, and damp forest floor. The wine however seemed to fade into and out of a finish for my wife and I. One taste, the finish would be long and wonderful, the next it would fall flat, and the next would seem to be long and lush again. I'm assuming based on other tasting notes of this wine that this was a slightly off bottle, but the quality of the wine is quite certainly there. I loved the balance with a little tannic bite, some nice acidity, and obviously the fruit is there and shows complexity. It will be interesting to see where this wine's at in a few years.
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Opened directly from the cellar at 55 and poured into brand new Reidel Sommelier Series Burgundy glasses (gifts, quite nice ones, but damn, these things are thoroughly ridiculous). A bright, expressive nose of bing cherries, cinnamon, cobbler crust (you know, where the fruit bubbles over and cooks on the crust) leads to a subdued mouthful (in part due to the temp) of lively red fruits and citrus notes. The acidity is almost bracing. The finish and depth is lengthening considerably as the bottle warms, and the fruit is becoming more prevalent. There is an earthy, furry quality coming through that I did not sense when the wine was cooler. The color is luxuriant. There is more structure here than with the Sonoma bottling and thus greater expectation for the future, though less immediate pleasure. This is still a wonderful bottle of wine, but a bit less generous today than its more forward cousin. I expect the tables will turn with 3-5 years in the cellar, although I doubt I'll have the restraint to conduct the experiment myself.
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Took to dinner and decanted for 30 mins. Reticent on the nose but a deep dark cherry and underlying earthiness on the palate. A touch of heat on the finish. Provided interesting contrast with the 2003 Volnay. Probably wouldn't have been able to pick the CA pinot blind, both had new world characteristics. Should develop nicely over the next few years.
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"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Before I’d tasted either wine I thought this outclassed the Sonoma with its meaty, gamier nose with an array of black fruits. But ultimately the Sonoma is the more civilized wine. The shroud of blackness in the wine turns to a slightly confectionary “blackberry Jolly Rancher” stickiness. Also this is .3% higher in alcohol than the Sonoma, but that’s enough to make it stick out a little too much. Jay blames the temperature, but actually as the wine sat in the glass it smoothed out and eventually showed a more seamless texture and a rockier depth.
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A touch of barnyard worries me at first, but that blows off quickly, as does a light spritz. What's left is lovely -- loads of wet forest, herbs, dill, mint, spice, a bit of raspberry, and a lot of iron (almost too much sanguinity for my tastes). This bottling shows better complexity and a noticeably longer finish than does the regular SC bottling, but the trade-off is less berry fruit character. As with the SC, though, this speaks well for Rhys's future. I'm glad I got in on the ground floor. (Tasted three times, on 12/17/06, 1/3/07, and 9/7/08, with roughly consistent notes, but with a little less enthusiasm on the third go-round. I thought age would, if anything, help with the spritz issue, but it hasn't. I've downgraded it a point.)
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Medium ruby color. Wonderful, complex nose of damp earth, red cherry, raspberries, smoke, pencil lead and perfume. On the palate it is quite dry, medium bodied with soft tannin and intensity; some herbal and coffee notes on the finish. Delicious.
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Hudamang, your bottle sounds off by your description. Our bottle was a clear garnet color with an expansive, spicy nose. The nose on this wine was just dynamite with cherry, spice and a touch of earthiness in the flavors. Balanced with more acidity than some wines from this area. It was very young but a nice package and varietally correct. [Decanted 30 minutes and improved until it was gone; Decent value for this wine; ? on the drinking window but could probably go a few years]
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Took to restaurant and decanted for an hour. There was considerable heat present throughout the night. I was hoping it would get better and while the nose did smell fruitier and more full by the end of the night, the palate only showed cherry and some earthy notes. I felt the wine has potential and hopefully will get better with age but tonight, it was not as good as I had expected. Slightly too simple. Finish was not very long.
Perhaps I had a slightly off bottle? It wasn't corked but other people's notes definitely make me surprised.
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Moderatly saturated ruby. Knockout nose of minerals, sous bois, juicy red fruits, sandlewood and mint. Big, rich and sweet in the mouth but with astounding definition. Waves of ripe fruit, earth and spice farmed with penetrating, juicy acids. Oak is there but playing in the background. Finish goes on and on. This reminded me of Charmes Chambertin from Perrot-Minot. Really eye opening stuff. This should really pay handsome rewards with 5 to 8 years of cellaring. Bravo.
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Awkward right now, and rather unintegrated, but clear potential to develop into an excellent example of a more elegant style of CA pinot. Try again in 2008.
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9/19/2022 - talbot61 Likes this wine:
At Boston Wine & Poker, Needham, Mass, Sept. 18, tasted blind:
Clearly California pinot noir, at least 10 years old, with some sweetness, mellow cherry flavor and a tinge of cherry-pit bitterness. Very nice.
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1/21/2021 - AJG wrote: flawed
Corked.
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11/27/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Ripe and sweet red berry on nose and palate with mostly sweet spice as well. Exactly what to expect from Kanzler, even when made in a leaner, more elegant style. Good+ weight. Still nicely fresh with a bright finish.
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7/11/2018 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just beautiful, tart red fruit, a touch of stems bring a bit of menthol and spice, it just makes me happy.
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6/14/2016 - LoireFan wrote:
Not a fan.
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2/25/2015 - Knicksfan wrote: 89 Points
Not my style; too austere.
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1/2/2015 - DaleW wrote:
Raspberry fruit with slightly sharp acids, some barnyard funkiness, a little clipped at finish, this is interesting but drink up. B
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4/18/2014 - madeiradog wrote: flawed
I am not going to rate this bottle as it was definitely off, compared to the bottle we drank earlier. A little fizzy and funky, it did not have the depth, nose or taste of the earlier bottle
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4/14/2014 - madeiradog Likes this wine: 91 Points
First off, no brett or fizzyness with this bottle. Instead, this sourced fruit was a fun drink not typical of what Rhys is producing from their vineyards - less complexity with more fruit forward through the finish. A core of dark fruit balanced with good acidity, slight rasberry but more cherry.
