Opened with a bright cherry color but a hint of bricking on the rim. A strawberry / raspberry nose followed by some cherry and a hint of earthiness. Probably near its peak, but a terrific wine for 16 years.
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bright red color starting to brick, substantial nose of primary red and black fruits, a level oak spice throughout, on the palate dense and beautifully rounded blueberry, cherry and black raspberry, hint of liquer, very good length.
***, ready to drink.
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Bright red in color with the slightest fading at the edges. A lovely, fragrant cherry liqueur nose. On the palate the fruit is intense and focused, black cherries, strawberry. Round, polished tannins, nice acidity, great balance. Finishes long and bright. Drinking beautifully right now. I am impressed how these early Sea Smoke releases have held up and improved.
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Bottle still had some life in it. Full bodied, but rounder and Softer. Black cherry with definiteoaky elements. Tasted really good, as the years sitting in tge cellar treated it nicely. Would definitely smoke em if you got em
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Very smooth, almost creamy rich with a big dose of oak up front, a little softness from age but still excellent fruit and in great condition. Hard to get over the oak--especially with The Watergrill fare! 91 for those who like this style. Pre-LA Phil w/family
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As this wine has aged out its mellowed, calmed and (thankfully) stayed together. This most recent tasting was balanced, dominated by cherry and plum flavors with secondary notes of earth, spice, muchroom and savory. Nice broad flavor palate with long pleasant finish. The candi C-noir was very muted and the wine is drinking well right now.
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Much leaner than expected for a Sea Smoke. Fruit seemed like it was struggling to overcome the alcohol but overall it was still enjoyed. I don't see this improving and may be a bit past its prime.
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Still drinking really well (for my tastes). Big, modern style Pinot, and at eight years old the fruit is still rich and fresh. Not the most layered or nuanced wine, but still delicious.
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DRC Tasting Group (Cafe Veloce): Tasted blind. Rich, red fruit and oak on the nose. Concentrated red cherries with intense purity and moderate complexity on the body. A touch of astringency on the finish, but overall quite nice.
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Excellent! The cherries, vanilla and spice are all evident. The finish is medium in length. Color is still a beautiful red. The nose is wonderful. This wine is still drinking very nicely and is not "tired".
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Wonderful floral nose! Fruit was still rich with smooth tannins. My only objection was it now shows too much oak. The moment you taste vinella , it's too much, making it slightly chalky. Two of us both thought it would have been better to just smell this wine through the dinner.
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Opened, poured thru a Vinturi into a decanter, and into a glass. Beautiful color with a muted varietal nose. A little closed at first, but within 30 minutes, completely opened. Red berries, balanced, medium body, with a long finish. Very nice bottle of wine - much better than the Southing of the same year. This was my first year of allocation and I was only able to get one bottle - too bad. This was delicious.
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The last one of these in my cellar and just about at the last chapter. Showing a bit af age but still presents outstanding integrated fruit with blackberries, red cherry and ripe plum. Some earth notes and a spice component as well. The Botella is still my favorite Sea Smoke and I am a bit nostalgic since even long time list members are seeing this disappear from their allocation due to the maturation of these vines. A nice memory and a solid Pinot.
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It was nice to see how this Botella had continued to evolve. Always a Sea Smoke favorite, this presented pure fruit and red berries on the nose. The wine was supple and seamless and offered emerging flavors pf cherry, strawberry and oak influences. This baby has matured nicely and still was fresh and gave no indications of being over the hill. Nice evolution into a well put together and nicely structured wine.
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Felt a little tired and losing structure, fruits have become somewhat burnt tasting too. I feel like this is on the decline despite still being big and chewy.
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Nose of rip red berries and some earth. Intense red fruit notes of ripe cherries, strawberries and raspberries with earth and bacon. Oak, alcohol and fruit is in nice balance. Silky mouthfeel and a long finish makes it a very enjoyable wine. Big pinot that is enjoyable to drink now.
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This was a very fun wine to drink. Vibrant red fruit: strawberry, rasberry were the primary flavors. It had decent mouthfeel and had a somewhat simple finish. Not as complex as Southing or Ten but quite enjoyable.
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This wine really showed well. I think it was the right time to drink it as it was clearly showing all of its cards so I won't be waiting long to finish my other bottles.
It showed four distinct characters over the time we drank it. Initially it was a bit shy, but by the time dinner was served it was begining to show some interesting spices and loads of complexity. Midway through the dinner it was the bold, powerful pinot that wants to be a cab that I expect from Seasmoke. After dinner, what was left had softened and was very elegant albeit a little simpler.
All in all, it was an excellent time to drink a fantastic wine.
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This wine still holding up well, slightly closed nose, opened slowly with airing in the glass, excellent mouthfeel, with a long finish. Muted cherry and other red fruits on palate.
