2016 Ampelos Pinot Noir Lambda The Magnitude

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 89 points

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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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