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5/16/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-dark red color with medium saturation. Aromas of sweet cherry, cinnamon, and raspberry. Palate has cherry, candied rhubarb, cinnamon, and mulberry with some floral elements that carry into a medium finish. There is some grittiness to the tannic structure of this wine and the ripeness seems like it will always dominate the structural components holding the wine together. Drink up.
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4/25/2013 - WetRock wrote:
Definitely a good dose of brett evident on this. There was also some spritz on the back end. A decent and swirl took care of that immediately but the brett lingered. Not overwhelming but clearly too much for some. Bites a touch in the back of the throat. This was more muddled than interesting but not awful. Clearly Rhys moved on from this experience so this remains more a curiosity than something to be examined. Probably not for your party crowd.
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12/31/2012 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Found my lost bottle in the cellar! Surprisingly as fresh and vibrant as my last bottle in 2009! Tasty raspberry and floral aromas and flavors with vibrant spices and resolving tannins on the finish.
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11/24/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium red color with limited transparency. Aromas of cherry pie filling, cinnamon, and blackberry. Palate shows ripe black and red berry notes with a sweet spice that carries into a medium-long finish. The slightly cooked nature of the fruit presentation suggests that this isn't one for the long haul and it is time to drink up. Drink.
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9/29/2012 - rjoyer wrote:
P-N-P and consumed within 4 hours of opening.
My last of 3 bottles. This bottle showed lots of the dark spice character I've noted in prior experiences amidst a palate full of black cherry fruit. A little angular and displaying a touch of heat (but nothing offensive). Decent, but probably my least favorite of the Alesia releases.
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9/13/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-dark red color with moderate transparency throughout. Aromas of black cherry, cherry pie filling, smoke, horse, sous bois, and cinnamon. Palate shows what seems to be a bit of brett in the form of leather and horse, but this may just be a fruit transition flavor as I've never detected brett. on this wine in the past. Regardless, it is tolerable and the black cherry, tea, dust, and licorice notes play nicely into a medium finish. Time to drink these up, but still provides plenty of drinking pleasure. Drink.
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7/17/2012 - vy#10 wrote: 87 Points
A little spritzy with not enough fruit. Just okay.
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5/4/2012 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Layered nose of cranberry, evergreen, earth and spice. Palate is bit spritzy to start - blows off. Medium bodied, medium rich fruit with good juicy acidity. Some earth and funk interwoven with red fruit and a kiss of vanilla. Medium finish.
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4/26/2012 - LoireFan wrote: 91 Points
Starting to come around. Patience.
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3/15/2012 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blind Tasting '04-'07 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noirs (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Pretty dark red cherry nose, cola, raspberry and baking spice. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Sweet dark cherries, nice acidity. Surprised when this was unveiled b/c it showed much better than at the last tasting. (my 3rd, group's 2nd)
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1/17/2012 - thomaskeil wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Deep garnet. Dark cherries, baking spice, slight pine on nose. Fairly richly endowed fruit on palate with nice balance of acid/light tannin. Not complex. Tart-leaning, but stays on fresh side. Good balance, length and fruit expression. Matched well with food. Has years of life left.
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1/2/2012 - marka wrote: 90 Points
- Purple color and aromas of blackberry and violet. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and dusty. Polished texture with a medium finish - I was skeptical on the first sip as it seemed tired, but it awoke and got better over the course of two hours. Had with rotissirie chicken over veggies and rice.
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10/31/2011 - OCgasman wrote:
2nd and last bottle. This is just not my style. The only Alesia I've ever had that I didn't like.
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10/19/2011 - OCgasman wrote:
This is the first Alesia/Rhys that I really don't like. Just so different from their more recent vintages. This is almost over the top compared to the subtlety and nuances of the newer stuff, especially the estate Rhys.
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10/15/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
14.4% alcohol. Dark red color, showing faint signs of bricking at the rim of the glass. On the nose, slightly reductive and giving off some caramelized, roasted notes, along with black cherry fruit and baking spice. In the mouth, this definitely is showing the ripeness of the vintage at this point. It feels a little tired. The mouth feel is nice, but the fruit is fading and showing more port-like notes. There is a roasted quality about the wine -- not the type of roasted quality from heat damage, either. Another 2004 victim here. Drink up. Hopefully other bottles fared better. B-
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7/16/2011 - DougLee wrote: 88 Points
Dark ruby. Nose of fresh red raspberry, spring blossoms, earth, fennel. Highly structured and powerful wine, with stern tannins partially obscuring the red plum and raspberry fruit. Nicely aciditic spine. Finish is moderately long, with echoes mostly of tart red fruits and some astringency. Good, but not memorable.
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6/2/2011 - zscheiner wrote: 86 Points
Rhys Alesia '04-'07 Blind Tasting (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Interesting nose of black cherry and sassafras. More black cherry and cola on the palate, not much acidity. A touch too sweet and fat for me, but not for everyone else. (my 8th, group's 1st)
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4/11/2011 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Full, pretty nose of black cherry, evergreen, stems and roasted herbs. Really enjoying the stemmy and green herbal (in a good way) notes on the nose - complex and interesting. Palate is medium bodied with a burst of medium-rich red fruit. Awash with juicy acidity that provides freshness and tension. Bright, tangy and lifted across the mid-palate into crisp, fresh finish. More herb and wintergreen notes in the lingering finish. Really nice effort.
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3/10/2011 - jfkwines wrote:
I really drankit, acidic anda tad sour, this wine has hit the down hill. I enjoyed this more in previous tasting. But yet Imanaged, much to my chagrin, to polish off the while thing in one night over 4 hours. Feeling it today. No score given after previous high 80's scores.
