Winemaker of the Year – Page 4

June 22, 2020January 8, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma, California.

Ahhhh. Just right. Beautiful aromatic nose with berries (my little boy says cranberries), a leather reminiscent of wet sandy forrest floor, black licorice and cedarwood notes.

Body shows a tight balance. Buttery tannins go hand-in-hand with mild acid. Subtle oak, dry fruit accompanies a fairly neutral terroir expression creating a lush mouth feel. A transition to finish with minimal fanfare capped with mild spice and subtle tannic grip reminds you that this typical Roessler Pinot, while beautiful right now, has a bit more in store for you if you are willing to be patient.

Spoil your palate. Stop by the tasting room or order any one of their monthly case deals. Explore artisan crafted Pinot from up and down the pacific coast. He’s done all the homework for you to enjoy. Well done Roger and Company!

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

May 27, 2020January 8, 2022

2008 Pinot Noir (Brosseau) by Roger Roessler

Tonight’s occasion: 2008 Pinot Noir (Brosseau – Chalone, Salinas Valley) by Roger Roessler of Roger Roessler Wines.

This is my last bottle of this signature series by one of my all-time favorite winemakers. A special and bittersweet occasion. This has always been one of my favorite series from Roessler. His Pinot are amazing, but after almost 12 years this one is just right.

Dark rich intense color. Gentle brooding nose with lots of plum and earthy sandy mineral leather. Body shows a good slightly acidic balance and smooth texture out of the bottle. A tart plum and mineral terroir conspire to simulate a black currant on the back. Gentle but very present tannins quickly turn creamy, giving it a full mouth feel. A seamless transition to a smooth finish culminates in a brief punch of spice before fading away into the sunset. Pairing with a spicy Asian chicken dish amplifies the spice punch. A Tuscan style pizza brings out unexpected truffle like mushrooms in the terroir.

This is precisely why I maintain a cellar. 148 cases produced. Capturing limited production art like this at its peak expression is priceless.

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

May 7, 2020January 8, 2022

2013 Syrah (Les Cotes de L’ouest) by Terre Rouge

Tonight’s occasion: 2013 Syrah (Les Cotes de L’ouest) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth, California. Dark rich intense color. Nose is restrained with gentle notes of plum, dark berries and hint of sweet cherry. Terroir is tastefully expressed through subtle wet sandy leather. Once opened up, a hint of mushrooms emerges when swirled. Body is balanced from front to back, attack to finish. Mild acidity opens up the palate which is quickly filled in with plums, dark cherries and the faintest hint of dried apricot all wrapped in massive, heavy tannin. A seamless transition to finish characterized by an ever tightening tannic grip resulting in parched lips sealed shut with a spicy tingle.

Terre Rouge is our 2019 Winemaker Of The Year. This is their flagship wine, intended to introduce the wider consumer audience to their exquisite small batch wines. It is a head scratcher of a wine because it stands head and shoulders above most reserve Syrah I’ve had. It presents an incredible value at a mind boggling price point. It embodies what a classic California Syrah is all about. I keep a case on hand as a baseline comparison whenever reviewing a Syrah and I can say many Syrah have fallen to this humble wine. Well done Bill, Jane and the entire Terre Rouge Easton Team! 🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.

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March 18, 2020January 8, 2022

2016 Pinot Noir by Roger Roessler

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir (Lennox) by Roger Roessler Wines .

Clear, bright ruby red color. Bright nose with lots of cherry, leather undertone which upon closer inspection is definitely more silt like mix of dirt, sediment and sandstone. Definitely reminiscent of that signature Sonoma dirt.
Bright balanced body carries most of the characteristics in the nose forward. In addition a hint plum and black currant on the back provide good structure, composition and contrast to the cherry notes. Once opened up, subtle tannins turn creamy as they transition to a smooth clean finish capped with a hint of spice.

This wine is still young and should only get more nuanced over the next four or more years. As with most Pinot by this vintner, it will be a real gem around the 10 year mark. I just realized I have a case of this particular vintage in my cellar so it definitely didn’t hurt to explore it. My vertical goes back to its inception a few years before. His Pinot Noirs have forever changed the palates of many over the years.

Cheers Roger. Thank you for sharing your passion with us all. 🍷☺️🙏🏽

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

February 15, 2020July 14, 2022

2008 Pinot Noir by Roger Roessler

Tonight’s occasion: 2008 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Roessler of Roger Roessler Wines.

I have been following this vintner’s work for more than a decade. His style of Pinot lend themselves to long graceful aging. They are absolutely gorgeous wines after about a decade. This is a bittersweet moment to match the bittersweet day I just had. It is my last bottle. I will never indulge in this vintage again.

It has a very rich, aromatic nose full of sweet cherry, caramel/marshmallow, hint of licorice and leather undertone. Each swirl unlocks a burst of aromas. It’s a neat little trick. I’m grinning with every sip. Body is very balanced, opening with a hint of acidity which quickly gives way to a chewy, creamy structure. Transition to a brief finish is seamless. The whole experience quickly fades away from the palate before you have a chance to catch up, leaving you wondering if the wine is trying to tell you something. Very gentle spicy tannic grip lingers long after its over.

