Pinot Noir

From Argentina.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, sour cherries and a bit of char.  With air a cherry candy note emerges.  On the palate, this has a lot of tannins (most unusual for a Pinot Noir).  Plenty of cherry fruit with some tarragon.  A bitter cherry note on the finish.  This is a unique take on Pinot most likely due to the soils but also the high altitude of the vineyards.  It should drink well for another five to seven years.  This will go well with Salmon or Tuna steaks off the grill.  

This is very nice but curiously seemed a bit behind the two prior vintages of this wine.  Perhaps a bit shutdown.  Still, it was very good. Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight smoke and an herbal streak (rosemary/tarragon?).  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is nice cherry fruit, a bit stemmy with an underlying damp earthiness.  Moderate finish.  This will work better with food.  Pasta with mushrooms would be a nice choice.  It will be interesting to watch it develop Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is the base Pinot from Rhys.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight black cherries, and slight sour cherries.  Medium bodied.  Some depth and complexity.  Still youthful.  On the palate, sour cherries and cherries  with slight char and spice.  Nice finish.  This is chugging along nicely.  It won't get better but should mature and continue to drink well for another ten to twelve years.  It drinks well on its own but will work better food.  Roasted chicken or duck is a nice choice.  

This is a 100% Pinot Noir from Oregon.  Lightly colored ruby, clear and bright.  The nose has a friendly cherry candy quality.  Light to medium bodied. On  the palate, cherries, and tart red berries with a slightly bitter note on the finish.  Light tannins.  This is an easy drinking Pinot Noir that would be a nice choice for parties.  Drink on its own or with lighter foods over the next few years.  

This is a nice Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and some strawberries.  On the palate, this is a lighter, more elegant styled Pinot.  Nice cherry fruit with a touch of pomegranate.  Dry.  It finishes with tart cherries which wake up the palate.  This drinks well on its own and would work well with roasted (or fried) chicken.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

At a recent Intowine.com tasting, this proved to be quite popular especially among those who drank a lot of Rosé.  This is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  Pink/orange/amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose has watermelon, cherries and slight chervil notes.  Slightly viscous.  Dry with good acidity.  On the palate, cherries, boysenberries and slight citrus notes.  Clean and long finish.  More understated but delicious.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with all but the heaviest foods, especially on a hot day.  Drink over the next year or two.  

Nice to revisit this again.  It has done nicely in the last couple of years.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose has black cherries and sour cherries with a bit of earthiness.  Wonderful texture.  On the palate, lots of cherries and black cherries and some sour cherries.  This still has a bit more maturing until peak.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with roasted chicken.  

At or near peak and drinking well.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight funk. slight black cherries and spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, bold cherry and some black cherry fruit.  Slight forest floor and mushroom underneath.  Nice energy and balance.  Good finish.  This should drink well for another ten to twelve years.  Great on its own, this would work well with salmon or a mushroom dish.  

Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is dusty with some cedar and alcohol.  Just a hint of cherries.  On the palate, just a touch of cherry cough drops.  Firm tannins.  Shorter finish.  Certainly drinkable if at a wedding but this seems past prime.  Drink now.  Better on its own than with food.  

At age 10, this is drinking great.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight sour cherries, and spice.  Medium bodied.  This seems to be closing in on maturity.  Nice cherry fruit with a bit of underlying earth and slight char.  Nice acidity.  Long finish.  There is a nice complexity to this wine but it is also delicious.  It is nice on its own but even better with food.  Salmon would be a nice choice.