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Wow! Cherry, spice and vanilla on the palate. Medium finish with just the right amount of spice. Really enjoyed this bottle. Will wait 18-24 months before trying again.
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Wine was excellent. Great nose with rasberry and cherry; medium body with nice finish, balancing fruit and earthiness. Drank with roasted goat and goat cheese smashed potatoes and roasted chicken with truffle and rosemary jus with oyster mushrooms. Overall very good wine and great pairing.
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Alcohol startng to become the dominant note here... solid effort, but didn't feel special. Don't imagine it will benefit from any more time in the bottle... Note to self, drink Botellas earlier.
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Paired (triuned?) with steak and lobster on Mother's Day. A good matchup since the wine fell somewhere between the steak and lobster bringing out good things from both. I like the Botella because it's a true PN rising or falling on the quality of the fruit. Softened up as the bottle level declined but still stood up to the end. The PN cherry accent was noticeably tart. Delicious wine.
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Nose: Earthy, slight barnyard, red fruit. Palate: Cherry, raspberry, dry and chalky tannins, earth, spicy finish. Alcohol is noticeable, otherwise good balance. Good wine, but I've had better from Sta. Rita in this price range.
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Began a bit lean and rough around the edges the first 90 minutes open, but it rounded out and became a beautiful Sea Smoke, with velvety red fruit and a particularly good melange of spices into the finish.
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As a generalization, I lust for Sea Smoke. Botella, however, plays the homely sister. Green on the finish, which is everlasting, it is -- in the final mix -- disjointed. Just not worth the big coin. If you take her on a date, opt for a movie without the dinner.
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Popped and poured. Nose of cherry cola, spice, vanilla, cranberry. On the palate, black cherry, rhubarb, vanilla, spice. Nice sappy midpalate. Finishes crisp but still has that heat. Drink or conitnue to hold.
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A bit buttery....standard, nothing special central coast pinot, nothing wrong with it (other than too much oak(, but nothing stands out..... Yea, cherry, decent tasting, but too one dimensional, heat on the finish, and not great on the mid palette. I do not know, maybe some VA on the nose. The only thing that saves this is the $39 release price...even at that I can find better.
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Decanted for two hours in the cellar before pouring the first glass. First tastes were of sour red cherries but the flavor progressed toward darker fruits as the night went on. As is often the case, the last half glass was the best. Did not detect the alcohol.
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Popped and poured at cellar temperature. Fairly typical SS- big, boisterous and somewhat alcoholic. Always a crowd pleaser- paired nicely with bbq pork burgers.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of cherry cola, spice, vanilla, seems a little "boozy". On the palate black cherry, vanilla, spice, cranberry. Slight hollow on the mid palate, finishes with a nice acidic kick and then the neat. Don't know if time will sort this out or not. Drink or hold. Excellent.
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drank using a crappy glass so I question my notes on this. The thing that was noticeable was the alc./heat when it warmed up. Better when it was around cellar temp - 60 deg. vanilla bean notes with ripe red fruits on the nose, good flavors and decent finish.
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Silky sweet seemless pinot. Rich red fruits balanced with a hint of blue fruit. 30 minutes to an hour and the wine is so integrated and drinkable. Top notch Cali pinot.
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A bit candied....needs a few years in the bottle to better integrate. After about an hour of air, it gains a little more complextity of rhubarb and spice....but it really needs bottle time in my assessment.
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PnP (two nights). Agree with previous CT note that while this has a seductively soft texture with rich cherry fruit, the nose and palate entry are mared a bit by heat and the oak on the nose and midpalate is not quite right at the moment. However, on night 2, these issues had settled down and some really nice asian spice had emerged. Did I mention the acidity is there, but seems to come into play on the descent and finish.
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A good dose of heat overwhelms the fruit, but some cherry and cherry blossom poke through, along with a touch of new oak. Incredibly soft on the palate - surprisingly so, and likely the 'softest' wine I can remember. Very nice acidity helps balance the softness, and a pleasant combination of baking spice, cola, and cherry form the classic flavor profile. Finish is a bit syrupy, with sort of a sticky sweetness tied to the fruit - essentially finishing 'sloppy'. The best part of this wine is definitely the midpalate, where the acidity and softness collide.
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We thought this was nice. Better that expected. Had rich and ripe, sweet, dark red fruit,and yes with a hint of chocolate, but with an acidity that balanced it nicely. Surprisingly good stuff.
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This wine is absolutely wonderful. It's not the most complex wine in the world, which prevents me from going higher than 92 pts. but it has everything in balance: aroma, acid, fruit, length. I am surprised by the other comments about lack of fruit and length. This is not the typical Cali fruitbomb of a wine, but a very nice balance between that and a more austere Burgundy. A winner, unless you prefer the fruit bombs. (But then there's no shortage of those lying around.)
