Still a beast…and I like it! Last bottle was 4yrs ago…still dark and closer to Syrah than Pinot……the fruit is inky and liqueured with wild berry, black cherry, boysenberry…perfect ripeness to sweetness…silky smooth(Pinot!) yet still full of structure and richness. NO WAY you guess Pinot Noir here…and no way 13yrs old! None the less this is tasty stuff…Cali style! Mocha, dried leaves, dusty cedar/graphite spice, licorice, tar, Kirsch liqueur/creme de cassis mixer…smoked white peppered meat and wild purple flowers……huge creamy mouthful of flavor…..VERY youthful and still going strong!
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After my experience last year with the 2003, I expected this to be dense, monolithic, and atypical of the pinot grape. But, this defied expectations - it seems to have shed the baby fat, while maintaining a little acid and fruit. Certainly not austere, but not as huge as other Sea Smokes I have had.
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Great nose with lavendar and some spice. Balanced with strong finish. Opened along with a Melville 01 Pinot "Carrie's" - the Sea Smoke was the favorite. This wine is still going strong and I like now better than when I last tasted about 2 years ago. In fact, I didn't think Sea Smoke was too my liking so I stopped buying off their mailing list after the 06 vintage. I still have a case plus of Sea Smoke wines and I look forward to drinking them with at least ten years of age.
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Burg Dinner (CA and France--Served Blind!)--Part 2 (The Macks In Bennett Valley): I held this bottle for a long time, it was my oldest CA pinot in the cellar. I aged it and saved it in order to share it with a larger group, expecting it to be good one day. Uh, that didn't work out so well as this wine is rich, fat, with chocolate and the acidity, whatever it once had, is gone. Represents a mix of where I believe my tastes used to be and also aging this too long. I suppose if you have a diferent desire for pinot, this might work but for me this fell flat. Ick.
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--- COLOR: Purple-garnet with medium garnet rim NOTE: Tasted with the 2006/2007 MacPhail Pratt PN. This was the most fruit-forward of the three, which is amazing considering its age. Crafted by a master (Kris Curran), this wine has truly survived the test of time like few other PN's from Cali. It is so extracted that if I smelled it blind I might think it was a mature, cool-vintage Cabernet Sauvignon (yep, not a Syrah)! In fact, it's a fully-extracted beast from nose-to-finish, but not in an offputting way. It took 2 full hours of decanting before the nose opened into this beautiful melange of sauteed raspberries, dried cherry and dried strawberry, almost with a hint of maple syrup (first time I ever thought I smelled that in any wine!) and a whiff of heat. A little eucalyptus snuck in there just now. Mouth is rich with baked plum, raspberry compote, cinnamon, cherry pipe tobacco, pomagranate. The acidity keeps bringing me back for another sip. It's really still singing, but I'm not sure for how much longer. The finish carries the fruit theme and dries out a bit due to the heavy tannins and becomes a little thin, but it's still mostly sweet glycerin and fruit in a 45-second symphony. Just a hint of peppered beef jerky is what I'm left with, and that's a good thing. Amazing for such an old Cali PN. Can Marcassin match this?
DECANT: 0 - 2 hr GLASS USED: PN TASTE: 9.2+ OTHER: COST: 80 VALUE: 6.0 PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a TRY AGAIN: now - 2013? PAIRING: n/a Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net ---
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For the youngest's 9th bday......a simple AOC ;-). The third time with this wine...and it is STILL a monster! Closer to Syrah than Burgundy imo....but this isn't meant to be Burgundy...so I will take it for what it is. Dark berry liqueur fruit, smooth and silky, ripe and sweet, but not overly so. Really ooozeberry fruit(blackberry/raspberry/dark cherry/boysenberry) ala Ca. Syrah...but has a silky cream smoothness to it. Wonderful notes of dark mocha, dried tea leaves, cedar spice box, kirsch, creme de cassis. Big spicy vanilla bean oak..but well integrated. Still quite young showing, not much aged complexities yet. From a lover of big ooze monsters...to the pretty and delicate flower of Burgundy...I like this for what it is.....big Ca. ripe fruit...wonderful bold flavors..well structured, balanced, and tasty! I would love to try one of these at age 20! For the style...super wine!
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My last bottle of the inaugural vintage of Sea Smoke Ten. This bottle ranged from $250-$350 in current auctions. This had nice oak on the nose with medium weight dark fruits and fine tannins on a drying finish. Elegant and wll crafted. Bright raspberries and cardamon, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Some woody and loamy soil notes. Pure and rich with impressive acidity and tannins. A bit of history enjoyed on Thanksgiving 2010.
