2014 Varner Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (14) Avg Score: 88.2 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View merryberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  10/20/2022 - merryberry Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Dirty red with light brown tinge. Spice and cranberry nose. Medium bodied, tart cranberries, black cherries, nutmeg, fully integrated tannins, and a nice finish. Good, old-style Pinot Noir. Well made and a good value.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View srh's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/14/2020 - srh Likes this wine:

  Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim. This bottle was PnP, Private Preserve used after Day 1.
  
  N: A fragrantly toasty, creaminess with spice (cinnamon?) slightly atop wild straws/red rasps (poss cherries)
  
  P: LM body; NICELY subtle, spicy frt met by an astringent PUCKER (albeit briefly) which fairly quickly works itself into & through the LONG, balanced, TANGY/swt (55:45) finish which, rather than the resolved tannins serves to accompany food, which it did nicely with Grilled Pk Chops & Mashed Potatoes. While still on the tight side for a for a "typical" CA P.N., it HAS loosened since 1/18/19, may still not QUITE have peaked, & shows no apparent tiring, at least as of Day 1. But, I suspect, one HAS to be a fan of cool climate CA, quasi-Burgundian, P.N. 13.2 % ABV; My EXC-.
  
  // Day 3: Still nicely fragrant with roses on top today; P, however, has clearly faded from Day 1, regardless of whether solo or with food. Therefore, unless imbibing ALL on Day 1, I'd have to drop my score to VG/VG+, & probably SAFEST to consume my mid-'22.
  
  // Day 4: Aromas now muted; P has continued to slide, though as it was marginally doable with the night's Chx Piccata (Macaroni Grill), & since the wine's dying frt firmness was not insurmountable, I suspect it might have been a very GOOD pairing on Day 1! 😉
  
  // ∑: Sticking with my EXC- "score" (90,91/100 using that metric) of Day 1, assuming it being consumed @ one sitting. 😉 [As of early Jan '21, wine-searcher still shows 6 sources @ $21.74 - $28].
  
  Note: First tasted on 1/18/19

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View LarsTversted's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/13/2019 - LarsTversted Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Let og god duft af pebber, solbær og nærmest sort oliven i næsen og smag. God kraftig pinot drue smag og pebber krydret eftersmag

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View srh's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/18/2019 - srh Likes this wine:

  Private Preserve after Day 1
  
  Preface: I've recorded both phases of my notes as written in order to convey where I think this wine MAY be headed. [However, I initially had it as a "neutral" rather than a "like".]
  
  Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
  
  N: Init barnyd blows to an earthiness, almost mustiness, but also with attractive notes of faded roses
  
  P: LM body; Nice frt met by an astringent structure which only LATE in the process resolves enough to allow SOME of the underlying swtness to peak through. Right now not all that attractive on P. Entering its 5th yr, I've my doubts, though I'll likely hold on to my 1 remaining bottle... just in case. 13.2% ABV; My VG-/VG. (Currently I find the early mid-P & most of the finish unappealing.) [Still available from numerous U.S. wine-searcher sources for $19-$28.]
  
  Day 5: Held up UNBELIEVABLY well, the edginess of Day 1 having *totally* departed to reveal a LOVELY balance! ∑: I'm thinking this just MIGHT be *truly* special down the line, particularly given that I only pd ≈$20 for it!

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View jnuger@gmail.com's profile
  • Report Issue

  9/21/2018 - jnuger@gmail.com Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Liked the second bottle a bit more.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 14 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.