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Clearly hits the head on the nail in that it smells and taste like classic Pinot Noir. It does seem a touch unbalanced and slightly hollow. Approachable now but I would check again in 1-2 years to see if some additional complexity develops.
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Opened not decanted. Oak, charcoal and sweet dark fruit on the nose. On the palate: initial heat that dissipates after an hour; strong black cherry notes with a light citrus finish that seems a little thin. Good.
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Overall this Pinot is good but not great. It's silky smooth but is slightly lacking in fruit. There are hints of tart red berry flavors and a touch of spice. The finish is short and the tannins are still heavy on the end. The Botella vineyard has rich, well-drained clay loam soil. More at my blog http://encompasswine.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/2006-sea-smoke-pinot-noir-botella/
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Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): I don't know what Parker, Spectator and everyone on CT are thinking - this wine is stunning. Everyone at the tasting adored this bottling - and this is coming from Old World devotees. Very shroomy on the nose. Pungent well pronounced floral accents and blackberries. Lush red and purple flower aromas also rocking in the glass. Flavors of medium light cherries, all spice, yellow curry, and rose petals laced with light vanilla accents. Gorgeous oak integration with just enough tannic grip. The definition of an opulent super creamy mouth feel. On the back end of the palate you get a hint of white pepper and cherry pie. This is a wine ANYONE would adore. Plenty of Old World funk and earthiness done in a ripe berry friendly New World style.
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looming vanilla with hints of spice , big ripe red berries and medium heat on the nose. A long finish of vegetation and tart cherries on the finish with a creamy ripe peppered strawberry palate. Right now a bit disjointed, each flavor is really pronounced but doesn't meld well together. Needs at least another year, not really balanced at this point. Still going into a shut down phase after a hour where the fruit moves away and the vegetation and earth move to the forefront but with still that silky alcoholic taste.
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Still seems a bit closed down. Drank half with a cassoulet, which it went well with. Nose of briar and dirt. Mostly non vinous flavors. Second day opened up a lot. Cherries and berries on both the nose and palate. Wish we had more, drank too early.
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Ripe red cherries, dusty earth, mineral, touch of liquorice, and notes of white peach on the nose. Nose is marked by purity and depth of fruit. Palate is medium bodied, and has tremendous energy with a long finish. Very impressive for the basic bottling.
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Nose: At first opening quite closed with only the clay loam aromas showing. With 30 minutes in the mag decanter (and time in a Sommelier Burg stem) it revealed big raspberries, kirsch, cassis, and the loamy qualities in a more supportive role. Additional background aromas of forrest floor, tree bark, and almonds also present. Palate: Raspberries, acid, and oak all compete for first chair. The result is a big Pinot that still manages to find balance. Some subtle spices also present. This is very well made and the most compelling aspect is the amazing, complex nose. Drink now with aeration or cellar 1-2 years and pop and pour.
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Pretty disjointed at this stage; briary nose of menthol and spice, forest floor, pine and cedar. On the palate this has not had time to come together, with the minty/oaky aspects overpowering the fruit. Not voluptuous or particularly well balanced, with the finish all wood. Requires aeration to find the fruit. So far, not a "go to" wine for me. Better day two.
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After 90 minutes to breathe, this was very good. Deep and rich, with notes of black cherry, clove and spice. Perfect acidity. Oak shows through upon opening but integrates nicely with air.
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Tight initially, opened up gradually over course of an hour. Nice fresh cherry aromas w some heat. Heat present on finish w nice structure. Needs time to develop and for alcohol to integrate
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popped and poured. tight and tannic at first. not much finish, very ungiving. however after 1-2 hours really began to sing. lush fruits, spicy, decent palate and the finsh really opened up. nice
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Out of the 3 Sea Smoke bottlings, Botella is "low end" of the three and arguably my least favorite. I'm not saying that it is a bad wine by any means as I do enjoy it quite a lot but it just doesn't have the character and and depth of the Southing or TEN. This was initially opened last night and it seemed to have a little bit of a green streak in it and it was also quite disjointed and sorta backwards. I left a glass of it out on the counter overnight and came back to it today at lunch and it has really come around a lot with nice fruit and spice elements and a smooth, clean finish.
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Had this at a restaurant. Popped & poured and found the wine to be tight. Asked for a decanter, and after 20 minutes the wine began to evolve. Lots of cherry & red fruit followed by spices. Very smooth drinker & paired well with chicken & salmon entrees. I think this wine will be stellar in another year.