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I through this in as a Double Blind Ringer with the three Single Blind bottles. Opened 2 1/2 hours before tasting, glass poured and poured back in after an hour. Dark ruby red. Good blackberry, dark cherry with some oak and minerality. A big wine that I don't think has hit it's sweet spot. Had a meaty, slightly bitter finish. It was a different animal compared to the two KBs and East block.
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Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): Not like the others in the flight.....really creamy like chocolate, somewhat tannic....wonderful raspberry torte, cake spice, plum, cedar oak. Not as tasty as the KB's, and not as I remember my last bottle.
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Splash decanted and consumed immediately at party. Somewhat tight fruit forward on both nose and palate. Not as interesting or rich as the '02 Southing. Firmer texture, so this may have need longer decant and will likely improve with a few more years.
Ten is always a solid bottle. This was my oldest Sea Smoke Pinot in the cellar. It is always extremely big. Decanted for about 4 hours. Nice dark fruit. Nice structure. One of their best.
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Medium to deep garnet in color. Dark and brooding at first but quickly brightens with ripe raspberries and sweet spices, including cinnamon, cardomon, nutmeg and hints of chocolate. Beautiful balance and structure and long, lingering finish. The inaugural vintage of "ten" from Sea Smoke. Quite a rare possession and delightful wine.
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My last bottle, still drinking very well. Poured on open, consumed over 2 hours. Drinking well after fifteen minutes. Very fragrant, floral, perfume, developed noticeable heat after an hour and a half. Weill balanced, and still quite explosive in the mouth. Real succulent fruit on the finish, but again, the alcohol is noticeable at the end. A very (very) slight green note develops after two hours, but not enough to take anything away. Good wine, drinking well now, most likely as good as this Ten will get.
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Popped and poured and started well. Aromas of plum, black cherry, highly floral/rose/perfumed, grilled meat and a touch of sillage. A nice freshness and balance on the palate, with a little kirsch but minimal heat. Zesty finish. It showed a more classic Pinot profile rather than the heavy oak and dense black fruits of its youth. Unfortunately the fruit faded badly and quickly. The wine becoming more green and astringent. Very pleasureable for the first hour or so, but gave all the signs of being on the downslope.
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Drank this last night with broiled salmon with a honey mustard glaze, broccoli and nutty brown rice. Popped and poured and consumed over 2 hours.
Dark ruby color, nice nose of dark red fruits, spice, vanilla. On the palate this is medium weighted, brown spices galore with rich red raspberries/kirsch, a little bit of underbrush and some vanilla/caramel on the back end. Enough complexity and fruit to push it into the Outstanding category. Well balanced and for my taste in a very nice drinking window. No noticeable bitterness that I get from many Santa Rita Hills Pinots. Enjoy!
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A hot muted nose from the pop and pour but it started to open up with strawberry jam and sweet cookies, but still the nose was a bit weak. THe palate itself was diluted on the mid palate with not much going on and the finish was a light cherry mixed with black pepper. Still a very tannic wine, but it didn't explode with fruit and wasn't as big as the Sea Smoke in recent vintages
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This wine is still kicking along and showing beautifully. Must admit, there was some heat perceived on this wine upon opening but I did not get a sense of it being present near the last glass. Plum fruit, a finish that was still tight but elegant and some oak overtones present. I have one left and thanks to Rob for sharing this bottle with me. Advice: decant the wine a bit and then let it sit--this is consistent with this bottle, as well as previous ones where the wine does evolve with some time in the air.
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I prematurely opened up my last bottle over the holidays only to realize the wine had shut down and showed little aroma and flavors. What little I got was of cherry and plum with smoke, oak and forest floor notes. The tannins had mellowed out but the fruit and secondary flavors weren't too expressive. if you still have a bottle, you should wait another year or more.
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Deep ruby red with bright rasberries on the nose. Presents spices including cardomon, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate. Beautiful on the palate. This was a treat to share with our Mom's on Christmas day. It actually tasted better the following day after it opened up once more and the sweetness over the palate returned.
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OC Wine Dinner (Antonellos - Orange County, CA): This wine clearly shows its family resemblance to the Botella but on a grander scale. The nose also shows ripe cherry, spice, and vanilla bean aromas but with an additional graham cracker note that is very appealling. Richer and denser than the Botella, this wine could still use more time to allow the oak to integrate, and in spite of a slight sherried note on the midpalate and finish was really a hedonistic wine to drink. Perhaps it boils down to stylistic preferences, but I actually preferred the petite and feminine Botella to her big-boned sister. 90-91 points.