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1/14/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
The nose is what really makes this wine. Showing classic Burgundian damp forest floor aromas that made me keep poking my nose in the glass thoughout the night. The palate is balanced, shows nice dark cherry and spice and cola flavors but its the nose that excited me last night and racheted up my opinion of this wine significantly. One more btl left. While seemingly mature, I'll rolll the dice for a couple more years and see where it goes. This is not the ultra ripe sweeter candied version another well know producer makes.
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1/13/2011 - GrapeScott wrote: 89 Points
Consumed over three days. Initially showed fairly big, dark in color with some ruby at the rim; fairly ripw, showing primarily black cherry fruit. Over time, this wine mellowed considerably, improving in my opinion, suggesting that I am probably drinking these too soon (but these are what keep my hands off the estate wines). By day three, the fruit profile had transformed more to strawberry, with some muddled compote, orange peel, bay leaf and sous-bois undertones. Now deftly balanced with some bright acidity. Not my favorite Alesia, and I do prefer the style of the more recent vintages, but this bottle showed pretty well.
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12/15/2010 - jfkwines wrote: 87 Points
I feel that this is an example of me believing on what he was trying to do rather than the actually result at this point. I have found these wines to be a little to earthy in burgundian style but not enough fruit. I still find them to be good and drinkable wines but there is better wines by this team and otheres. Specifically, I would drink these now as the aging is at the end and it in the best window it is going to be from this point on.
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10/10/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
14.4% alcohol. Opened two hours before drinking but not decanted. Dark black cherry color, perhaps showing the faintest signs of bricking now. Aromatic nose of black cherry, blackberry, spice, and plenty of earth. In the mouth, balanced and delightfully velvety. The fruit is still quite forward but has receded a touch in favor of earthy notes. Smooth and lingering through, with no rough edges. A-
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9/27/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Smooth and silky. Really firm cherry and berry flavors over an earthy finish. Great wine.
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8/25/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. Layers of berries and cherries over a firm earthy core.
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8/20/2010 - fredb wrote:
Medium-dark red with some raspberry color at the rim. On the nose, this initially shows some coffee and cola notes with a lot of black cherry beneath. Some burnt rubber notes emerge with some swirling. On the palate, this is a bit reduced and shows a little bit of heat. The black cherry, cola, and coffee notes are joined by blackberry, black raspberry, rhubarb, and a hint of smoke. Some of the reduction noted in the last bottle sampled in November 2009 has dissipated but it is still present here. Decant and drink or hold.
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5/16/2010 - tim_c wrote:
2004 Alesia: Popped the cork and poured a taste, then let sit in the cellar for several hours. Huge expressive nose of wipe berries and earthy notes. This is true to what I associate with Kanzler, rich, bold and ripe, with the fruit dominating. Some root beer-like notes to go with the exotic wild berry flavors. Thankfully the finish was a tad short because I was getting nothing but alcohol on the finish. Its an interesting wine, not my style, but it seems to have a lot of energy and vibrancy despite the fruit forwardness. I don't see this declining anytime soon.
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4/28/2010 - JFish wrote:
My last bottle. Popped and poured and drank over 2 hours. There is a hint of brett which adds to this wine. Sour cherry is predominant. High toned but not overly acidic. Nicely balanced. I thought it was drinking well and was the best of my 3 bottles. If I had more I would drink them sooner rather than later.
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3/27/2010 - jfkwines wrote: 89 Points
offline at Holman and Fitch for Glen Levine's visit. A long night with alot of wine. I particularly reme,ber us not being oveerwhelmed, but at $39.. Glen and I felt that this is better than alot of stuff out there. Clearly with each vintage the improvement is impressive.
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3/4/2010 - Loren Sonkin Likes this wine: 88 Points
A couple Pinots, A bunch of Spatlese, and QdC and a Port walked into a tasting: I liked this wine, but was hoping it might show a bit better. Ruby in color. The nose has some cherries and a bit of a rubbery/earthy scent that is not bad, but not as good as simple earthiness. On the palate, this is tart cherries. It probably would work better with food, but I wouldn't age this wine a whole lot longer. I like these wines, but each vintage gets better and this was an earlier one.
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2/28/2010 - Mike V Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Lots of funk (? Brett) which increases greatly on day 2
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11/9/2009 - fredb wrote:
Medium ruby red in the glass. Slightly reduced on the nose, showing burnt rubber and roasted coffee. With air, this dissipates to reveal a sweet red fruit aroma of raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry, with a floral quality. On the palate, this is also initially showing a bit of reduction, but once that dissipates, this is a sweet, red-fruited, easy to drink wine. Should develop nicely with more cellar time, given the reduction and volume of fruit. Drink with decanting/air or hold.
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10/29/2009 - WetRock wrote:
Brett mars this one with some spritz developing on the back end. Didn't think these issues hit the Kanzlers. Bit too muchof both to really enjoy the dark cherry characters barely peaking through.
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10/11/2009 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 89 Points
Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. This has a nice nose, earthy with macerated cherries. Very pleasant. On the palate, it is good but not great. A bit too tart and a bit too thin for that level. That said, it went well with food and was very enjoyable.
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8/20/2009 - jwwinec wrote:
Decanted for an hour. Good concentration and balance, nice earthy, savory flavors blended with rich fruit. Marred by heat on the finish.
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8/19/2009 - rdsboca wrote: 90 Points
Dark bowl of cherry fruit with some rasberry at back end. A bit if sortiz early that disappated. Unfortunately, last one of this vintage. I think it may mellow out in a few years. Tannins we firm but starting to sound out.
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8/15/2009 - BonnieM wrote:
Dark fruit, good structure, acidity makes it a very food friendly wine. Good on its own also.
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7/26/2009 - M&D24 wrote:
Opened about one hour prior to pouring..still exhibiting a medium dark garnet robe. The first whiff is strawberry with a hint of smoke and cola. As it sat in the glass, a bit of earth and almost "garrigue" emerged. Very different from most Sonoma pinots.