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Decanted for 3+ hours. Drank with Hether only. Incredibly balanced wine. Best of the 2006 vintage I have tasted so far. Plenty of fruit on the nose and spice on the finish. Supple with nice acidity and a velvety finish. Very bold and full bodied for Pinot. Will obviously improve with time but drinking just fine now. It's fair to say this is a little tight but I will love trying this again in the future. Four more bottles in the cellar. Lucky Us!
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A beautiful young wine that should be aged more. Keep getting better in the glass. Perhaps elegant is the wrong word but lighter and more refined than many California Pinots. Cinnamon, spices, cherry, strawberry on the nose. Nice balance, refined tannins. Good acidy and finish. Highly recommend and rate 92.
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Barrel tasting with the winemaker Kris Curran and the assistant winemaker, Don. There were two barrels that we tasted that I believe will be part of the final blend for the Botella and Ten, so I will post both.
U Block - thick syrupy nose of blackberry fruit. Still in primary stage.
R Block 115 - dark briary nose with thick dark fruit and a short finish. Still in primary stage.
Really looking forward to the final product. Fascinating to taste the building blocks right now.
Everyone is very down to earth and shares the philosophy of producing world class wines. From every indication, they are achieving it.
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10/2/2022 - vinolovers wrote: 90 Points
Opened with a bright cherry color but a hint of bricking on the rim. A strawberry / raspberry nose followed by some cherry and a hint of earthiness. Probably near its peak, but a terrific wine for 16 years.
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12/16/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
bright red color starting to brick, substantial nose of primary red and black fruits, a level oak spice throughout, on the palate dense and beautifully rounded blueberry, cherry and black raspberry, hint of liquer, very good length.
***, ready to drink.
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11/22/2020 - SWatson Likes this wine:
Still drinking ok. Probably time to drink up though
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9/11/2020 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright red in color with the slightest fading at the edges. A lovely, fragrant cherry liqueur nose. On the palate the fruit is intense and focused, black cherries, strawberry. Round, polished tannins, nice acidity, great balance. Finishes long and bright. Drinking beautifully right now. I am impressed how these early Sea Smoke releases have held up and improved.
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5/5/2018 - Coupe 60 wrote: 92 Points
Bottle still had some life in it. Full bodied, but rounder and Softer. Black cherry with definiteoaky elements. Tasted really good, as the years sitting in tge cellar treated it nicely. Would definitely smoke em if you got em
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11/24/2017 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Very smooth, almost creamy rich with a big dose of oak up front, a little softness from age but still excellent fruit and in great condition. Hard to get over the oak--especially with The Watergrill fare! 91 for those who like this style. Pre-LA Phil w/family
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2/26/2017 - JOsgood wrote:
Holding up well and still tasty.
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1/19/2016 - kgh wrote: 90 Points
Lovely complex aromas in the glass. Fruit somewhat faded , but still shows tart cherry, medium body, with notes of leather and spices.
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1/17/2016 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking great but takes at least an hour to open. Wonderful, dark fruit pinot
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8/13/2015 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 91 Points
As this wine has aged out its mellowed, calmed and (thankfully) stayed together. This most recent tasting was balanced, dominated by cherry and plum flavors with secondary notes of earth, spice, muchroom and savory. Nice broad flavor palate with long pleasant finish. The candi C-noir was very muted and the wine is drinking well right now.
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7/17/2015 - WaitinginManassas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wine was drinking beautifully. Plenty of fruit, but wonderfully integrated.
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5/21/2015 - kgh wrote: 91 Points
Still showing good body and structure, tasting consistent with last note. Very enjoyable.
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5/15/2015 - VinoDiver wrote: 88 Points
Much leaner than expected for a Sea Smoke. Fruit seemed like it was struggling to overcome the alcohol but overall it was still enjoyed. I don't see this improving and may be a bit past its prime.
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12/18/2014 - kgh wrote: 90 Points
Nice body, fruit still vibrant, with dark cherry and vanilla notes.
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5/3/2014 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking really well (for my tastes). Big, modern style Pinot, and at eight years old the fruit is still rich and fresh. Not the most layered or nuanced wine, but still delicious.
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1/6/2014 - Deadhead wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyable. Brick red in color with a touch of orange at the edges. Medium body.
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12/13/2013 - JeremyQ Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Didnt show well at all. Over-oaked and high alcohol
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12/8/2013 - cjsavino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showing some maturity on the palate now that the sweeter fruits have been integrated. Tastes of cedar, orange zest, thyme, with a extended finish.
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6/3/2013 - dpolivy wrote: 92 Points
DRC Tasting Group (Cafe Veloce): Tasted blind. Rich, red fruit and oak on the nose. Concentrated red cherries with intense purity and moderate complexity on the body. A touch of astringency on the finish, but overall quite nice.
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4/5/2013 - samalexis wrote: 91 Points
Cherries, Vanilla, spice.....smooth
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3/13/2013 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well, but not in the same league as the last bottle.
