Last tasted nearly 2.5 years ago, a rich, dark, concentrated pinot, with plums, black cherry,, boysenberry, spice, hints of vanilla and earth. Plenty dry for a new world pinot and still some tannins on the moderately long finish
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Much better with some age on it. Smoother to the palate, I'll buy that there are some notes of cherry pie, but I get more of that in some other CA pinots, Santa Lucia highlands. Nice dinner accompaniment.
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- Medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - Clear bright reddish purple core fading to a cherry red rim. Raspberry, cherry, slight barnyard and spice on the nose. Soft tannins, medium acidity with cherry and tobacco on the palate. Maybe lacking a lilt fruit
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I don't know if it's the bottle or evolution, but this bottle was way better than the one I had 13 months ago (see 1/15 note). No heat, very rich, perhaps a bit too rich, concentrated, thick, with dark plum, black cherry, creamy vanilla, hints of earth, not too sweet, long intense finish.
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This wine seems to transform into better wine each time I taste it. Yellowing rim; red ruby color. Lots of cherry, along with spice, some cigar box, earthiness, a tad of perfume on the nose. Good mouth feel and better fruit concentration. A medium finish. I did not get heat this time. Still pairs well with baked salmon.
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Typical dark, extracted, heavily-oaked CA Pinot. Big black cherry & spice notes on the palate, with no acidity & little tannin. In no way bad, but replicable at half the price. Disapointing QPR. [14.5% abv.; $39.00].
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Yellowing at the rim. A red-ruby color this time; no bricking though. Same aromas as in my prior tastings - cherry, some raspberry and spice. Seems to have a better fruit concentration. But, it still has that astringency on the back palate. One bottle left.
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Mostly red fruit, with prominent cherry flavors and aromas, but a good dose of spicy blackberry, with hints of tobacco and tar and mildly floral notes. Not so heavy in the cola or alcohol department this time, but still a bit hot. 88-90.
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Who can resist this wine? Not me. A smooth and integrated wine with smooth as silk cherry notes. The WOTN. It does not need any more time. Paired perfectly with Turkey and all the fixings. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.
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Yellow/brown around the edges. Still packing lots of heat/alcohol and has lost the big fruit. Instead of mellowing this wine simply fell apart. I tasted this a year ago and could not believe the big fruit bomb was a pinot noir but it was drinkable then; today I'm not sure about cooking with it.
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Yellowish-purple at the rim. Clear ruby color. Prominent cherry, some raspberry and spice on the nose. Did not get cola on the nose this time. Decent nose with medium fruit concentration. The finish seem to be softening, but it still has some heat on the back palate and gullet. This is a food wine. Pairs well with baked salmon with a mild sprinkle of of Cajun spice.
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Already some yellowing on the rim; clear ruby body. Cherry, raspberry, spice, cola and oak. Nice nose. Tastes OK in the mouth, but what an astringent finish. Food helps. The finish lowers the grade on this wine.
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On first sniff, no mistaken this for anything other that a new world pinot, with red cherry, red plum and raspberry, quite nice, infact. However, agree with privious note way too much alcohol on the palate, some ripe fruit and a good dose of vanilla, but the heat was overpowering, at least at this stage. The alcohol may intergrate with time, perhaps a year or two, two more bottles left, will wait and see! Did not detect any excessive ripeness, extraction or jammy flavors, ofcourse the alcohol dominated the palate completely and covered up any secondary notes.
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If the pinot noir grape remnants could see what has been produced from them, they would roll over in whatever passes for their grape-grave. This enormous wine is way over the top in terms of ripeness, extract and alcohol, my biggest complaints being that it is hot hot hot, with high alcohol, overly bold, jammy bouquets and flavors that obliterate any grace and elegance from the variety that should be the epitome of such style and lastly, the wine lacks all typicity of Pinot Noir. I would never in a thousand years have identified the grape as Pinot Noir -- it could have easily been Merlot, Syrah or anything else produced with such a heavy hand (and may in fact have had 24% of such grapes added to ratchet up the impact). Also seemed out of balance with sweetness unmatched with any acidity that would have added freshness. Admittedly, these criticisms reflect my judgmental subjective personal quirks, and others will rave over the high-octane style. In fact, my wife loves it, so it is not necessarily a "bad" wine; but it will not appeal to everyone. Maybe I should have tried it with cigars and Stilton after dinner.
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They may have well added, "with vanilla ice cream". I can see how this might appeal to many people, but Pinot lovers should stay away. If you happen to have any, serve it for dessert.
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We hosted a party for our daughter's school parents, and I decanted this and hid it in the cellar for a select few. It was great. Very open and approachable after a 4 hour decant. Great fruit profile. Very silky. Nice stuffing for the long haul. No disappointments here. Yummy stuff.
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A great bottle of pinot. Looked like cherry juice in the glass. The taste really opened up after about 30 minutes to nice red fruit with a wonderful finish.