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OC Wine Dinner--"Pair This" (Antonello In Costa Mesa): I'm so glad, so glad, I have one remaining bottle of this wine. When Sandy posted she could get 2 of these for the event, that was tremendous. This wine, as it has in the past, really lit me up. Shows an intensity and fat palate, generous and yet finishing with lovely acidity. The nose had a note of mint that I picked up, like what one would smell if a mint leaf was pulled fresh from the plant and rubbed to release the aromatics. Overall, the wine shows a contrast of being generous, giving and then yet holding something back as the finish is still showing some restraint, which for me predicts this wine is going to keep on going and just get better. Yet again smitten by this wine, it continues to ranks up there for me as one of the best pinots I have ever had the good fortune to enjoy.
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Superb again. Aromas of plum, damp hardwood forest floor, cotton candy and fudge. Generous on the palate with succulent red and black fruit, charcoal and vanilla. No sign of heat on the powerful finish, just a hint of wood tannin. No one would confuse this with Burgundy nor Syrah. It is a lush, pleasing wine.
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A monster Pinot! Opened in bottle for 1 hr...needs 1 day! Cranberry, wildberry, blackberry fruit...ooozing. Big spice box, cedar, dried tobacco leaves, chocolate, kirsch liqueur. Nice florals, exotic wood, earth tones....but the acidity really smacks at you! Very high-toned, with the alcohol adding to the smackdown. Wonderful flavors though....needs more years. This could go in the high 90's with time.
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Millie loved it more than I did. I detected a little heat on the finish. Very robust showing of Pinot- could pass for something else in a blind tasting. Looking forward to getting into the '03's...
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Dark and richly colored with dark plums and cherry notes. Spices of cinnamon and nutmeg surface and some notes of chocolate. Excellent structure and balance throughout. A tremendous bottle of wine, a pleasure to drink and enjoy! The inaugural vintage of Ten and I have the joy of drinking it.
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Motley Cru at the Christenson's: One of the best showings of this wine I've had, although it seems as though the tannins could still use some more time to integrate (I initially thought this was the '04 Brewer-Clifton just because of the tannins). Nice nose, somewhat restrained palate (relative to the B-C and the BSR) of mostly red fruits, and pretty good balance save the stand-out tannins.
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Splash decanted2-3 hours prior to drinking. Had with New Z rack of lamb -Beautiful silky mouth feel, full bodied (for a pinot) nicely balanced wine. No sense of alcohol. Nice fruit, black and red, with good tannins and enough acid to lift across the palate. SWMBO commented " worth what we paid" Solid A
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Rich, ripe and concentrated, this stays just short of being jammy. Black cherry and blackberry with lots of spice from fruit as well oak. Powerful fruit with enough balanced structure that this has a good long finish.
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Delicious. Served with a tomato and red pepper soup. An hour of decently certainly helped, but the wine continued to improve for the next hour (and how has gone further had it not been consumed). Spicy red cherry fruit on the nose, juicy, with some cola and raspberry notes. Wonderful balance with an additional cola element on the finish. Short finish. My last tasting was back on 11/12/04 and it has certainly improved since then very big and still syrah like in weight.
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Delicious nose of raspberry, plums, butter popcorn and freshly sawn wood. Great palate presence with cola, juicy berry flavors and touch of vanilla. The finish has excellent fruit intensity and persistence with just a little oak tannin. Obviously there is some oak showing in this wine but it very sexy and reasonably balanced. I think I caught this at peak and will drink my remaining bottles over the next year or so.
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Been maybe a year since I had one of these. Not much has changed since the last bottle, although I was hoping the wine would soften some since then. This is big pinot--no question. Lots of new oak, vanilla, ripe berry, plum and loads of baking spices--nutmeg, ripeness.....a potpurri of flavors that lean towards the flamboyant end of the pinot spectrum. The wine still shows as tight and a little youthful and I keep hoping some of that edge will soften. There is a ton of fruit and new world style in this wine but I am wanting to see it mature. Two bottles left and won't touch again until 2007.
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tooiiit like a tiger. didn't decant, a last minute pull from the cellar. opened a bit after a while in the glass, but what a shame. Disappeared before I could save some for the next day.
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On opening this had a great nose of red fruit with some oak. Palate was thick and chewy with sweet cherry and mineral. On day 2 it had completely fallen apart.
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I opened this bottle to help me decide what to do with the 2003 mailer. After an hour of air, this wine tranformed from a jammy, spicy, alcoholic beast into a very impressive and balanced wine. There was enough structure and acidity to balance out the copious amounts of strawberry and cherry fruit. I agree that this probably needs another year or two to smooth out and integrate. I tried the 2002 Sea Smoke Botella, Southing and Ten, and this was definitely the best of the bunch.