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2/14/2013 - Neuman Likes this wine: 92 Points
beautiful ruby red for valentines day(generosity day) perfect condition,not tired. Balanced with medium long finish.
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1/25/2013 - jon_goodman1 wrote: 92 Points
Good dark fruits. Took some time to open up.
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11/7/2012 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Excellent! The cherries, vanilla and spice are all evident. The finish is medium in length. Color is still a beautiful red. The nose is wonderful. This wine is still drinking very nicely and is not "tired".
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7/20/2012 - brubron wrote:
Wonderful floral nose! Fruit was still rich with smooth tannins. My only objection was it now shows too much oak. The moment you taste vinella , it's too much, making it slightly chalky. Two of us both thought it would have been better to just smell this wine through the dinner.
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7/12/2012 - joefel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened, poured thru a Vinturi into a decanter, and into a glass. Beautiful color with a muted varietal nose. A little closed at first, but within 30 minutes, completely opened. Red berries, balanced, medium body, with a long finish. Very nice bottle of wine - much better than the Southing of the same year. This was my first year of allocation and I was only able to get one bottle - too bad. This was delicious.
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6/26/2012 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 92 Points
The last one of these in my cellar and just about at the last chapter. Showing a bit af age but still presents outstanding integrated fruit with blackberries, red cherry and ripe plum. Some earth notes and a spice component as well. The Botella is still my favorite Sea Smoke and I am a bit nostalgic since even long time list members are seeing this disappear from their allocation due to the maturation of these vines. A nice memory and a solid Pinot.
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6/7/2012 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 92 Points
It was nice to see how this Botella had continued to evolve. Always a Sea Smoke favorite, this presented pure fruit and red berries on the nose. The wine was supple and seamless and offered emerging flavors pf cherry, strawberry and oak influences. This baby has matured nicely and still was fresh and gave no indications of being over the hill. Nice evolution into a well put together and nicely structured wine.
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5/15/2012 - Stumpy wrote: flawed
Flawed
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5/14/2012 - Cellar Baron wrote: 93 Points
This is the sixth and last '06 Botella - and it was, by far, the best.
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4/21/2012 - NNV wrote: 89 Points
Just a very solid bottle of SB Pinot. Good fruit and still drinking well.
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4/19/2012 - cbkamp wrote: flawed
Corked...and it's the last bottle. Sigh.
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4/1/2012 - bcmatthias wrote: 91 Points
Needed time to open. Smooth, red fruit. An easy drinker.
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3/16/2012 - Innerducky wrote:
Was lighter, "Burgundian" as some have said. Fantastic but I wish I drank it a bit sooner.
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3/1/2012 - EyeDoc wrote: 91 Points
Very elegant feminine style - this is burgundian in style. Drinks easy.
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2/19/2012 - Cosmo3 wrote:
Felt a little tired and losing structure, fruits have become somewhat burnt tasting too. I feel like this is on the decline despite still being big and chewy.
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2/10/2012 - MCUBEB wrote: 91 Points
Nose of rip red berries and some earth. Intense red fruit notes of ripe cherries, strawberries and raspberries with earth and bacon. Oak, alcohol and fruit is in nice balance. Silky mouthfeel and a long finish makes it a very enjoyable wine. Big pinot that is enjoyable to drink now.
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12/31/2011 - epml wrote: 91 Points
Took about an hour and a half to open up. Drinking very well now. Another reason why I love Sea Smoke wines.
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12/26/2011 - kgh wrote: 92 Points
Nice intensity of fruit, yet very balanced and drinkable.
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12/15/2011 - tb1712 wrote: 91 Points
Stunning. Big nose, smells like walking into a strawberry jam factory. Powerful, sultry flavor. Let it open up
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12/5/2011 - rdsboca wrote: 91 Points
This was a very fun wine to drink. Vibrant red fruit: strawberry, rasberry were the primary flavors. It had decent mouthfeel and had a somewhat simple finish. Not as complex as Southing or Ten but quite enjoyable.
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11/27/2011 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine really showed well. I think it was the right time to drink it as it was clearly showing all of its cards so I won't be waiting long to finish my other bottles.
It showed four distinct characters over the time we drank it. Initially it was a bit shy, but by the time dinner was served it was begining to show some interesting spices and loads of complexity. Midway through the dinner it was the bold, powerful pinot that wants to be a cab that I expect from Seasmoke. After dinner, what was left had softened and was very elegant albeit a little simpler.
All in all, it was an excellent time to drink a fantastic wine.
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11/20/2011 - neuhausr wrote:
Still drinking well.
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11/14/2011 - DavidDay wrote: 90 Points
This wine still holding up well, slightly closed nose, opened slowly with airing in the glass, excellent mouthfeel, with a long finish. Muted cherry and other red fruits on palate.
