2014 Samsara Pinot Noir Las Hermanas, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

The Samsara wines in our tasting did not perform well. I am told that since about 2017, they have new owners and new winemakers, so I look forward to revisiting their wines. Medium ruby in color. The nose has cherries with some cinnamon. On the palate, this has a soft texture. Cherry candy and red licorice notes. Not a lot of depth but a glass is tasty. Shorter finish. This is drinkable and solid, but no more. Drink up. Probably better on its own than with food.

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Vintage:

2014

Current Price:

$60.00USD

2013 Samsara Pinot Noir Turner Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

Vintage:

2013

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Another disappointing wine from this winery that has since changed ownership and winemakers. Medium ruby in color. The nose has cherries and a whiff of bay leaf. On the palate, this is thin and simple. Not much body or depth. Certainly drinkable but for this kind of money (about $50 on release), one expects more. Drink now. It probably should be served with lighter salads and with a chill.

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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Sonoma's Must Try Pinot Noirs - 2015 Best of Sonoma

For the 2015 Best of Sonoma Lists we surveyed hundreds of local vintners asking for their inside perspective of the best wines, tasting rooms, and restaurants in Sonoma. Sonoma offers a wide range of pinot noir options—but some are simply too outstanding to miss. To help develop a list of the top of the top, we asked over a hundred of the top vintners in Sonoma for their own personal choice for the top Pinot Noir under $100 in the area, and the list is to die for.

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2014 Siduri Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

Vintage:

2014

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Current Price:

$50.00USD

Very impressive showing in a recent tasting. The kind of Pinot that pleased everyone. Deep ruby in color. The nose has black cherries, macerated cherries, slight brine. On the palate, the cherries and black cherries come out. This is big and bold. A bit of sour cherries on the finish. This is drinking well now and should continue for the next five to seven years. It works well on its own and will work well with roasted fowl.

2014 Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Bloom's Field, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

Vintage:

2014

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This is a very light and elegant Pinot Noir. For those liking that style, this will be a hit. For those who like a full throttle wine, this might be found lacking. Light ruby in color. The nose has cherries with some depth. On the palate, great acidity. Bright cherry fruit. Complex and delicious. Elegant. Nice finish. This should continue to develop for the next ten years or so and drink well for another ten after that. It will work better with food. Crab cakes would be a nice match.

2014 Samsara Pinot Noir Las Hermanas, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

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