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Well, obviously some cherry pie characteristics but not the ripe, sweet fruit I was anticipating. A bit of an edge that did not soften with air. It was still very approachable and wonderful nuances. Some dark cherries and pipe tobacco. Some overripe blackberry and orange rind that leads into a dense but balanced palate. Somewhat veiled and slow to reveal itself.
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Lacked a little of the exuberance of its 'Stanly Ranch' sibling, but made up for it in depth. Strawberries and red fruit on the palate but a little bit of leather on the nose.
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When opened notes off cherry, chocolate and spice with some vanilla. Taste was balanced, with berry flavors. After 1 hours the nose was brighter cherry, spice and orange chocolate notes, little bit of vanilla. Taste was full of cherry flavors and red raspberry nice and easy to drink. Wonderful Pinot noir
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7/5/2014 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Last tasted nearly 2.5 years ago, a rich, dark, concentrated pinot, with plums, black cherry,, boysenberry, spice, hints of vanilla and earth. Plenty dry for a new world pinot and still some tannins on the moderately long finish
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3/18/2013 - Higreen wrote: 91 Points
Much better with some age on it. Smoother to the palate, I'll buy that there are some notes of cherry pie, but I get more of that in some other CA pinots, Santa Lucia highlands. Nice dinner accompaniment.
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12/12/2012 - JDRFoster wrote: 90 Points
Ripe and rich, high octane New World.
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9/12/2012 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking well, consistent with previous notes. Wish I had MORE!!
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6/20/2012 - A&C wrote: 94 Points
Silky and big. Drinking very well right now.
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5/30/2012 - A&C wrote:
Consumed on Blakely over Memorial Day.
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5/27/2012 - T Warner wrote: 89 Points
- Medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - Clear bright reddish purple core fading to a cherry red rim. Raspberry, cherry, slight barnyard and spice on the nose. Soft tannins, medium acidity with cherry and tobacco on the palate. Maybe lacking a lilt fruit
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3/18/2012 - JDRFoster wrote: 90 Points
Rich and ripe, with improving balance and a little less heat. Very nice.
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2/25/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
I don't know if it's the bottle or evolution, but this bottle was way better than the one I had 13 months ago (see 1/15 note). No heat, very rich, perhaps a bit too rich, concentrated, thick, with dark plum, black cherry, creamy vanilla, hints of earth, not too sweet, long intense finish.
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2/21/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 90 Points
This wine seems to transform into better wine each time I taste it. Yellowing rim; red ruby color. Lots of cherry, along with spice, some cigar box, earthiness, a tad of perfume on the nose. Good mouth feel and better fruit concentration. A medium finish. I did not get heat this time. Still pairs well with baked salmon.
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1/13/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 88 Points
Expressive nose of black cherry,cola and spice. Dense body of raspberry, cherry, vanilla and spice. Medium finish.
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12/31/2011 - Bacchant wrote: 89 Points
Typical dark, extracted, heavily-oaked CA Pinot. Big black cherry & spice notes on the palate, with no acidity & little tannin. In no way bad, but replicable at half the price. Disapointing QPR. [14.5% abv.; $39.00].
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12/15/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 89 Points
Yellowing at the rim. A red-ruby color this time; no bricking though. Same aromas as in my prior tastings - cherry, some raspberry and spice. Seems to have a better fruit concentration. But, it still has that astringency on the back palate. One bottle left.
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12/10/2011 - JDRFoster Likes this wine: 89 Points
Mostly red fruit, with prominent cherry flavors and aromas, but a good dose of spicy blackberry, with hints of tobacco and tar and mildly floral notes. Not so heavy in the cola or alcohol department this time, but still a bit hot. 88-90.
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11/24/2011 - A&C wrote: 92 Points
Who can resist this wine? Not me. A smooth and integrated wine with smooth as silk cherry notes. The WOTN. It does not need any more time. Paired perfectly with Turkey and all the fixings. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.
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11/15/2011 - julierich1 wrote: 74 Points
Yellow/brown around the edges. Still packing lots of heat/alcohol and has lost the big fruit. Instead of mellowing this wine simply fell apart. I tasted this a year ago and could not believe the big fruit bomb was a pinot noir but it was drinkable then; today I'm not sure about cooking with it.
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11/4/2011 - PangurBan wrote: 88 Points
Dark cherries and red berries on the nose and in the mouth. Good balance with firm tannins. Pleasant finish.
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9/25/2011 - drbdorfman wrote: 92 Points
- Violet color - Has definitely gotten better over the past year. Really coming together
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8/28/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 89 Points
Yellowish-purple at the rim. Clear ruby color. Prominent cherry, some raspberry and spice on the nose. Did not get cola on the nose this time. Decent nose with medium fruit concentration. The finish seem to be softening, but it still has some heat on the back palate and gullet. This is a food wine. Pairs well with baked salmon with a mild sprinkle of of Cajun spice.
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7/5/2011 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
last one. cherry pie indeed good stuff but nothing subtle about this wine.
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5/28/2011 - hammie1234 wrote: 92 Points
Showed more structure than first time I drank it. Huge red fruit. Wow!