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11/5/2011 - sbfireman wrote: 92 Points
Nice depth of flavor. Cherry pie. Good juice drinking in an excellent window right now.
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10/21/2011 - jrglm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really nice PN. Pretty typical style-wise for the Santa Rita Hills area. I might like this better than the Southing from the same vintage.
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10/7/2011 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Wow! Cherry, spice and vanilla on the palate. Medium finish with just the right amount of spice. Really enjoyed this bottle. Will wait 18-24 months before trying again.
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10/6/2011 - rsutherland wrote: 92 Points
Wine was excellent. Great nose with rasberry and cherry; medium body with nice finish, balancing fruit and earthiness. Drank with roasted goat and goat cheese smashed potatoes and roasted chicken with truffle and rosemary jus with oyster mushrooms. Overall very good wine and great pairing.
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9/26/2011 - NotNYC wrote: 88 Points
Pretty underwhelmed.
Failed to excite to any great extent. Could it still be in a dumb phase or OTH?
Flat rather boring.
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9/24/2011 - ListenToMeWine wrote: 93 Points
Clove and spice on the nose, smooth mouthfeel, cranberry and Christmas spice on the finish. Very round and well balanced.
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9/1/2011 - pjhr wrote: 94 Points
Delicious raspberry, red cherry, and floral aromas and flavors with silky texture and hints of oak and asian spice on the finish. Simply delicious!
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8/19/2011 - dontime wrote:
Nose of cherry cola. Cherry and strawberry on the palate with a bit too much heat. Disappointing.
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7/31/2011 - ARiverofPisoni wrote: 89 Points
Alcohol startng to become the dominant note here... solid effort, but didn't feel special. Don't imagine it will benefit from any more time in the bottle... Note to self, drink Botellas earlier.
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6/13/2011 - biggwater wrote: 92 Points
smokey like the name..hmmm...rich and long
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5/9/2011 - BigGer wrote: 92 Points
Paired (triuned?) with steak and lobster on Mother's Day. A good matchup since the wine fell somewhere between the steak and lobster bringing out good things from both. I like the Botella because it's a true PN rising or falling on the quality of the fruit. Softened up as the bottle level declined but still stood up to the end. The PN cherry accent was noticeably tart. Delicious wine.
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4/2/2011 - cbkamp wrote: 90 Points
Nose: Earthy, slight barnyard, red fruit. Palate: Cherry, raspberry, dry and chalky tannins, earth, spicy finish. Alcohol is noticeable, otherwise good balance. Good wine, but I've had better from Sta. Rita in this price range.
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3/5/2011 - blgros wrote: 93 Points
Was worried this was heading downhill, but if it is, the peak must have been fabulous. Medium body, but good depth, fruit and earthy balance.
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3/3/2011 - Counselor Chris wrote: 92 Points
Began a bit lean and rough around the edges the first 90 minutes open, but it rounded out and became a beautiful Sea Smoke, with velvety red fruit and a particularly good melange of spices into the finish.
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12/30/2010 - jeffal66 wrote: 89 Points
As a generalization, I lust for Sea Smoke. Botella, however, plays the homely sister. Green on the finish, which is everlasting, it is -- in the final mix -- disjointed. Just not worth the big coin. If you take her on a date, opt for a movie without the dinner.
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12/23/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of cherry cola, spice, vanilla, cranberry. On the palate, black cherry, rhubarb, vanilla, spice. Nice sappy midpalate. Finishes crisp but still has that heat. Drink or conitnue to hold.
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10/11/2010 - dlstrauss wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, but unmemorable. Others liked more than I did. Perhaps made a mistake in having with BBQ, which seemed to overpower it.
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9/4/2010 - cadamson wrote: 86 Points
A bit buttery....standard, nothing special central coast pinot, nothing wrong with it (other than too much oak(, but nothing stands out..... Yea, cherry, decent tasting, but too one dimensional, heat on the finish, and not great on the mid palette. I do not know, maybe some VA on the nose. The only thing that saves this is the $39 release price...even at that I can find better.
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8/22/2010 - curtispomeroy wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours in the cellar before pouring the first glass. First tastes were of sour red cherries but the flavor progressed toward darker fruits as the night went on. As is often the case, the last half glass was the best. Did not detect the alcohol.
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8/19/2010 - mitchellr wrote: 92 Points
Tahoe with burgers. Some say sin, I say nice!
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7/17/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured at cellar temperature. Fairly typical SS- big, boisterous and somewhat alcoholic. Always a crowd pleaser- paired nicely with bbq pork burgers.
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6/20/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of cherry cola, spice, vanilla, seems a little "boozy". On the palate black cherry, vanilla, spice, cranberry. Slight hollow on the mid palate, finishes with a nice acidic kick and then the neat. Don't know if time will sort this out or not. Drink or hold. Excellent.
