Pinot Noir – Page 2

January 18, 2022January 18, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) by Amrita Cellars

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) by Amrita Cellars, Santa Rosa, CA

Nose is very shy. Every note is little more than a whisper. Crisp raspberry, bright red berries overlay a subtle wet woody grassy turf. Red vines licorice eventually emerge as it breathes.

Body is balanced from front to back. Greeting with a very soft, silky mouth feel. Berries carry over albeit very restrained. Subtle citrus and cola like linger. Faint shadows of structure precipitate as the body fades into clouds and whiffs of the different notes. This show continues, slowly diminishing until there’s very little left on the palate but faint dusty grit and candle flames worth of warmth on winter night.

This is an very nice take on the classic Burgundian style of Pinot. It is very subtle. The average palate would likely find this too abstract and nuanced. However for the intermediate to advanced palate, it should prompt focus and quiet appreciation. I can also see this showing well as a chillable red. I think it’s impressive that such a small artisan wine can show such nuance and subtlety. Nicely done Sunny!

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Sunny, owner/winemaker would like to invite you to taste his small batch production artisan wines. I think you should too, especially if you enjoy California Pinot Noir. You can order yours via their website Amrita Cellars (amritacellars.com) and use Promo/Discount Code WS2022 to get 10% off your order. A great opportunity to support a small artisan winemaker and explore another hidden gem off the beaten path. Be sure you share your thoughts and tasting notes with me.

January 7, 2022January 14, 2022

2019 Pinot Noir (Ridgetop) by Sojourn, Sonoma

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 Pinot Noir (Ridgetop – Sonoma Coast) by Sojourn Cellars, Sonoma, CA Clear ruby color. Long legs. Bright raspberry and red berries on the nose. Fresh wet grassy turf, wet wood and hints of cola in the background. Welcome to the Sonoma Coast! Even keeled body greets with a suggestion of citrus, raspberries, cola. A prominent refined caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak emerges and lingers along with a moderate warm spice heat. Thin fine tannins provide light, crisp, unobtrusive structure that lingers through the entire experience. Body quickly vanishes leaving behind crisp tannic grip, spice warmth and a slight bitter cola. As it breathes, the body develops a slightly creamy body. I love it! I this is the second of three picks I brought back from my last visit to their tasting room. I found all their wines to be really well made and representative. This one has a bit more of a playful pleaser disposition while still echoing key characteristics of the terroir and region at large. They recently released a slew of new wines and I’m eager to get a closer look at the new lineup. Nicely done Sojourn! 🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Sojourn Wines on WineSnob.

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December 31, 2021June 28, 2022

2015 Pinot Noir (Bel Sogno) by Dawn’s Dream Winery, Carmel Valley

Tonight’s Occasion: 2015 Pinot Noir (Bel Sogno) by Dawn’s Dream Winery, Carmel Valley, CA

Deep ruby red color. Beautiful aromatic nose out of the bottle with notes of fresh raspberries, strawberries, and red cherries. A wet, rocky, earthy leather permeates a background punctuated by pops of red vines licorice. Swirl vigorously to reset the entire stage all over again. I love it! As it breathes, a dusty expression emerges, so faint you’d likely miss it.

Body is silky, creamy, smooth with a touch of viscosity. A touch of acidity greets the palate and remains present, adding gentle tension throughout the experience. Moderate tannins provide unobtrusive structure while refined caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak immediately tames this expression. The body is quickly dissipates leaving crisp caramel, wet rocky leather and thin, so what dusty/chalky tannins. A slightly mineral finish lingers. A gentle warm spice heat lingers through the entire experience.

This Pinot all on its own. It eschews most convention, especially for this region. Sharing only subtlety and nuance typical of this region, it has its own identity. It is dry, structured, somewhat bold for a Pinot and will likely be perceived as abstract by the average palate. It is however a well crafted, terroir driven if not fascinating wine that will keep the advanced palate perfect company, especially for New Year’s Eve. Now, if you’ll excuse me…

Explore more Dawn’s Dream wines on WineSnob.

December 30, 2021January 8, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (De Ponte Vineyard) by Panther Creek

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (De Ponte Vineyard – Willamette Valley, Oregon) by Panther Creek Cellars, Woodinville, WA Crisp nose with slightly tart berries, and a touch of red cherries. Subtle secondary notes of creamy vanilla and minerality interplay, filling the stage with bitter sweet essence. Tertiary notes of wet wood leather linger in the back. Nice. Body is restrained. A silky smooth body greets with a touch of sweet citrus. Mild tannins quickly precipitate, adding subtle structure. Thin, crisp, refined caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak along with a touch of minerality fill the body in faint broad strokes. These quickly dissipate, leaving thin tannic structure, and mineral essence. This fades away into a subtle dance between sweet and bitter over thin crisp tannic grip.