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5/24/2011 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
Not for the faint of heart Pinot but really good
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3/27/2011 - JDRFoster wrote: 90 Points
Still a nice easy drink, a bit on the hot side, with ripe, rich red fruit, and fairly pominent cola notes.
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3/23/2011 - spretzer wrote: 90 Points
easy drinking pinot. i would agree that the alcohol does seem to dominate the wine. it stays with you longer than it should. I do enjoy it though
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3/17/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 88 Points
Already some yellowing on the rim; clear ruby body. Cherry, raspberry, spice, cola and oak. Nice nose. Tastes OK in the mouth, but what an astringent finish. Food helps. The finish lowers the grade on this wine.
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1/15/2011 - wineshaman wrote: 85 Points
On first sniff, no mistaken this for anything other that a new world pinot, with red cherry, red plum and raspberry, quite nice, infact. However, agree with privious note way too much alcohol on the palate, some ripe fruit and a good dose of vanilla, but the heat was overpowering, at least at this stage. The alcohol may intergrate with time, perhaps a year or two, two more bottles left, will wait and see! Did not detect any excessive ripeness, extraction or jammy flavors, ofcourse the alcohol dominated the palate completely and covered up any secondary notes.
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1/9/2011 - thwacker wrote: 80 Points
If the pinot noir grape remnants could see what has been produced from them, they would roll over in whatever passes for their grape-grave. This enormous wine is way over the top in terms of ripeness, extract and alcohol, my biggest complaints being that it is hot hot hot, with high alcohol, overly bold, jammy bouquets and flavors that obliterate any grace and elegance from the variety that should be the epitome of such style and lastly, the wine lacks all typicity of Pinot Noir. I would never in a thousand years have identified the grape as Pinot Noir -- it could have easily been Merlot, Syrah or anything else produced with such a heavy hand (and may in fact have had 24% of such grapes added to ratchet up the impact). Also seemed out of balance with sweetness unmatched with any acidity that would have added freshness. Admittedly, these criticisms reflect my judgmental subjective personal quirks, and others will rave over the high-octane style. In fact, my wife loves it, so it is not necessarily a "bad" wine; but it will not appeal to everyone. Maybe I should have tried it with cigars and Stilton after dinner.
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11/27/2010 - pape du neuf wrote: 86 Points
They may have well added, "with vanilla ice cream".
I can see how this might appeal to many people, but Pinot lovers should stay away.
If you happen to have any, serve it for dessert.
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11/24/2010 - jmprusko Likes this wine: 87 Points
Almost too sweet but just in time develops a beautiful creaminess.
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11/11/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
Delicious as usual. Tracking down more
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10/12/2010 - A&C wrote: 93 Points
We hosted a party for our daughter's school parents, and I decanted this and hid it in the cellar for a select few. It was great. Very open and approachable after a 4 hour decant. Great fruit profile. Very silky. Nice stuffing for the long haul. No disappointments here. Yummy stuff.
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10/1/2010 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 92 Points
A great bottle of pinot. Looked like cherry juice in the glass. The taste really opened up after about 30 minutes to nice red fruit with a wonderful finish.
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9/16/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
I am trying to stay away but I drinks so well now. good sonoma coast pinot
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9/6/2010 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 89 Points
Well, obviously some cherry pie characteristics but not the ripe, sweet fruit I was anticipating. A bit of an edge that did not soften with air. It was still very approachable and wonderful nuances. Some dark cherries and pipe tobacco. Some overripe blackberry and orange rind that leads into a dense but balanced palate. Somewhat veiled and slow to reveal itself.
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8/23/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
Delicious
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8/8/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
delicious bright, fruit
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7/20/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
Delicious and a good value.
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7/5/2010 - wineguy58 wrote: 90 Points
great balanced sonoma coast pinot with hints of the terroir and fruit
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3/28/2010 - JDRFoster wrote: 92 Points
Lots of red fruit. Medium finish. An easy drink that improved with air time.
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3/18/2010 - Breguet wrote: 93 Points
Thought that the second bottle was marginally better even - did not decant this time - just opened and consumed - with JAC at the office.
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3/18/2010 - Breguet wrote: 92 Points
Really good juice - drank with Adam Wagner and family at dinner party.
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3/5/2010 - LZ wrote: 94 Points
Very good wine buy as much as you can this is the next great Pinot !!
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2/20/2010 - bundydavis wrote: 92 Points
The name of the wine says it all.
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12/28/2009 - Niagara wrote: 91 Points
Lacked a little of the exuberance of its 'Stanly Ranch' sibling, but made up for it in depth. Strawberries and red fruit on the palate but a little bit of leather on the nose.
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12/15/2009 - bmmcneill wrote: 92 Points
When opened notes off cherry, chocolate and spice with some vanilla. Taste was balanced, with berry flavors. After 1 hours the nose was brighter cherry, spice and orange chocolate notes, little bit of vanilla. Taste was full of cherry flavors and red raspberry nice and easy to drink. Wonderful Pinot noir
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12/12/2009 - bigdogflow wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Well balanced taste. Tons of bright cherry, with no acidity.
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