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5/5/2010 - Love4Vino wrote:
drank using a crappy glass so I question my notes on this. The thing that was noticeable was the alc./heat when it warmed up. Better when it was around cellar temp - 60 deg. vanilla bean notes with ripe red fruits on the nose, good flavors and decent finish.
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5/2/2010 - hemanwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
well balanced, pepper, spice, raspberries jam and cherries hints.
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4/15/2010 - Mlawrence wrote: 91 Points
Silky sweet seemless pinot. Rich red fruits balanced with a hint of blue fruit. 30 minutes to an hour and the wine is so integrated and drinkable. Top notch Cali pinot.
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3/15/2010 - DesMarteau wrote: 90 Points
A bit candied....needs a few years in the bottle to better integrate. After about an hour of air, it gains a little more complextity of rhubarb and spice....but it really needs bottle time in my assessment.
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2/1/2010 - insalatacaprese wrote: 89 Points
A lot of acidity. Smooth but seemed a little unbalanced. Got better as it opened up.
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1/30/2010 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
PnP (two nights). Agree with previous CT note that while this has a seductively soft texture with rich cherry fruit, the nose and palate entry are mared a bit by heat and the oak on the nose and midpalate is not quite right at the moment. However, on night 2, these issues had settled down and some really nice asian spice had emerged. Did I mention the acidity is there, but seems to come into play on the descent and finish.
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1/26/2010 - Todd French wrote: 89 Points
A good dose of heat overwhelms the fruit, but some cherry and cherry blossom poke through, along with a touch of new oak. Incredibly soft on the palate - surprisingly so, and likely the 'softest' wine I can remember. Very nice acidity helps balance the softness, and a pleasant combination of baking spice, cola, and cherry form the classic flavor profile. Finish is a bit syrupy, with sort of a sticky sweetness tied to the fruit - essentially finishing 'sloppy'. The best part of this wine is definitely the midpalate, where the acidity and softness collide.
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1/14/2010 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
We thought this was nice. Better that expected. Had rich and ripe, sweet, dark red fruit,and yes with a hint of chocolate, but with an acidity that balanced it nicely. Surprisingly good stuff.
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1/9/2010 - mdaniel wrote: 90 Points
No formal not, but a beautiful nose and wonderful red berry and spices on the palate.
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12/14/2009 - cns wrote: 92 Points
This wine is absolutely wonderful. It's not the most complex wine in the world, which prevents me from going higher than 92 pts. but it has everything in balance: aroma, acid, fruit, length. I am surprised by the other comments about lack of fruit and length. This is not the typical Cali fruitbomb of a wine, but a very nice balance between that and a more austere Burgundy. A winner, unless you prefer the fruit bombs. (But then there's no shortage of those lying around.)
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11/28/2009 - BigTarheel wrote: 89 Points
Clearly hits the head on the nail in that it smells and taste like classic Pinot Noir. It does seem a touch unbalanced and slightly hollow. Approachable now but I would check again in 1-2 years to see if some additional complexity develops.
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9/27/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Oak, charcoal and sweet dark fruit on the nose. On the palate: initial heat that dissipates after an hour; strong black cherry notes with a light citrus finish that seems a little thin. Good.
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9/15/2009 - whynblog wrote: 87 Points
Overall this Pinot is good but not great. It's silky smooth but is slightly lacking in fruit. There are hints of tart red berry flavors and a touch of spice. The finish is short and the tannins are still heavy on the end. The Botella vineyard has rich, well-drained clay loam soil. More at my blog http://encompasswine.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/2006-sea-smoke-pinot-noir-botella/
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9/5/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): I don't know what Parker, Spectator and everyone on CT are thinking - this wine is stunning.
Everyone at the tasting adored this bottling - and this is coming from Old World devotees.
Very shroomy on the nose. Pungent well pronounced floral accents and blackberries.
Lush red and purple flower aromas also rocking in the glass.
Flavors of medium light cherries, all spice, yellow curry, and rose petals laced with light vanilla accents.
Gorgeous oak integration with just enough tannic grip.
The definition of an opulent super creamy mouth feel. On the back end of the palate you get a hint of white pepper and cherry pie.
This is a wine ANYONE would adore. Plenty of Old World funk and earthiness done in a ripe berry friendly New World style.
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6/24/2009 - donovanneb wrote: 87 Points
New World vintage style that is pronounced, doesn't touch the elegance of the 2005s
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5/20/2009 - clayfu wrote: 89 Points
looming vanilla with hints of spice , big ripe red berries and medium heat on the nose. A long finish of vegetation and tart cherries on the finish with a creamy ripe peppered strawberry palate. Right now a bit disjointed, each flavor is really pronounced but doesn't meld well together. Needs at least another year, not really balanced at this point. Still going into a shut down phase after a hour where the fruit moves away and the vegetation and earth move to the forefront but with still that silky alcoholic taste.
