Pinot Noir

Count me among those who find a certain greenness to the 2004 Burgundies.  Others at the table loved this wine and either didn't find that quality or didn't mind it.  Ruby/purple in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, a bit of earthiness and an herbal quality hanging around the background.  It comes across as a sort fresh thyme mixed with cilantro.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries, herbal notes and char.  It is also complex and layered.  It works better with food and it would be nice with fresh sashimi.  It has plenty

From magnum.  This bottle seemed to get mixed reactions from the table.  Some thought it needed a long decant and others were more positive.  I found it young, but very enjoyable.  Like many Pinots, a lot depends on what style you like best.  This seemed on the darker, more ripe side especially in this format.  Deep ruby in color, purple at the core, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, black tea, char, and slight earthiness.  Great texture.  Good energy.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cherries, with some char and earthiness/minerality.  Long fin

This is bottled only in 375ml.  It is a barrel selection blend.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, char and spice.  With air, some licorice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has depth.  Great cherry fruit with some char.  Good finish.  Nice on its own, this would work well with Pork Chops.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This is their base Pinot Noir which is a combination of what was not bottled as a single vineyard.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, cranberries and some rhubarb along with a touch of spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is deep and tasty.  Flavors of cherries, sour  cherries and cranberries.  Good finish.  Nice on its own, this is better with food.  It would be great with stuffed Portobellos.  This is a great value in Pinot Noir.  Drink over the then next eight to twelve years.  

Deep ruby in color with some even more purple hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, sour cherries, and spice.  Nice texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is more about sour cherries with some spice and a bit of char.  Nice finish. This is drinking well now  and should continue for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with Salmon.  

Rhys makes some of the best Pinot Noir's (and Chardonnays) anywhere.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, spice, char and slight earthiness.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is complex and layered from the first sip.  Cherries, earth and smoke.  Long finish.  This took a while to get to this point, but it is drinking well. It should continue to drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own but better with food.  Roasted duck would be perfect.  

This is a great value in Pinot Noir.  Deep garnet/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, and spice.  Clean.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with some spice.  Good finish.  This is a surprisingly bigger and riper Pinot (for France) than expected.  That is not to say over done.  Good finish.  Nice on its own, this should work well with many foods.  Salmon would be nice.   It was nice with pasta in a mushroom sauce.  Drink over the  next five to seven years.  

This is a very special bottling.

This is a lighter, more elegant style of Pinot that is not often seen (even in Burgundy) these days.  Light ruby  in color, clear and vibrant.  The nose is great with sour cherries, dusty attic, and spice.  Really nice semi-velvety texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherries and some sour cherries.  Clean.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own, but would be better with food.  A Mushroom Quiche would work well.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

Bouchaine has consistently made this wine and has consistently made it well. What sets this apart from many California rosé is that it straddles the line between fruit and acidity, allowing the wine to be a part of any meal. It offers strawberry, lemon-lime, resin, light apricot and loquat. There is also a slight tartness to it, a hint of green apple that helps define this as a multi layered wine. Since the wine sees no oak at all, the freshness, the brightness and the clean fruit shines through. 1,500 cases. ORIGIN: Napa Valley, Carneros. ALCOHOL: 13.5%