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Enjoyed a few glasses after putting my son to bed. Drank with Peking Duck. First glass had some balsa and plum on the nose, sort of headed towards RR appelation on the pallette early on, strawberry jam. Second glass 1.5 hr later and this thing exploded. Bredth and depth, extended palette with roasted meats and cherries. I must admit that I was having this, my first bottle of 3, trying to see if I will be buyer come the next mailer. It passed with flying colors. I am not psyched with the QPR but I am a fan now. I tried the Botella and liked it but not enough to buy. This effort surpasses the botella by a long shot, of course it costs though. I can see how some say it heads towards the syrah end but to my palette it is CA big Pinot in spades. Balanced to me, I don't get the tannins that others are getting. Massive fruit as it opens, don't expect Wonka Dinner-gum. You know it is good when you know you should save some for tomorrow to try but the flavor keeps calling you have a bit more. It is interesting though that I can appreciate the disjointed comments when the glass is first poured from the bottle, be it the first or third. But if you let it sit for a bit it is seems to settle down and bloom. Must be hitting stride as the reviews are heading north.
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Vail vacation - very enjoyable wine but will benefit from more time. No regrets for opening, and a solid effort. But wait for a couple of years before the next one.
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Big, but kind of disjointed. The fruit, alcohol, and the tannins seemed to take turns playing center stage. I think it'll come together well in a couple years - I'll try to hold my last bottle until late '06 at the earliest. The Pinot characteristics are somewhat hidden behind massive fruit and some fairly strong tannins. Flavors are more in the blackberry/raspberry camp than cherry. No earthiness to speak of, just buckets of fruit.
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Clear, deep ruby core with some orange at the (thin) rim. Moderately intense nose, with blackberry, cherry cola, and some roasted notes. Rich and sweet, more blackberry, with some spice, soft tannins, and nice acidity on the long finish.
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Drank on my birthday dinner at Gary Danko with Millie. Great stuff- could have passed for something other than Pinot- Syrah or even a cab. Won't open the next one for at least a year.
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Mark and Joanne stopped by after dinner to stay for a few nights, and Mark brought this young Pinot to try. Wow, is this a Syrah or a Pinot? Young and intense with bramble and loads of funky cherry, the nose is clearly Pinot. On the palate this is a different story with explosive waves of sappy cherry. With air some intriguing notes of roast meat come out. Mmm, the palate on this is very deep with waves of fruit, dancing acidity, and lots of complexity. Still though, I find this a bit klunky. Perhaps it just needs a lot of time to unwind.
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11/25/2016 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
This is beautiful rich pinot. Loved it.
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7/6/2015 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still a beast…and I like it! Last bottle was 4yrs ago…still dark and closer to Syrah than Pinot……the fruit is inky and liqueured with wild berry, black cherry, boysenberry…perfect ripeness to sweetness…silky smooth(Pinot!) yet still full of structure and richness. NO WAY you guess Pinot Noir here…and no way 13yrs old! None the less this is tasty stuff…Cali style! Mocha, dried leaves, dusty cedar/graphite spice, licorice, tar, Kirsch liqueur/creme de cassis mixer…smoked white peppered meat and wild purple flowers……huge creamy mouthful of flavor…..VERY youthful and still going strong!
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5/23/2015 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 92 Points
After my experience last year with the 2003, I expected this to be dense, monolithic, and atypical of the pinot grape. But, this defied expectations - it seems to have shed the baby fat, while maintaining a little acid and fruit. Certainly not austere, but not as huge as other Sea Smokes I have had.
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12/23/2012 - MC wrote:
Dark color, brooding wine. Just too over the top for me, but some did like it. Made the Beaux Freres look elegant... B+
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4/28/2012 - lab wrote: 94 Points
Great nose with lavendar and some spice. Balanced with strong finish. Opened along with a Melville 01 Pinot "Carrie's" - the Sea Smoke was the favorite. This wine is still going strong and I like now better than when I last tasted about 2 years ago. In fact, I didn't think Sea Smoke was too my liking so I stopped buying off their mailing list after the 06 vintage. I still have a case plus of Sea Smoke wines and I look forward to drinking them with at least ten years of age.
