Pinot Noir

Peter Rosback will occasionally pull a barrel that is at a higher level and bottle it as a Reserve.  Such is the case with this bottle.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is great with sour cherries, black cherries, baking spices and slight cedar.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Lush, yet with plenty of vibrancy.  Juicy sour cherry fruit over some earthiness with a bit of char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This should continue to improve for five to seven years and be good for a decade or two after that.  It will work well with fowl or heartier sea food dishes.  

This is a blend of grapes from Steiner Ranch, Devoto Vineyard, Walker Vine Hill and Perli Vineyard.  It is middle of the road on a California Pinot Noir scale.  Ruby in color with some purple swirls.  On the nose, this has nice cherries with some raspberries along with some nutmeg.  Medium to full bodied.  Nice texture.  The raspberries are more prevalent on the nose and even some boysenberries.  A bit of tea leaves underneath.  Good finish.  An interesting Pinot with some level of complexity.  It probably won't get better but should last another ten to fifteen years at it mature and trades

Pop and pour, this is still youthful and needs a bit of air.  Deep ruby with some ruby swirls.  The nose has cherries, strawberries, spice and a slight char to it.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Nice cherry fruit with just a hint of candied cherries over a mineral/earthiness.  Light tannins.  This is young and will continue to mature.  It drinks grat on its own now but another few years and it might still improve.  Either way, it has at least ten to fifteen more years at the top.  This will work well with roasted fowl, pasta or casseroles.  

Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has rhubarb and slight cranberries with a touch of asparagus.  On the palate, this has cranberries.  Not much depth.  Biting acidity.  A thankfully short finish.  Not sure where this goes from here.  I tried a few different bottles but poured out all my glasses and switched to beer.  

This comes in 1.5L bottles.  It is a Sparkling Brut Rose.  Very pale pink in color.  A light mousse with smaller bubbles.  The nose has a cherry red pop quality to it although much lighter along with a bit of fresh baked bread.  On the palate, this has decent acidity.  Light cherries with some Fuji apples.  Moderate acidity.  Medium finish.  This drinks easy and will work better with food. A nice touch for hors d'oeuvres especially if salty.  Drink now.  

Very pale pink in color.  The nose has slight strawberry notes.  Light bodied.  On the palate, this has some strawberries.  Very light.  Served quite cold (at a wedding at the ranch), this was refreshing.  It should be consumed this year.  It lacks a lot of acidity, so keep the food light or serve on its own.  Serving ice cold was probably a good idea.  

Very nice showing for this wine.  Deep salmon pink with some orange swirls in color.  The nose has strawberries, some active yeast aromas, and a bot of cherries.  A nice mousse with small bubbles.  On the palate, this has nice cherries with some orange and an interesting milk chocolate note.  This has a nice complexity.  Good acidity.  Drinking well now; it has a nice verve and freshness that won't last.  It probably should be consumed in the next coup,e of years.  This went well with crackers and olives but would really go with just about anything.

This is a sparkling wine from California.  Oddly enough, I tasted it while stopping for lunch in Napa at the Oakville Grocer.  A couple seated next to me had ordered a bottle for lunch but only finished two thirds of it, and offered us the rest.  Who am I to refuse such a generous invitation.  The wine itself was very good and indeed, better than I had expected.  It is a blend of 64% Pinot Noir and 36% Chardonnay grown.  It is a pale pink/orange color, clear and bright with a good amount of smaller bubbles.  The nose is nice with strawberries, raspberries and a touch of yeast.  On the palat

Walt is the name that Hall, a Napa producer, releases a line of Pinot Noir.  This was my first time trying one that I recall.  It is a big fruit forward styled Pinot.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, sour cherries and spice.  Also a slight bit of dark chocolate.  On the palate, there is a lot of fruit.  Noticeable alcohol but not hot.  Sweet black cherries.  Deep if still tight.  It seems to need about five to seven more years of cellaring an then should have 8 to 12 years after that.  There is certainly some upside potential in the score.  This will work well with Roasted

This basic level Burgundy from a great vintage is drinking quite well at age 14.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has nice cherries with a slight forest floor.  On the palate, this has slight layering.  Slight complexity.  Slight tannins.  Good acidity.  Nice cherry fruit with a certain freshness.  Really a nice showing and better than anticipated.  It seems like it should still have five more years.  It will work great with fowl or heavier sea food dishes.