Well balanced and round in the mouth...the finish still shows a nice touch of acidity and lingers on. Overall, the wine improved in the glass and was a perfect match for planked Wild Alaskan salmon with a mustard, bourbon glaze.
The wine was quite drinkable but the balance and acidity bode well for a bit more aging.
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6/28/2009 - fredb wrote:
Deep, nearly opaque beet red in the glass. Aromatically very rich with aromas of loam, coffee, and cherry cola. On the palate, this shows a masculine profile, dominated by coffee, bordering on mocha, with cherries, and a dark fruit that seems like a cross between a blueberry and a black plum. Brash, but drinkable. Should integrate and develop further with additional bottle age.
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6/28/2009 - fultonjf wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes. A fantastic effort. From the nose to the finish, an outstanding wine.
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6/28/2009 - reese wrote: 93 Points
The first wine that has really captured my interest in a while... Great right out of the bottle with excellent fruit and texture... Seamless and well balanced.. Fruit and spice on the finish. In a really nice place right now. Kudos to the Rhys team.
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6/17/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
NYC Third Wed - Herman Story, Alesia, Radio Coteau, Groffier: Deep plum color. Medium acid and medium bodied. Funk and mushroom on the nose at first that blew away and left a little spice and oak. Ok.
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6/13/2009 - jreis wrote:
Celebrating our first home made dinner in our new house. Underbrush, clay, juniper and sweet mint on the nose. Juniper and underbursh continued to the attack giving it a little bit of a wild quality at first. Switches to a pure sweet cocoa finish with plenty of bracing acidity to prevent the sweetness from being over the top. This had definitely picked up some more complexity with another 9 months in the bottle from my last visit. Went very well with grilled lemon pepper chicken.
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6/11/2009 - ta-kimura wrote: 93 Points
Cherry and strawberry on nose and in mouth. Good acidity to much with traditional Japanese foods.
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6/11/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
Really great Kanzler, probably my favorite producer of this vineyard. Strong dark cherry note and slightly sprizty upon opening. This lasted nicely over three days (in fridge overnight). Drkin em!
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6/10/2009 - gzim wrote: 92 Points
Serious cranberry nose, initial sip, cranberry, wild strawberry and cake spice, cool beautiful mid-palate presence. Crisp acidity really focuses this wine.
After about an hour, my wife got some sweet roasted red peppers on the nose. The crisp acidity is going away and the palate is wider, with more dark fruits but much less of that laser focused finish I loved in the beginning.the wine comes off more round as it is warming to room temp. maybe next bottle should stay a bit more chilled.
LOVE this wine, and yes I am being very critical.
Complementi to the Rhys team. This wine, so early in your wine making careers is certainly a star!
BRAVO
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5/21/2009 - yhn wrote: 96 Points
Nose - deep, dark, sappy, herbal, intense dark fruits.
Intense, round, herbal, rich, black plum, lemon marmalade, nice medium toast. 96 pts
My #1, group #5 4/1/1/0 (69)
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5/19/2009 - jwebtx wrote:
No spritz or brett this time out. Sour cherry and a bit of a green streak. unremarkable finish. A good but not great performance.
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4/19/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
Spritzy, which is suprising given it's age but good none the less. More on the dark berry side of pinot, but definately more delicate than other versions from this vineyard. Ready to go so drink up.
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3/19/2009 - BonnieM wrote: flawed
Corked.
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3/14/2009 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Similar notes to previous bottle, but better integrated.
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2/28/2009 - CMCLR wrote: 88 Points
Too sharp and hot, not enough fruit and plushnesses.
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2/3/2009 - jwebtx wrote:
I thought there was a small amount of brett here, but it could just be the "mushroom" others detected. Fruit was a tad muted (why I also thought some brett), but overall enjoyable. The nose, with the earthy funk, has some red fruit and iron.
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2/1/2009 - JFish wrote:
There is some brett on this but it adds rather than detracts from the dark sour cherry. As it opened it became a bit sappy but not sweet or heavy.
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11/14/2008 - rjoyer wrote:
Day one: immediately expressive nose that jumps out of the glass. Campfire smoke, plumbs, clove and slightly sweet macerated purple fruit. Someone picked up on a mushroom note in the background that was spot on. A bit more alc (14.4% abv) on the finish than what I would prefer.
Day two: it has evolved quite nicely and is drinking it's best today. The heat at the finish has largely subsided, and I am getting a bit more acidity on the palate. It's still all about cloves and purple fruits, and is quite enjoyable.
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10/27/2008 - slopeguy wrote: 87 Points
Great wine, drinking lovely at this time.
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10/25/2008 - yui wrote: 92 Points
Another homerun. The first day I remember a lot of fruit and some earth, but the finish was blah. The 2nd day, this wine opend up more with nose of concenbtrated black fruits, spearmint. The palate has this initial attack of minerals and fruit and finishes off with a long sweet and metal finish. Only 1 bottle left!!!! which I'll open in the next few years.
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10/17/2008 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Tasty raspberry and floral aromas and flavors with hints of cedar with moderate acidity and tannins on the finish. Still quite young.
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10/6/2008 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Popped and aerated in the glass for 90 minutes. Dark ruby color. Nose was a rush of raspberry, crushed cranberry, iodine, and violets. On the palate, bracing layers of black cherry, raspberry, and licorice combined with brisk acidity and sweet tannins all the way to the complex, juicy, slightly grippy finish. Terrific wine of energy and texture, still on the upswing in my belief.
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10/1/2008 - Mr T wrote:
Served with brisket for Rosh Hashanah at friends' house from small glasses and this never really did much of anything for me. Probably not a great pairing and the wine was not decanted. I didn't really get pinot or anything I enjoyed that much
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9/25/2008 - JScott wrote: 91 Points
Well-made wine in its style. Maybe I went through these too quickly and maybe they will develop more with time. Right now it's well-balanced and ripe, no green notes and nothing out of place, but unidimensional.