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4/7/2012 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Burg Dinner (CA and France--Served Blind!)--Part 2 (The Macks In Bennett Valley): I held this bottle for a long time, it was my oldest CA pinot in the cellar. I aged it and saved it in order to share it with a larger group, expecting it to be good one day. Uh, that didn't work out so well as this wine is rich, fat, with chocolate and the acidity, whatever it once had, is gone. Represents a mix of where I believe my tastes used to be and also aging this too long. I suppose if you have a diferent desire for pinot, this might work but for me this fell flat. Ick.
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12/1/2011 - tp096255 wrote: 92 Points
---
COLOR: Purple-garnet with medium garnet rim
NOTE: Tasted with the 2006/2007 MacPhail Pratt PN. This was the most fruit-forward of the three, which is amazing considering its age. Crafted by a master (Kris Curran), this wine has truly survived the test of time like few other PN's from Cali. It is so extracted that if I smelled it blind I might think it was a mature, cool-vintage Cabernet Sauvignon (yep, not a Syrah)! In fact, it's a fully-extracted beast from nose-to-finish, but not in an offputting way. It took 2 full hours of decanting before the nose opened into this beautiful melange of sauteed raspberries, dried cherry and dried strawberry, almost with a hint of maple syrup (first time I ever thought I smelled that in any wine!) and a whiff of heat. A little eucalyptus snuck in there just now. Mouth is rich with baked plum, raspberry compote, cinnamon, cherry pipe tobacco, pomagranate. The acidity keeps bringing me back for another sip. It's really still singing, but I'm not sure for how much longer. The finish carries the fruit theme and dries out a bit due to the heavy tannins and becomes a little thin, but it's still mostly sweet glycerin and fruit in a 45-second symphony. Just a hint of peppered beef jerky is what I'm left with, and that's a good thing. Amazing for such an old Cali PN. Can Marcassin match this?
DECANT: 0 - 2 hr
GLASS USED: PN
TASTE: 9.2+
OTHER:
COST: 80
VALUE: 6.0
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a
TRY AGAIN: now - 2013?
PAIRING: n/a
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
---
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12/1/2011 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 94 Points
For the youngest's 9th bday......a simple AOC ;-). The third time with this wine...and it is STILL a monster! Closer to Syrah than Burgundy imo....but this isn't meant to be Burgundy...so I will take it for what it is. Dark berry liqueur fruit, smooth and silky, ripe and sweet, but not overly so. Really ooozeberry fruit(blackberry/raspberry/dark cherry/boysenberry) ala Ca. Syrah...but has a silky cream smoothness to it. Wonderful notes of dark mocha, dried tea leaves, cedar spice box, kirsch, creme de cassis. Big spicy vanilla bean oak..but well integrated. Still quite young showing, not much aged complexities yet. From a lover of big ooze monsters...to the pretty and delicate flower of Burgundy...I like this for what it is.....big Ca. ripe fruit...wonderful bold flavors..well structured, balanced, and tasty! I would love to try one of these at age 20! For the style...super wine!
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11/25/2010 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 94 Points
My last bottle of the inaugural vintage of Sea Smoke Ten. This bottle ranged from $250-$350 in current auctions. This had nice oak on the nose with medium weight dark fruits and fine tannins on a drying finish. Elegant and wll crafted. Bright raspberries and cardamon, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Some woody and loamy soil notes. Pure and rich with impressive acidity and tannins. A bit of history enjoyed on Thanksgiving 2010.
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6/8/2010 - LikeABC wrote: 91 Points
I through this in as a Double Blind Ringer with the three Single Blind bottles. Opened 2 1/2 hours before tasting, glass poured and poured back in after an hour. Dark ruby red. Good blackberry, dark cherry with some oak and minerality. A big wine that I don't think has hit it's sweet spot. Had a meaty, slightly bitter finish. It was a different animal compared to the two KBs and East block.
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6/6/2010 - Mrbuzz wrote: 92 Points
Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): Not like the others in the flight.....really creamy like chocolate, somewhat tannic....wonderful raspberry torte, cake spice, plum, cedar oak. Not as tasty as the KB's, and not as I remember my last bottle.
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4/9/2010 - thomaskeil Likes this wine: 90 Points
Splash decanted and consumed immediately at party. Somewhat tight fruit forward on both nose and palate. Not as interesting or rich as the '02 Southing. Firmer texture, so this may have need longer decant and will likely improve with a few more years.
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1/3/2010 - isergy wrote: 93 Points
Ten is always a solid bottle. This was my oldest Sea Smoke Pinot in the cellar. It is always extremely big. Decanted for about 4 hours. Nice dark fruit. Nice structure. One of their best.
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11/14/2009 - arniec wrote: 90 Points
Somewhat muted. Not a lot of fruit or nose. Drinking better than the last one I opened about a year ago. The 2004 is still more approachable.
