2011 Ampelos Pinot Noir Rho

Community Tasting Notes (10) Avg Score: 90.5 points

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  5/14/2023 - timewithwine wrote:

  A fine wine but not nearly the wine that its 2012 sibling is, likely due to the weakness of the 2011 vintage. Crimson in color from rim to core. Notes of cola, black cherry, cinnamon, with some forest floor on the nose that tracks on the palate. The finish is fine but without depth. No sediment. 14.2% alc. With grilled pork tenderloin marinaded in cocoa, espresso, and ancho chili. 05.14.23. Recommended with reservations.

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  9/30/2022 - timewithwine Likes this wine:

  A beautiful color of crimson at the core of the wine. Black cherry, cinnamon, cola, cranberry, and forest floor on the nose. It all carries through to the palate, but the something herbal joins the mid-palate and oddly enough, some black pepper on the finish. The real story is the mouthfeel, however; it’s almost creamy in texture. Not enough “oo”s in the word “smooth” to describe how creamily smooth the mouthfeel was. My note from 2017 on this wine makes me think that it was in a resting/dumb stage at that point. No sediment. 14.2% alc. With roasted wild salmon under mushrooms. 09.30.22. Recommended.

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  5/15/2020 - timewithwine wrote:

  The Lambda was the featured wine of the Ampelos virtual tasting this week, so I had to pull one ... especially since it had just arrived in the tasting order I purchased during our SIP pandemic lockdown. The wine is made predominantly with clone 115 and offers abundant cherry-cola and cinnamon (warm spice, but not quite chinese 5 spice). The color leans toward candy apple but has a touch of bricking on the very rim. The Rho is deeper hued and offers more layered scents and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, cola and maybe laverdar. The mouthfeel is richer and more supple. The lambda continues to show - as prior bottles have shown - a peculiar bitterness on the finish; something between burnt almond and tangerine. Only 11 of Ampelos’ best barrels are selected and then aged 32 months in French oak make the cut to the Rho. Peter pulled a 2011 Lambda during the tasting to show how well their wines age. He described ‘11 as “a terrible year” with lots of rain and little sun well into June. That’s why I pulled the ‘11 Rho. Peter’s right: even in weak years, his wine carries well. The Lambda shows 14.1% alc. while the Rho clocks in at 14.2% alc. Almost no sediment. Both wines enjoyed with blue cheese and crusty bread following the Ampelos virtual tasting Recommended.

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  2/2/2020 - timewithwine wrote:

  This is all candy apple in color, but clear - as in you can read a newspaper through it. The nose too delivers scents of candy apple along with brown sugar and bright cherry. Something green and herbal presents on the nose as well. All the same on the palate but with an almost bitter finish, maybe a tangerine bitterness. The nine best barrels are selected and then aged 32 months in French oak, 50% of which was new. 14.2% alc. Almost no sediment. With duck cassoulet. Recommended.

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  8/4/2019 - MrBeijing Likes this wine: 90 Points

  For a 2011 still a lot of depth. Beautiful pinot. Refreshing. Would drink it now. Don’t wait another year. Not fading yet but it’s at its peak.

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View all 10 Community Tasting Notes

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