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9/24/2008 - kris.h wrote: 90 Points
Darkish red. Strong concentration of color for a Pinot. Lots of fruit on the nose. Moderate tannin and lively acidity. Well balanced with a tangy finish. Nice raspberry and cherry flavors and aromas. Good stuff. We'll see where it goes tomorrow.
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9/19/2008 - jreis wrote:
A little fizzy at first pour, almost like some secondary fermentation was going on, but that blew off quickly. Intense piney forest floor, violets and mushrooms on the nose with just a hint of cinammon sweetness. Smoothly testured with a nice meaty attack, swithching to a dark cherry fruit on a long finish . Very silky textured. Drinking nicely now, but should show even more in a few years.
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9/15/2008 - 14frimaire wrote:
I only got a brief taste of this one, and it was outside in windy conditions. But I liked it quite a bit better than the other 2004 Alesias I've tried, the Sonoma Coast, Chileno Valley, and the Sonatera. Too bad I didn't get any of these. It was much more restrained and showed a better varietal profile.
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9/11/2008 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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9/9/2008 - rmodak wrote: 93 Points
This hits a sweet spot for me. Dark raspberry, with intense violets, minerals, stony black cherry on the midpalate with firm acidity and tannins. All in great balance with a silky presence. Tastes like a stately young pinot.
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8/29/2008 - *Vine* wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Medium to dark in glass. Friday night, the nose was interesting, with under-ripe strawberry, herbs, earth......and a funky, almost feral aroma (reduction?). Feral aromas seemed to blow off after about 45-60 minutes in glass. Plush in mouth, with the same under-ripened red fruit flavors as on the nose plus some spice.......seemed closed and not too giving........although there was none of the spritz that others have experienced.
Due to the nose, and overall tightness I decided to re-cork and drink again on second day.
On day 2 the "funk" had completely dissipated, leaving aromas that were far more pronounced and interesting........with red fruits now complimented by a distinct herbaceous character.....think mint, parsley and earth. Also, an added floral element appeared. Still plush on the palate, the red fruits, spice, and earth were quite nice.
Could of probably lasted to a third day but there was no way that was going to happen!
If I had any more bottles of this I would certainly wait until next summer before opening one.......to me, this is another outstanding example of CA Pinot Noir from 2004 that NEEDS bottle time to really show. Should only get better.
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7/8/2008 - Cow Town wrote: 90 Points
Interesting evolution over the night. Started dry and acidic, with very little fruit. Then, two hours later, the fruit burst through revealing raspberry, strawberry, and a touch of blackberry. By hour three, everything seemed to come into balance, with a touch of earthiness working with the fruit. I experienced very little tannin, and no fizziness. All in all, quite nice.
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7/6/2008 - shaferguy91 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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7/2/2008 - scottj wrote: 90 Points
Opened and poured ... Dark, deep red in color. Nice red berry nose. Initially, very "bright" on the tongue. I assume this is the spritziness others have described, but it was barely noticable. Medium bodied, with nice cherry, earth and spice flavors. Nicely balanced with a lengthy finish, without and traces of heat. I thought the wine was really enjoyable, but will be in no hurry to finish my last bottles, as it should contnue to drink well for the next few years.
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7/2/2008 - glg wrote: 84 Points
Not really impressed. Moderately expressive nose or earth and spice, but rather bitter and hollow on the midpalate. Mediium length finish. Some fizziness was detectible and distracting. I was expecting more from this wine.
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6/15/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
5/31/08, 14.4% alcohol. Terrific color, dark like Kanzler tends to be. Distinctly lighter than any other Kanzler I've tasted, and it had a more fruity, aromatic nose than most Kanzlers. Distinctively black cherry and blackberry, with background oak. A fair bit of spice component, but not tons. In the mouth, very smooth and balanced, with a terrific kick of acidity. Lots of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Plenty of tannin and structure at the back end, although the finish is compelling. This is youthful, but I felt the urge to check back in on Alesia. This is quality stuff.
A-
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4/1/2008 - jlm wrote:
Double decanted and given a good shake to release the considerable dissolved CO2. Fruit on the nose leans towards the red end of the spectrum with a pleasing herbal/pine note to complement it. The fruit on the palate is certainly ripe and fairly big, but there's enough acidity to keep this much closer to restrained than most other CA Pinot, though as it warms in the glass it gets fatter and some heat pokes out on the back end. I didn't get much tannic structure to this at all, which would make me hesitant to predict further evolution. A good wine that I definitely enjoyed, but which didn't impress me mightily. I prefer the structure of the Santa Cruz Mountains bottlings.
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3/23/2008 - Moorese wrote: 89 Points
Pomegranate, cranberries, pine needles, a mild whiff of spice, and plenty of high-toned citrus notes and lemon zest. Seems to be lacking in concentration and sweet ripe fruit as compared to my previous go with this wine. A nice cleansing acidity, but without the corresponding depth that I expect from an outstanding wine. Damn close, but not quite.
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3/16/2008 - DFC wrote: 90 Points
Doubled decanted and poured, and then consumed over 5 hours. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, strawberries, sandalwood, and light smoke. On the palate, strawberries, citrus, and a touch of x-mas spice on the long 30-second finish. Decent structure and balance here, and the acidity seemed less overt than a year ago. Drinking well, but does not stir excitement as much as it seemingly should...the bits and pieces are there, but the whole is not greater than the parts. Nevertheless, an enjoyable pour!
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3/4/2008 - scooter260 wrote: 94 Points
I thought this wine was spectacular. Wasn't expecting much after my last bottle but I really enjoyed this. Gobs of dark fruits and a nose that wouldn't quit. Picked up more weight and thickness as the night wore on. Loved it! Enjoyed with leftovers and peanut m&m's.