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6/21/2009 - yovinny wrote: 92 Points
Its all been said. The finish is pepper, not alcohol, as some believe.
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3/26/2009 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 94 Points
Medium to deep garnet in color. Dark and brooding at first but quickly brightens with ripe raspberries and sweet spices, including cinnamon, cardomon, nutmeg and hints of chocolate. Beautiful balance and structure and long, lingering finish. The inaugural vintage of "ten" from Sea Smoke. Quite a rare possession and delightful wine.
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1/14/2009 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
My last bottle, still drinking very well. Poured on open, consumed over 2 hours. Drinking well after fifteen minutes. Very fragrant, floral, perfume, developed noticeable heat after an hour and a half. Weill balanced, and still quite explosive in the mouth. Real succulent fruit on the finish, but again, the alcohol is noticeable at the end. A very (very) slight green note develops after two hours, but not enough to take anything away. Good wine, drinking well now, most likely as good as this Ten will get.
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12/28/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured and started well. Aromas of plum, black cherry, highly floral/rose/perfumed, grilled meat and a touch of sillage. A nice freshness and balance on the palate, with a little kirsch but minimal heat. Zesty finish. It showed a more classic Pinot profile rather than the heavy oak and dense black fruits of its youth. Unfortunately the fruit faded badly and quickly. The wine becoming more green and astringent. Very pleasureable for the first hour or so, but gave all the signs of being on the downslope.
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12/6/2008 - tonyvelebil wrote: 91 Points
Drank this last night with broiled salmon with a honey mustard glaze, broccoli and nutty brown rice. Popped and poured and consumed over 2 hours.
Dark ruby color, nice nose of dark red fruits, spice, vanilla. On the palate this is medium weighted, brown spices galore with rich red raspberries/kirsch, a little bit of underbrush and some vanilla/caramel on the back end. Enough complexity and fruit to push it into the Outstanding category. Well balanced and for my taste in a very nice drinking window. No noticeable bitterness that I get from many Santa Rita Hills Pinots. Enjoy!
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12/1/2008 - clayfu wrote: 89 Points
A hot muted nose from the pop and pour but it started to open up with strawberry jam and sweet cookies, but still the nose was a bit weak. THe palate itself was diluted on the mid palate with not much going on and the finish was a light cherry mixed with black pepper. Still a very tannic wine, but it didn't explode with fruit and wasn't as big as the Sea Smoke in recent vintages
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11/30/2008 - the godfather wrote: 94 Points
unreal perfume, still big but balanced, really has smoothed out nicely
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11/30/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 93 Points
A big time surprise, incredible nose, big fruit on the palate with a great mouthfeel and finish. Terrific stuff.
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5/18/2008 - kgh wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby, and very aromatic. There is lots of black cherry fruit notes and a subtle spiciness. Everyone's favorite pinot of the night.
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1/21/2008 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This wine is still kicking along and showing beautifully. Must admit, there was some heat perceived on this wine upon opening but I did not get a sense of it being present near the last glass. Plum fruit, a finish that was still tight but elegant and some oak overtones present. I have one left and thanks to Rob for sharing this bottle with me. Advice: decant the wine a bit and then let it sit--this is consistent with this bottle, as well as previous ones where the wine does evolve with some time in the air.
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12/30/2007 - pierregulick wrote: 88 Points
I prematurely opened up my last bottle over the holidays only to realize the wine had shut down and showed little aroma and flavors. What little I got was of cherry and plum with smoke, oak and forest floor notes. The tannins had mellowed out but the fruit and secondary flavors weren't too expressive. if you still have a bottle, you should wait another year or more.
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12/25/2007 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby red with bright rasberries on the nose. Presents spices including cardomon, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate. Beautiful on the palate. This was a treat to share with our Mom's on Christmas day. It actually tasted better the following day after it opened up once more and the sweetness over the palate returned.
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9/21/2007 - PRC wrote:
Plumed Horse dinner with Perry's/Mingrone's
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9/9/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
OC Wine Dinner (Antonellos - Orange County, CA): This wine clearly shows its family resemblance to the Botella but on a grander scale. The nose also shows ripe cherry, spice, and vanilla bean aromas but with an additional graham cracker note that is very appealling. Richer and denser than the Botella, this wine could still use more time to allow the oak to integrate, and in spite of a slight sherried note on the midpalate and finish was really a hedonistic wine to drink. Perhaps it boils down to stylistic preferences, but I actually preferred the petite and feminine Botella to her big-boned sister. 90-91 points.
