2011 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Really drinking in a nice place right now. Very elegant and refined IMO, at least compared to other vintages. Ruby in color, clear and bright. The nose is very nice with macerated cherries, spice and slight fresh cherries. On the palate, this is not a big wine. Cherries and cherry juice with layers of damp forest floor. Good balance. Delicious too. Nice finish. Very food friendly for a wide range of foods. Very nice today. It might not get better but no hurry.

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Vintage:

2011

Top California Pinot Noir: Which California Wine Producers Make the Best Pinot Noir?

California has actually been making outstanding wines from the Pinot Noir grape for a long time. Sure, not long in the Burgundian sense but going back at least to the middle of the last century there were good bottles of Pinot Noir being produced in California. Not many to be sure, but there were some. Starting slowly, in the 1990’s, and then exploding when the movie Sideways came out, there are now more and more offerings of good to excellent Pinot Noir being produced in California.

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2019 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage:

2019

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Current Price:

$112.00USD

It was interesting tasting this side by side with the 2018. Very similar, but I slightly preferred the 2019. On the other hand, this was very different than the 2014 and 2018 Summa also tasted. Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries and a cola note. On the palate, this is big, fruit forward with black cherries, some cherries and char. Full bodied. Long finish. This is delicious but clearly filled with sunshine and fruit. Great on its own, this will also work with well roasted fowl but also a steak. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.

2016 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

B+

Current Price:

$80.00USD

This is a bigger wine than many of the Sonoma Coast Pinots, as such, it will perhaps, take a bit longer to mature. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is very tight. Spice. With air, black cherries and slight sour cherries emerge. Great, lush texture. On the palate, cherries, coffee and slight sour cherries. This is either ripe or has a bit of residual sugar as it does come off almost sweet. Nice finish. These needs another seven to ten years in the cellar and it should come together beautifully. Right now, this is a Pinot for those who like them t

2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$90.00USD

This is a much deeper, darker Pinot Noir than the Summa from 2018. Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries, cherries, spice and dust. Medium to full bodied. Light tannins. On the palate, cherries and powdered cherry candy notes along with some spice. Long finish. This is still drinking very young. Nice on its own, this will work well with food. A nice with for Roasted Lamb Chops. Drink over the next ten to twelve years.

Winemaker David Vergari Talks Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and....Armed Guards?

Sometimes there are people you encounter in life who, the minute you meet them, you think "This guy has a story to tell and I bet he tells it well." David Vergari is that guy. A veteran winemaker, David launched his own eponymous label, Vergari Wines , in 2003. He recently sat down with IntoWine to share with us his evolution as a winemaker and, most interestingly, the stories "behind the wine". You founded the Vergari Wine Company in 2003. What inspired you to strike out on your own? It happened in two ways: gradually, then quite suddenly.

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2011 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

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Winemaker David Vergari Talks Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and....Armed Guards?