I’m enjoying exploring the Panther Creek lineup this winter. I remember visiting the tasting room earlier in the spring and I liked every wine they poured. I can’t wait to revisit, hopefully this coming spring, for an in depth look at what they are all about. If you are like me an love the complexity and nuance that comes with small batch production artisan wines, I highly recommend checking out their wines. Visit WineSnob.blog for more and updated reviews of Panther Creek wines. Read more Panther Creek Cellars on WineSnob.

December 25, 2021January 8, 2022

2011 Pinot Noir (Red Birds) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma

Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Pinot Noir (Red Birds) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA.

Clear, ruby red color. Bright aromatic nose out of the bottle with lost of raspberry, red cherry and pomegranate. Drooling. Cola and damp earth leather lingers in the background. This my friends, is Sonoma. Swirling vigorously intensifies ripeness, berries, leather and adds a touch of caramel. Just beautiful.

Beautifully balanced body from front to back, greets with a soft symphony of berries and silky mouth feel. A fresh crisp overlay hovers above the palate. I’m not sure what it is but it’s very nice, maybe herbal in nature? Soft, gentle and fluid tannins add structure hardly distinguishable from the body. As it fades, that minty almost eucalyptus freshness emerges marking the transition to finish. Along with cola, this gentle crisp freshness follows through a lingering finish capped by a gentle tannic grip, wet wood and subtle spice tingle.

My goodness. This Pinot Noir is absolutely gorgeous right now! I have perhaps one or two bottles left. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. The 2011 vintage is beautifully embodied here. I have come to appreciate so much about Pinot Noir and its expression of different regions and their terroir, thanks in no small part to our 2020 Winemaker of the year. A visit to their understated tasting room is a must for the enlightened palate. Carefully curated wines from far and wide to help baseline your palate and provide you with a solid reference point. This is why I believe this winemaker is worth following. Their wines easily occupy a quarter of my cellar going back to 2006 vintages.

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

December 13, 2021January 3, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (Maverick Vineyard) by Panther Creek Cellars

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Maverick Vineyard – Willamette Valley) by Panther Creek Cellars, Woodinville, WA Beautiful aromatic nose greets with raspberries up front and a mild leather of sedimentary soil essence. Swirling vigorously unlocks blackberry and sweet cherry and a faint cedarwood in the back, so subtle you’d likely miss it. Body is balanced from front to back, greeting with a touch of acidity in the form of a mild citrus. This creates good tension. Cherries and blackberries quickly bring good balance and mouth feel along. Mild but crisp tannins provide good unobtrusive structure. Transition to finish is seamless as body evolves, developing a subtle, crisp caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak. This accentuates the cherry essence, turning it slightly sweet. This one note lingers over the palate through the finish. The palate is rendered slightly dry with just the faintest hint of cola. This Pinot is on the lighter side of medium bodied. A well built wine that offers a familiar while different look at this region. I have come to expect a certain caliber of Pinot from this region in general and Panther Creek delivers here again with great complexity without being overly abstract. It remains approachable and should please the intermediate to advanced palate. Nicely done Panther Creek! Read more Panther Creek Cellars on WineSnob. Be sure to check the out the Panther Creek Cellars, website for occasional bundles, specials and opportunities. They are currently offering a Holiday Bundle. It’s a great opportunity to explore their signature wines. See link below.

December 4, 2021January 3, 2022

2013 Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills) by Rusack, Central Coast, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2013 Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills) by Rusack Vineyards, Central Coast, CA Deep ruby color. A burst of bright ripe berries fills the air as soon as it’s uncorked. This is the most recognizable hallmark of a faithful Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Crisp, bright red cherries, raspberries and berries. A soft sand and driftwood leather lingers throughout the stage. Swirling intensifies the nose across the board. It’s intoxicating. Hints of pepper dot the experience. Just beautiful. Body greets with a touch of acidity in the form of a slight citrus cola essence. This is quickly followed by a subtle, crisp, refined caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak. Very gentle, crisp tannins quickly follow lending a grounding effect with just enough structure to frame the stage. Body takes a slightly soft, plush mouth feel. Sweet citrus (think Meyer lemon), subtle cola and berries reemerge towards the back. This marks the transition to a gentle fading finish as gentle tannins and mineral leather take turns drying and wetting the palate. A gentle spice punctuates the whole experience.