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9/8/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
OC Wine Dinner--"Pair This" (Antonello In Costa Mesa): I'm so glad, so glad, I have one remaining bottle of this wine. When Sandy posted she could get 2 of these for the event, that was tremendous. This wine, as it has in the past, really lit me up. Shows an intensity and fat palate, generous and yet finishing with lovely acidity. The nose had a note of mint that I picked up, like what one would smell if a mint leaf was pulled fresh from the plant and rubbed to release the aromatics. Overall, the wine shows a contrast of being generous, giving and then yet holding something back as the finish is still showing some restraint, which for me predicts this wine is going to keep on going and just get better. Yet again smitten by this wine, it continues to ranks up there for me as one of the best pinots I have ever had the good fortune to enjoy.
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8/4/2007 - Jaytee wrote:
disappointing - disjointed and hot on the finish
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4/25/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
Superb again. Aromas of plum, damp hardwood forest floor, cotton candy and fudge. Generous on the palate with succulent red and black fruit, charcoal and vanilla. No sign of heat on the powerful finish, just a hint of wood tannin. No one would confuse this with Burgundy nor Syrah. It is a lush, pleasing wine.
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4/6/2007 - Mrbuzz wrote: 94 Points
A monster Pinot! Opened in bottle for 1 hr...needs 1 day! Cranberry, wildberry, blackberry fruit...ooozing. Big spice box, cedar, dried tobacco leaves, chocolate, kirsch liqueur. Nice florals, exotic wood, earth tones....but the acidity really smacks at you! Very high-toned, with the alcohol adding to the smackdown. Wonderful flavors though....needs more years. This could go in the high 90's with time.
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4/5/2007 - CMCLR wrote: 91 Points
Millie loved it more than I did. I detected a little heat on the finish. Very robust showing of Pinot- could pass for something else in a blind tasting. Looking forward to getting into the '03's...
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2/8/2007 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 94 Points
Dark and richly colored with dark plums and cherry notes. Spices of cinnamon and nutmeg surface and some notes of chocolate. Excellent structure and balance throughout. A tremendous bottle of wine, a pleasure to drink and enjoy! The inaugural vintage of Ten and I have the joy of drinking it.
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1/1/2007 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful translucent ruby color. Muted but elegant nose. Very smooth mid palate and a long finish. This is great wine.
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10/21/2006 - MarkC wrote: 92 Points
Motley Cru at the Christenson's: One of the best showings of this wine I've had, although it seems as though the tannins could still use some more time to integrate (I initially thought this was the '04 Brewer-Clifton just because of the tannins). Nice nose, somewhat restrained palate (relative to the B-C and the BSR) of mostly red fruits, and pretty good balance save the stand-out tannins.
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9/22/2006 - DanB wrote:
Splash decanted2-3 hours prior to drinking. Had with New Z rack of lamb -Beautiful silky mouth feel, full bodied (for a pinot) nicely balanced wine. No sense of alcohol. Nice fruit, black and red, with good tannins and enough acid to lift across the palate. SWMBO commented " worth what we paid" Solid A
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8/22/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Rich, ripe and concentrated, this stays just short of being jammy. Black cherry and blackberry with lots of spice from fruit as well oak. Powerful fruit with enough balanced structure that this has a good long finish.
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5/28/2006 - Mark wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Served with a tomato and red pepper soup. An hour of decently certainly helped, but the wine continued to improve for the next hour (and how has gone further had it not been consumed). Spicy red cherry fruit on the nose, juicy, with some cola and raspberry notes. Wonderful balance with an additional cola element on the finish. Short finish. My last tasting was back on 11/12/04 and it has certainly improved since then very big and still syrah like in weight.
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5/23/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious nose of raspberry, plums, butter popcorn and freshly sawn wood. Great palate presence with cola, juicy berry flavors and touch of vanilla. The finish has excellent fruit intensity and persistence with just a little oak tannin. Obviously there is some oak showing in this wine but it very sexy and reasonably balanced. I think I caught this at peak and will drink my remaining bottles over the next year or so.
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5/20/2006 - jebbeling wrote: 96 Points
Delicious...One of the best I have had. Sincerely enjoyed every drop...Deep, dark, packed with flavor...
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4/25/2006 - AllRed wrote:
The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Isabella's Estiatorio, Geneva, Illinois): Served blind. Initially muted. OPened to reveal a big wine with dark fruit and plum aromas. Dark fruit on the palate.
