Pinot Noir

Apparently, their first vintage of Pinot Noir.  A.P.

Ruby in color, clear and bright.  This is tight at first but opens with air to show cherries and a slight citrus (orange peel?) quality.  Medium bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate, tart cranberries and some cherries.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking well now and probably should be drunk over the next three to five years.  It will work better with food.  Roasted fowl would be a nice choice.  

This proved proved to be a love it or ate it wine in a recent tasting.  It tied for the wine of the night but had some detractors including me.  I think the biggest issue had to be whether it was past prime or in its prime.  Ruby in color, flat and cloudy.  On the nose, there is a sour cherry juice quality with slight oxidation.  Medium bodied with light tannins countered by a soft texture that was easy to drink.  Thin.  The sour cherry fruit come thru on the palate.  A shorter finish.  I didn't find the complexity hoped for in a 12 year old Pinot.  It is fine and drinkable and not too expe

This is the best vintage of this wine and that is saying something.  The top Pinot Noir uses the best barrels of all of his single vineyard wines to craft this wine.  Normally, a very fruit forward wine, this is more ephemeral in nature.  The term "Burgundian" gets thrown around a lot but is not far from the mark here.  Deep ruby in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is great with raspberries, black cherries, cherries, spice and slight clean earthiness.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this unwinds slowly in the glass.  Deep and complex.  Cherry and black cherry frui

This is drinking great right now.  Everything one could want in a Santa Cruz Pinot Noir.  Deep ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has cherries, candied cherries and slight cherry cough drops with just a hint of clean earthiness.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has layers of cherry fruits with underlying earthiness.  Lovely, slightly lush texture with a slickness that makes it so drinkable.  Nice finish.  This seems to be closing in on peak but may still develop more.  Either way, it should easily do ten to twelve more years.  

This is the entry level Pinot Noir from the home vineyard of winemaker Thomas Rivers-Brown.  At age 11, this is doing quite well.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, sour cherries, and a bit of spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the sour cherries dominate with some underlying spice and a touch of earthiness.  Lots of lively energy.  Delicious.  Long finish.  Yes, this is a big Pinot, but for California, it has some restraint to it.  Lots of sunshine and verve.  Just starting to hit its sweet spot, this should drink well for another twelve to fif

My first time trying this wine.  It is a full throttle Pinot Noir carrying a California designation that weighs in at 14.5% abv.  Attratcively packaged with half the bottle covered in black wax.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is big with black cherries and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Cherries, black cherries and anise.  Long finish.  This is bold and delicious.  This could only come from California.  It is very young so it will be interesting to see how it evolves.  Right now it drinks better on its own although it will work with hearty meat and fow

2018 seems to be a very successful year for Sineann.  This is the basic Pinot Noir from one of the top producers of single vineyard Oregon Pinots made from the declassified juices from five different vineyards.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with sour cherries, hay and slight black pepper.  With air a slight minty note emerges.  It has a very nice mouthfeel.  The abv is listed at 13.4%.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit that is ever so slightly jammy at this point.  It is delicious.  There is some warmth on the finish.  This really needs s

One typically doesn't think of Pinot Noir and Napa, but the district of Carneros spans into both Napa and Sonoma and is the home of many excellent Pinot Noirs.  This is a very pretty, elegantly styled Pinot.  Ruby in color, clear and bright and a touch lighter.  The nose is nice with bright cherries, macerated cherries, sandalwood and a touch of chervil.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has cherries and cherry cough drop notes with a touch of anise.  Light tannins.  Very smooth and easy to sip.  Nice finish.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with salmon or roasted fowl. 

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.