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2/28/2008 - andolini wrote: 86 Points
Popped and poured. Fizzy, spritzy, and almost tangy. Something seemed off -- the fruit was hidden and it certainly wasn't balanced. I let it settle for a few hours and it evolved into a subtler, calmer style. Still not up to my expectations --fruit was still MIA. Maybe an off bottle, will try again next year.
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2/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 89 Points
this had enough complexity to almost warrant an outstanding score, but too much extraction and alcohol on the nose. the KB use of this fruit showed more purity when i had it almost a year ago. maybe just bad karma tonight with this producer.
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2/6/2008 - Mr T wrote:
Straight to the decanter from 50 degree cellar and spritz and cola at first. Opened with time and actually fairly delicate while definitely ripe CA fruit. Cranberry and red fruits. Pinot not my thing but I enjoyed this
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1/24/2008 - BonnieM wrote:
This was disappointing as I literally could not taste any fruit. 15 min. after a splash decant it started to come together. My husband said it was hitting the back of his mouth, where of course I have that atrophied taste bud thing still going on. I will let my other two bottles sleep for at least a year in hopes that this wine just needs some time.
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1/24/2008 - Screameagle wrote: 89 Points
Evolving into a very nice pinot. Joan loved it more than I did. I made the mistake of not decanting longer as the last glass was much better than the first. I am looking forward to the evolution of this wine.
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12/10/2007 - Winetex wrote: 88 Points
Notes similar to previous bottle; Too much prominent heat on the finish.
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11/23/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 90 Points
dark red in the glass, a little smoke, charcoal and maple on the nose swirling around with the plummy fruit. lovely medium length finish. dark, but not zinfandelly..
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11/22/2007 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Lots of red berry, some red cherry. Same aromas and flavors, with background baking spice throughout. Very fleshy, coming across as so ripe right now that it detracts from the intrinsic quality of the wine for me. Better to cellar until at least 2012 for that baby fat to fade, 89-90 point potential.
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11/11/2007 - kris.h wrote: 91 Points
The color is medium ruby red. The nose smells of sweet ripe fruit (cherries), subtle oak and dried maple leaves. The palate shows medium weight and good balance. Good firm tannin and focused acidity. Good finish. This has got to be one of the better CA Pinot's I've had in awhile. Really well put together and I can see this improving for a few years.
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10/12/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 88 Points
14.4% alcohol. decanted. i can only presume that this wine hits the bulls eye for many; however, not for me. it's nicely put together, and i compliment the winemaking for it's obvious melding of components. i simply don't enjoy the flavors. too full of rustic earth, and way too much cherry cola for me. in fact, it rather tastes like the old RC cola soda pop. certainly the wine is young and tannic, but this basic flavor profile will not change regardless of age. most likely, i'm never going to be able to wrap my arms around this one.
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10/4/2007 - WetRock wrote:
Popped and poured. Observed over two days. Big boysenberry nose that gets bigger over 15 minutes at which point resembles a syrah. Big fruited with good acidity, elegant. Develops more red berries and cherries with some air time, becomes a bit more restrained for some time. Definitely a very big fruited wine without being clumsy, disjointed, hot or overly citrus on the finish. About an hour in big earth comes out on the nose to my surprise, somewhat barnyardy but not bretty. More cranberry and pomegranate with time. Yummy.
Day 2: Wow....still a big nose that somehow seems even more expressive adding some sarsaparilla and cola, orange rind. Still big fruited and seems very much in contrast with the Sonoma Coast bottling in that it is a bigger fruited with and seems less complex or at least doesn't suggest stem inclusion but this wine did change over a couple days as did the SC and for some reason brings to mind a Rivers Marie wine. This drinks very well now but my other bottles will sleep at least another year to see where it goes.
This is the kind of wine that is hard not to enjoy, hedonistic and big fruited but still a well crafted wine that is not unbalanced across the palate and never a suggestion of heat.
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9/25/2007 - shaferguy91 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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9/9/2007 - bsaun wrote: 90 Points
Decent bottle of CA pinot that probably needs at least another year or two to realize it's potential. The wine had a nose of primarily cherries and earth on the palate more cherries, spice and vanilla. The finish was not great and the wine showed some heat. I ranked it a 90 on the potential.....that is I believe it will be a much better bottle in time.
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8/26/2007 - popquizkid wrote: 91 Points
Nose is loaded with cherry fruit. Very deep and dark nose. Lots of body and tannin for a pinot. Acidity is there was well. At this point it is still a little disjointed but there is a ton potential here.
As it got some air and opened up it smoothed out and integrated a bit. This wine could use more time in the cellar. Will drink another in two years.
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8/22/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
The color is dark garnet and the nose is absolutely fantastic. Smells like cherry, leather, milk chocolate, and freshly cut flowers. Fresh, fruity, and rustic on the palate, with great length and a nice finish with loads of dry extract, balance and a level of finesse seldom found in Sonoma Coast wines. Great wine that will last for many years. Does not resemble the KB version from the same vineyard at all.
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8/3/2007 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Very fleshy, very fruit forward wine with an incredible nose and a very nice, tasty mouth. The length is a bit tangy, but otherwise, the wine seems in good balance. The tastes are quite fruity, with ripe, canned cherries; raspberries and blackberries; and notes of dark orange melons. Very rish. What it lacks in complexity, it makes up in sheer punch.
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7/7/2007 - 97mjr wrote: 88 Points
[Lemon Sole Pasta] Pop and pour Open nicely w typical SC qualities. High-toned acid, spice, red, and blue fruit. Developed some weight, also some vanilla and sweetness after 2 hrs or so; not for me. The nose was better than the palate
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6/27/2007 - Winetex wrote: 88 Points
Dull ruby in color. Missing complexity that was present in the previous bottle. Mostly cinnamon spice aromas and flavors but not much else. Seemed out of balance with acidity and alcohol on the finish. [Decanted 30 minutes and probably needed it]
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6/19/2007 - djb wrote: 88 Points
Probably/hopefully at an awkward stage. Lovely weight and texture, but otherwise out-of-balance. Hot on the finish and somewhat angular acidity...The nose upon opening is beguiling and complex (a little pine, spice, earth, red berries), so I think this will be fine in the long/medium run.
