Top Ten Pinot Noirs of 2016

I tend to taste and drink a lot of wine over the course of a year. I am in a few tasting groups, sometimes the wines are consumed at various local wine store tastings and a number drunk with friends and family.

2000 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, USA, California, Central Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

From a recent cellar purchase a friend made, this was very drinkable and much better than I would have thought.  Cherry red in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight sandalwood and slight baking spice.  Medium bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, there is still nice cherry fruit.  Not super complex but some depth.  It drinks nicely on its own but would be better with food.  It would be nice with baked salmon with a cream sauce.  Drink up.  

2005 Jean-Paul Magnien Clos St. Denis, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

This is nice but perhaps given the vineyard and vintage, it fell below hoped for expectations.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight black cherries, a bit of spice and just a hint of sour cherries.  Medium bodied.  No tannins.  Persistent acidity.  On the palate, this is nice with black cherries and some cherries, but it just sort of stops there.  Not much depth and no complexity.  It is enjoyable and certainly worth drinking but that is it.  Food will help.  Drink up as this doesn't seem likely to improve.   

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