Wines like this are the reason I have a cellar. I want to catch it when it is peaking. When a wine is at its fullest expression. This wine is perfect right now. I certainly feel blessed and fortunate right now.

Thank you for always pursuing your passion Roger 😌🙏🏽🍷🍷🍷

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

January 13, 2020January 8, 2022

Reserve: 2017 Pinot Noir by Bumgarner

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (El Dorado) by Bumgarner.

Bright ruby color. Upon opening there’s a noticeable burst of sweet licorice on the nose. Sweet cherry joins in the ensemble. A hint of oak and at least one other floral aroma I cannot pinpoint at the moment. Body is moderately acidic, dry, tart plum, slightly tannic, showing good structure and balance. Once it’s opened up, the transition turns creamy. A slight mineral leather makes an appearance right before transitioning to a subtly floral finish. A gentle, spicy tannic grip caps the whole experience. This is a clean, well executed Pinot Noir.

While very approachable right now, it is nowhere near it’s fullest expression. I would give this Pinot at least another 5-10 years. I have been following this winemaker’s work for the better part of the past two decades. I have never seen him make a Pinot before. As a matter of fact I have never seen a Pinot Noir from the El Dorado region. I couldn’t think of a better craftsman to undertake this task. His style is more traditional old world wines that lend themselves to graceful aging. Pick up a few bottles and forget about them. Thank me later. I’m looking forward to more amazing Pinot Noir Brian!🍷😁👌🏽

December 4, 2019January 8, 2022

2008 Syrah (Sentinel Oak) by Terre Rouge

Tonight’s occasion: 2008 Syrah (Sentinel Oak Vineyards) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth, CA. Deep inky color. Rich nose with lots of plum, blackberry and a hint of caramel on the back. Big, beautiful and bold structured body with great balance. That plum and blackberry carries through into the body accompanied by a little acidity. Massive finish dominates the palate as those big tannins roar to life and demand your attention. This is a fantastic wine. A well built wine that punches above it’s weight. The winemakers’s tireless attention to detail, commitment to excellence without compromise and decades of practice in the art and science of wine making really shows here. This wine is just now becoming approachable in my opinion and has easily another decade of expression ahead of it. At 11+ years old, it is nowhere near its peak expression. Well done Terre Rouge * Easton! 😁🍷🍷🍷 Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.

October 14, 2019January 8, 2022

2011 L’Autre (GSM) by Terre Rouge.

Tonight’s occasion: 2011 L’Autre by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines. This is a GSM – Grenache, Syrah, Mauvedre. A red blend from one of our favorite winemakers. Warm rich nose, with lots of cherry and plum wrapped in just the right amount of oak. Earthy mineral terroir is nicely expressed. Body is all business. Very structured, complex and balanced. Just the right amount of acid, tannin, fruit, oak, and terroir. A vibrant finish plays back and forth with tannin and spice, finally relenting to long lasting tannic grip. Once opened up, the tannins begin to spread from the finish to the back of the body, slowly dominating the entire experience reminding you that even though this is the 2011 vintage, it is still young and nowhere near it’s fullest expression.

We opened a 1992 GSM by this winemaker earlier this year. It was a true honor to partake in such a well built well preserved wine. So tonight we continue to explore this winemaker’s craft and how it evolves. There are moments where we feel fortunate to indulge in such art in a bottle. This would be one of them. Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.

August 5, 2019January 8, 2022

Reserve: 2008 Red Label Pinot Noir by Roessler

Tonight’s occasion: 2008 Red Label Pinot Noir, Sonoma County by Roger Roessler of Roger Roessler Wines. After opening up for at least 15 minutes it reveals a well balanced nose with that signature Sonoma earth, a little oak and berry. The body remains vibrant with a hint of fruit, good acidity and ever so faint spice heading into the finish which fades away into the sunset from there on.

I am down to just one of these Red Labels. It amazes me every time how his Pinot ages oh so gracefully all the while remaining so approachable over such an unusually long life span. This vintner’s wines may be drinkable now, but the real reward is years or even a decade later. This is a bittersweet occasion but one I’m so grateful for.

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

April 7, 2019January 8, 2022

1999 Syrah (Sentinel Oak) by Terre Rouge

Tonight’s occasion: 1999 Syrah (Sentinel Oak Vineyard) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines of Shenandoah Valley, California. It has an elusive nose with a hint of oaky chocolate, maybe a little plum. Once opened it almost vanishes. Body has a mature late stage balance with a hint of acidity that gently and patiently segues into the finish which is introduced by a very brief bite of spice before riding into the sunset with a final gentle wave of mild tannic grip. This wine is ripe and has been ripe for a while. After 20 years of patiently waiting, it came right out of the bottle ready with the posture of an old sage. It needs no decanting. It is absolutely beautiful. I cannot say enough about a winemaker whose craft shows so well after so long. A bottle like this is a distinct honor, privilege and true occasion. Where were you in 1999? Now imagine where this winemaker was at the same time. Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.