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6/8/2007 - Baggio wrote: 90 Points
Quite good, but nothing sensational. Alcohol still dominant. Probably another year is needed.
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4/29/2007 - cookie7 wrote: 88 Points
Medium-bodied, strawberies on the palate. Some spritz that never completely blew off. I am going to wait on the rest of my bottles.
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4/16/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
Had only 1 glass on the second day and it was terrific. Cherry, cola, vanilla, mocha, bramble on the nose , with toasted herb, black cherry and a spritzy spice cake palate. The color is kinda dull, but the taste is pure and attractive. A simple but decorative PN.
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4/5/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 80 Points
stawberry nose. thin and acidic .
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4/4/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 85 Points
Backstreet - Pinot Noir (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix, AZ): Light. Hollow. Soft finish. Not much going on.
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4/4/2007 - kstoddard wrote:
Phoenix eRP Offline - Pinot Noir (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Strawberries with an interesting minerality to it. Thin mid palate. Flat finish. Not a fan.
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3/27/2007 - CMCLR wrote: 88 Points
A little fizzy upon opening. Good fruit, but not totally in balance.
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3/19/2007 - DFC wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, cherries, strawberries, and sandalwood. On the palate, black cherries, citrus, and a touch of vanilla on the 30-second finish. Some tart acidity with lots of up-front fruit, this wine took a good hour or more to open up on the finish and provide a more balanced package. This bottling could gain a point or two if the acidity tones down over time. Good wine, but I liked the Sonoma Coast better right now.
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3/18/2007 - scofer wrote: 88 Points
This wine was one of 18 wines tasted during our March 17 OL event. This was one of only three wines that was decanted ... and it was double decanted. I contributed this wine and wanted to love it, but it just got lost in the shuffle and did not stand out or truly reveal itself to me. I sampled it on day two and still not blowing me away. A nice wine, but not a stand out. Tart cherry and cinnamon on the palate with a bit of a sour finish. This one may need some time in the bottle to truly evolve. AS AN UPDATE: this bottle was not finished during the OL event and the remainder sat in my cellar for about a week. When I opened it up about a week later to finish it off, I found that it had settled down and was much more enjoyable. Lesson learned - let these age and, when opened, breathe as long as possible.
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3/10/2007 - trankin wrote: 91 Points
Pinot tasting (Y&M's in Brooklyn): Almos a menthol note on the nose. A bit hightoned, but otherwise beautiful nose. On the palate, this is an elegant, if slightly simple, soft wine with great darker fruits. My kind of pinot - wish it were a touch more complex.
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3/4/2007 - Elkiholic wrote: 90 Points
The 90 points is solely based on potential. The wine needs time to come together as there's a distinct fiz upon opening. The flavors are enjoyable, but the heat on the finish is a bit out of whack. There's a distinct candied cherry taste throughout. Nice mouthfeel with sufficient weight to carry its flavor profile. Will wait 2-3 years to pop the last one as time will benefit this wine greatly.
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2/25/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Even while the proportions of this wine are classic and restrained, the flavors remain on the candied side with a vivid taste of black licorice and, though less intense, watermelon gelee. I like how the palate combines black and red fruit together and with time in the glass it picks up an interesting sensation of clay dust. This is less complex and expressive than it was a few months ago but also less of a moving target, and what it lost in dynamism it's gained in integration.
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2/23/2007 - rjoyer wrote:
Crushed this with the epic Friday line-up with Matt/Daniela, Ryan/Jess and Rick/Shelley (drank 03 Lewis Chardonnay, 03 Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay, 04 Dehlinger Napa Chardonnay, 2004 Alesia Kanzler Pinot, 2004 Domain Alfred Califa Pinot, 2004 Drew Gatekeeper Pinot, 04 Schilld Estate Shiraz and 03 Bonaccorsi Star Lane.
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2/15/2007 - lpollack wrote: 93 Points
Dark red color. Lush nose of cherries, vanilla and earth. Rich taste of red fruits, spice and earth. Fruit continues on mid-palatte and broad finish. This wine kept getting better. A real treat.
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2/11/2007 - NolesOnTop wrote: 92 Points
Med red. Clear. Smell is cherries and earth. Taste is cherries, cranberry, spice, earth. Slightly spritzy even after 2 hours in decanter. Good acidity. Goes nice with lamb chops.
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2/3/2007 - Tree512 wrote: 91 Points
Showed some spritz on popping but quickly settled down. Lots of red fruits, a bit more packed than the Sonoma but more Pinot Noir flavors. Classic big Pinot flavors, easy to understand. Will probably be better in a couple of years, but I don't think this needs much age. Very agreeable.
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2/2/2007 - JBVino wrote:
did not take notes but enjoyed...true to Kevin's words in a restrained style even its youth
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1/31/2007 - Rich Hanna wrote: 89 Points
First Half bottle: popped and poured. Dark ruby color. Cherries on the nose. Mid weight on the palate, sparkly mouthfeel (perhaps a touch of effervescence), bright red fruits, very well balanced, but overall a tad muted. This was good wine, very tasty, but it seemed to me that someone had turned the volume down slightly. The second half was rebottled in a 375, I'll see how that is in a day or three.