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2/11/2006 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Been maybe a year since I had one of these. Not much has changed since the last bottle, although I was hoping the wine would soften some since then. This is big pinot--no question. Lots of new oak, vanilla, ripe berry, plum and loads of baking spices--nutmeg, ripeness.....a potpurri of flavors that lean towards the flamboyant end of the pinot spectrum. The wine still shows as tight and a little youthful and I keep hoping some of that edge will soften. There is a ton of fruit and new world style in this wine but I am wanting to see it mature. Two bottles left and won't touch again until 2007.
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1/29/2006 - JimmyV wrote: 93 Points
Best wine yet from this producer. Decanted 2 hours. Bright red fruit and deft oak treatment. Juicy and dense. Very nice wine.
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12/29/2005 - lewisrise wrote: 93 Points
Nose of burnt cherry and rhubarb. Very dense Pinot with cherry, rhubarb and vanilla with a long finish.
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12/4/2005 - frischy wrote:
tooiiit like a tiger. didn't decant, a last minute pull from the cellar. opened a bit after a while in the glass, but what a shame. Disappeared before I could save some for the next day.
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10/21/2005 - Mike V wrote: 90 Points
On opening this had a great nose of red fruit with some oak. Palate was thick and chewy with sweet cherry and mineral. On day 2 it had completely fallen apart.
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8/21/2005 - Siggy wrote: 91 Points
I opened this bottle to help me decide what to do with the 2003 mailer. After an hour of air, this wine tranformed from a jammy, spicy, alcoholic beast into a very impressive and balanced wine. There was enough structure and acidity to balance out the copious amounts of strawberry and cherry fruit. I agree that this probably needs another year or two to smooth out and integrate. I tried the 2002 Sea Smoke Botella, Southing and Ten, and this was definitely the best of the bunch.
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7/30/2005 - eponto wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed a few glasses after putting my son to bed. Drank with Peking Duck. First glass had some balsa and plum on the nose, sort of headed towards RR appelation on the pallette early on, strawberry jam. Second glass 1.5 hr later and this thing exploded. Bredth and depth, extended palette with roasted meats and cherries. I must admit that I was having this, my first bottle of 3, trying to see if I will be buyer come the next mailer. It passed with flying colors. I am not psyched with the QPR but I am a fan now. I tried the Botella and liked it but not enough to buy. This effort surpasses the botella by a long shot, of course it costs though. I can see how some say it heads towards the syrah end but to my palette it is CA big Pinot in spades. Balanced to me, I don't get the tannins that others are getting. Massive fruit as it opens, don't expect Wonka Dinner-gum. You know it is good when you know you should save some for tomorrow to try but the flavor keeps calling you have a bit more. It is interesting though that I can appreciate the disjointed comments when the glass is first poured from the bottle, be it the first or third. But if you let it sit for a bit it is seems to settle down and bloom. Must be hitting stride as the reviews are heading north.
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7/5/2005 - RJD wrote:
Vail vacation - very enjoyable wine but will benefit from more time. No regrets for opening, and a solid effort. But wait for a couple of years before the next one.
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5/24/2005 - MarkC wrote: 90 Points
Big, but kind of disjointed. The fruit, alcohol, and the tannins seemed to take turns playing center stage. I think it'll come together well in a couple years - I'll try to hold my last bottle until late '06 at the earliest. The Pinot characteristics are somewhat hidden behind massive fruit and some fairly strong tannins. Flavors are more in the blackberry/raspberry camp than cherry. No earthiness to speak of, just buckets of fruit.
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2/23/2005 - slon wrote: 88 Points
Clear, deep ruby core with some orange at the (thin) rim. Moderately intense nose, with blackberry, cherry cola, and some roasted notes. Rich and sweet, more blackberry, with some spice, soft tannins, and nice acidity on the long finish.
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2/22/2005 - CMCLR wrote:
Drank on my birthday dinner at Gary Danko with Millie. Great stuff- could have passed for something other than Pinot- Syrah or even a cab. Won't open the next one for at least a year.
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11/13/2004 - teliot wrote:
Received and could not wait. Very powerful Pinot - almost Syrah like. Could use some bottle time but is going to be excellent.
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11/12/2004 - Eric wrote: 89 Points
Mark and Joanne stopped by after dinner to stay for a few nights, and Mark brought this young Pinot to try. Wow, is this a Syrah or a Pinot? Young and intense with bramble and loads of funky cherry, the nose is clearly Pinot. On the palate this is a different story with explosive waves of sappy cherry. With air some intriguing notes of roast meat come out. Mmm, the palate on this is very deep with waves of fruit, dancing acidity, and lots of complexity. Still though, I find this a bit klunky. Perhaps it just needs a lot of time to unwind.
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