One of the first winemakers I explored from this region. It’s amazing how much of an impact the right winemaker can have on the inquisitive palate. Rusack is a must for the intermediate to advanced palate. One seeking to better familiarize their palate with this region and its unique expression. A faithful wine that is representative of both the Varietal and the region. A great sense of place. Nicely done Rusack! Explore more Rusack wines on WineSnob. Read more on my first visit to Rusack Vineyards a few years ago.

December 1, 2021January 18, 2022

2018 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) by Amrita Cellars

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) by Amrita Cellars, Santa Rosa, CA

Out of the bottle this is clearly Russian River Pinot Noir. With primary soft notes of ripe red cherries and a wet leather of fine sedimentary soil this wine shows good sense of place. That Sonoma dirt/terroir shines through. Russian River gives it more of a fine silt twist as opposed to damp forest floor typical of say the Sonoma Coast. Bright berries and a hint of fresh herbal essence so subtle you’d likely miss it. Swirling vigorously only intensifies this subtle nose slightly, adding more cherry cola. I like it!

Body is nicely balanced from front to back, greeting with a touch of dry citrus, hints of cherries, and raspberry. Soft unobtrusive tannins quickly fill in the body, adding depth while a fain crisp oak creates a slightly plush, creamy mouth feel. Midway through, a gentle bitter cola emerges, ushering in the transition to finish. As the body fades, a mushroom leather makes a brief appearance. Ahhh Sonoma! As the show concludes, fruit notes take turn bowing out while the palate slowly drifts between moist and grippy dryness. A faint spice tingle remains and linger briefly.

This wine checks all the hallmarks of a classic Pinot Noir. It is a a clean, faithful and nuanced look at this region and this varietal. This is pretty far off the beaten path and about as artisan as it gets. I met the unassuming owner/winemaker Sunny last month at an industry function organized by our friends over at Sheldon Wine and Spirits (@sheldonwineandspirits). This is what I love about venturing off the beaten path. There seems to be a surprise in store at every turn. We truly are living in a golden age of winemaking. Great work Sunny. I look forward to many more vintages from you.

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November 19, 2021January 3, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (Kalita Vineyard) by Panther Creek

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Kalita Vineyard – Willamette Valley, OR) by Panther Creek Cellars, Woodinville, WA Dark intense ruby color. Subtle aromatic nose with bright cherries, raspberries and a hint of sweet cola. An underlying wet mineral leather permeates the nose. This is its sense of place – Willamette Valley. A bright body greets with a touch of acidity in the form of a slightly sweet citrus reminiscent of a Meyer Lemon. This is quickly counterbalanced with a slightly viscous weighted body. Crisp tannins add great structure midway through as crisp caramel reminiscent of neutral French oak and red cherries fill the palate. A taught mineral leather carries over. This marks the transition to a finish characterized by a firm, dry tannic grip over a wet mineral leather. This is a well built Pinot with a touch of personality. This small understated boutique winemaker was one of the highlights of my visit to Woodinville. Their small batch production artisan wines are just the type of wines I obsess over and constantly seek out, off the beaten path. Read more Panther Creek Cellars on WineSnob. Be sure to check the out the Panther Creek Cellars, website for occasional bundles, specials and opportunities. They are currently offering a Holiday Bundle. It’s a great opportunity to explore their signature wines. See link below.

November 15, 2021January 8, 2022

2011 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA.

Nose is very shy out of the bottle with hints of dark cherry skins. Swirling vigorously releases a bold leather of damp fine sedimentary soil and wet wood. Hints of sweet cherry and cola linger in the back. A citrus so faint you’d likely miss it.

Body is balanced right down the middle, front to back. Wet wood leather carries forward almost immediately. Dark tart skins also emerge, bringing firm structure. Bitter cola, black berries and black currants paint a dark, dim lit stage. It is dry, somewhat serious in its expression. Earth notes wander about the palate throughout the experience. The body softens slightly as it transitions to finish as dark berries and hints of oak elevate slightly before falling back into the darkness and leaving the palate slightly moist and under the spell of a gentle but crisp tannic grip and spice tingle. As it opens up over an hour or two, subtle caramelization of those tannins lend a subtle pleasing sweetness to the body and suppleness to the mouth feel.

This is a flagship wine by our 2020 Winemaker of the year. Intended to introduce the world to their more limited signature wines. Roessler Pinot tends to be on the medium to full bodied side of the spectrum. This means, unlike traditional Pinot Noir, they actually benefit from cellar time. They tend to age gracefully. I opened the 2010 Vintage a year or so ago and this 2011 vintage is definitely more robust with more years ahead of it. It has had time to integrate very nicely. Both should be a real treat. The newer vintages are even more vibrant and should be very interesting to follow over time. Nicely done guys!