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1/25/2007 - Scott Butler wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine. Very floral, medium weight, with a silky smooth mouthfeel. Red fruits were in perfect balance with the acidity. Luscious without being big. Drink one now and put the rest away for 1-2 years
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1/21/2007 - Rick D wrote:
Poured a glass and let bottle sit for 1hr. Balanced, but the slightest touch of heat in the chest. What is most impressive is the silky concentration of earthy, raspberry/black cherry fruit. This has just the right amount of extraction and manages to not cross the line. Drinking well without that much air and, IMO, won't last beyond 5yrs.
Day 2: the heat and acidity really attacked my throat... fruit became more forward also. I'm concerned.
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1/15/2007 - jwwinec wrote: 90 Points
At first this seemed a bit disjointed, overripe, and spritzy, so I threw it in the decanter for a couple of hours. It then came nicely into balance, showing a beautiful core of sweet fruit, some earth, good elegance and structure. Very enjoyable.
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1/3/2007 - drcbarroso wrote: 90 Points
It was hard to get a handle on this wine as its characteristics seemed to change frequently. Notes are from memory, hence no notes on color. Wine was complex with notes of sweet cherries, almost a cherry pie like taste. Also noticed some root beer barrel, cocoa, and damp forest floor. The wine however seemed to fade into and out of a finish for my wife and I. One taste, the finish would be long and wonderful, the next it would fall flat, and the next would seem to be long and lush again. I'm assuming based on other tasting notes of this wine that this was a slightly off bottle, but the quality of the wine is quite certainly there. I loved the balance with a little tannic bite, some nice acidity, and obviously the fruit is there and shows complexity. It will be interesting to see where this wine's at in a few years.
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1/3/2007 - Moorese wrote: 92 Points
Opened directly from the cellar at 55 and poured into brand new Reidel Sommelier Series Burgundy glasses (gifts, quite nice ones, but damn, these things are thoroughly ridiculous). A bright, expressive nose of bing cherries, cinnamon, cobbler crust (you know, where the fruit bubbles over and cooks on the crust) leads to a subdued mouthful (in part due to the temp) of lively red fruits and citrus notes. The acidity is almost bracing. The finish and depth is lengthening considerably as the bottle warms, and the fruit is becoming more prevalent. There is an earthy, furry quality coming through that I did not sense when the wine was cooler. The color is luxuriant. There is more structure here than with the Sonoma bottling and thus greater expectation for the future, though less immediate pleasure. This is still a wonderful bottle of wine, but a bit less generous today than its more forward cousin. I expect the tables will turn with 3-5 years in the cellar, although I doubt I'll have the restraint to conduct the experiment myself.
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12/29/2006 - jheathw wrote: 90 Points
Took to dinner and decanted for 30 mins. Reticent on the nose but a deep dark cherry and underlying earthiness on the palate. A touch of heat on the finish. Provided interesting contrast with the 2003 Volnay. Probably wouldn't have been able to pick the CA pinot blind, both had new world characteristics. Should develop nicely over the next few years.
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12/21/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 85 Points
"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Before I’d tasted either wine I thought this outclassed the Sonoma with its meaty, gamier nose with an array of black fruits. But ultimately the Sonoma is the more civilized wine. The shroud of blackness in the wine turns to a slightly confectionary “blackberry Jolly Rancher” stickiness. Also this is .3% higher in alcohol than the Sonoma, but that’s enough to make it stick out a little too much. Jay blames the temperature, but actually as the wine sat in the glass it smoothed out and eventually showed a more seamless texture and a rockier depth.
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12/17/2006 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
A touch of barnyard worries me at first, but that blows off quickly, as does a light spritz. What's left is lovely -- loads of wet forest, herbs, dill, mint, spice, a bit of raspberry, and a lot of iron (almost too much sanguinity for my tastes). This bottling shows better complexity and a noticeably longer finish than does the regular SC bottling, but the trade-off is less berry fruit character. As with the SC, though, this speaks well for Rhys's future. I'm glad I got in on the ground floor. (Tasted three times, on 12/17/06, 1/3/07, and 9/7/08, with roughly consistent notes, but with a little less enthusiasm on the third go-round. I thought age would, if anything, help with the spritz issue, but it hasn't. I've downgraded it a point.)
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12/8/2006 - dougsmith wrote: 93 Points
Medium ruby color. Wonderful, complex nose of damp earth, red cherry, raspberries, smoke, pencil lead and perfume. On the palate it is quite dry, medium bodied with soft tannin and intensity; some herbal and coffee notes on the finish. Delicious.
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12/3/2006 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
Hudamang, your bottle sounds off by your description. Our bottle was a clear garnet color with an expansive, spicy nose. The nose on this wine was just dynamite with cherry, spice and a touch of earthiness in the flavors. Balanced with more acidity than some wines from this area. It was very young but a nice package and varietally correct. [Decanted 30 minutes and improved until it was gone; Decent value for this wine; ? on the drinking window but could probably go a few years]
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12/2/2006 - hudamang wrote:
Took to restaurant and decanted for an hour. There was considerable heat present throughout the night. I was hoping it would get better and while the nose did smell fruitier and more full by the end of the night, the palate only showed cherry and some earthy notes. I felt the wine has potential and hopefully will get better with age but tonight, it was not as good as I had expected. Slightly too simple. Finish was not very long.
Perhaps I had a slightly off bottle? It wasn't corked but other people's notes definitely make me surprised.
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11/17/2006 - chefee1 wrote: 93 Points
Moderatly saturated ruby. Knockout nose of minerals, sous bois, juicy red fruits, sandlewood and mint. Big, rich and sweet in the mouth but with astounding definition. Waves of ripe fruit, earth and spice farmed with penetrating, juicy acids. Oak is there but playing in the background. Finish goes on and on. This reminded me of Charmes Chambertin from Perrot-Minot. Really eye opening stuff. This should really pay handsome rewards with 5 to 8 years of cellaring. Bravo.
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11/15/2006 - randomly wrote: 91 Points
Awkward right now, and rather unintegrated, but clear potential to develop into an excellent example of a more elegant style of CA pinot. Try again in 2008.
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