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5/13/2009 - Kmonkey wrote: 90 Points
Still seems a bit closed down. Drank half with a cassoulet, which it went well with. Nose of briar and dirt. Mostly non vinous flavors. Second day opened up a lot. Cherries and berries on both the nose and palate. Wish we had more, drank too early.
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5/2/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 92 Points
Ripe red cherries, dusty earth, mineral, touch of liquorice, and notes of white peach on the nose. Nose is marked by purity and depth of fruit. Palate is medium bodied, and has tremendous energy with a long finish. Very impressive for the basic bottling.
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4/26/2009 - oski wrote: 92 Points
nice
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4/25/2009 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
Nose: At first opening quite closed with only the clay loam aromas showing. With 30 minutes in the mag decanter (and time in a Sommelier Burg stem) it revealed big raspberries, kirsch, cassis, and the loamy qualities in a more supportive role. Additional background aromas of forrest floor, tree bark, and almonds also present. Palate: Raspberries, acid, and oak all compete for first chair. The result is a big Pinot that still manages to find balance. Some subtle spices also present. This is very well made and the most compelling aspect is the amazing, complex nose. Drink now with aeration or cellar 1-2 years and pop and pour.
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2/15/2009 - Deb293 wrote: 87 Points
Pretty disjointed at this stage; briary nose of menthol and spice, forest floor, pine and cedar. On the palate this has not had time to come together, with the minty/oaky aspects overpowering the fruit. Not voluptuous or particularly well balanced, with the finish all wood. Requires aeration to find the fruit. So far, not a "go to" wine for me. Better day two.
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1/25/2009 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
After 90 minutes to breathe, this was very good. Deep and rich, with notes of black cherry, clove and spice. Perfect acidity. Oak shows through upon opening but integrates nicely with air.
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11/8/2008 - freddyhan wrote: 91 Points
Tight initially, opened up gradually over course of an hour. Nice fresh cherry aromas w some heat. Heat present on finish w nice structure. Needs time to develop and for alcohol to integrate
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9/29/2008 - jc-mmb wrote: 91 Points
popped and poured. tight and tannic at first. not much finish, very ungiving. however after 1-2 hours really began to sing. lush fruits, spicy, decent palate and the finsh really opened up. nice
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9/28/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 89 Points
Out of the 3 Sea Smoke bottlings, Botella is "low end" of the three and arguably my least favorite. I'm not saying that it is a bad wine by any means as I do enjoy it quite a lot but it just doesn't have the character and and depth of the Southing or TEN. This was initially opened last night and it seemed to have a little bit of a green streak in it and it was also quite disjointed and sorta backwards. I left a glass of it out on the counter overnight and came back to it today at lunch and it has really come around a lot with nice fruit and spice elements and a smooth, clean finish.
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8/30/2008 - luckyinla wrote: 91 Points
Had this at a restaurant. Popped & poured and found the wine to be tight. Asked for a decanter, and after 20 minutes the wine began to evolve. Lots of cherry & red fruit followed by spices. Very smooth drinker & paired well with chicken & salmon entrees. I think this wine will be stellar in another year.
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7/13/2008 - Briggs720 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 3+ hours. Drank with Hether only. Incredibly balanced wine. Best of the 2006 vintage I have tasted so far. Plenty of fruit on the nose and spice on the finish. Supple with nice acidity and a velvety finish. Very bold and full bodied for Pinot. Will obviously improve with time but drinking just fine now. It's fair to say this is a little tight but I will love trying this again in the future. Four more bottles in the cellar. Lucky Us!
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6/21/2008 - burgcamel wrote:
Very hard to score at this stage. I found the wine too tight to determine it's potential. I would give it at least another year.
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6/11/2008 - Carl Thoma wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful young wine that should be aged more. Keep getting better in the glass. Perhaps elegant is the wrong word but lighter and more refined than many California Pinots. Cinnamon, spices, cherry, strawberry on the nose. Nice balance, refined tannins. Good acidy and finish. Highly recommend and rate 92.
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12/18/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Barrel tasting with the winemaker Kris Curran and the assistant winemaker, Don. There were two barrels that we tasted that I believe will be part of the final blend for the Botella and Ten, so I will post both.
U Block - thick syrupy nose of blackberry fruit. Still in primary stage.
R Block 115 - dark briary nose with thick dark fruit and a short finish. Still in primary stage.
Really looking forward to the final product. Fascinating to taste the building blocks right now.
Everyone is very down to earth and shares the philosophy of producing world class wines. From every indication, they are achieving it.
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