Old Pinot Noir Article Discovered

These wines continue to get EVEN BETTER with time almost regardless of vintage and represent some of the finest Pinot Noirs EVER...

I post this in remembrance of the 1989 Stonington Vineyards Pinot Noir Southeastern New England... no, really, I do...


Wines to Find
12 best Pinot Noirs of 2003

The best of column contains the wines that really hit the spot for me in the previous month. Forget the ratings, I don’t like to write about wines I think are yucky in a “best of column”, anyway. That wouldn’t make any sense, would it? We do a top twelve, because a case of ten doesn’t get you a discount at the local shop. The wines are listed in no particular order.

This past year has been a sort of renaissance in the world of Pinot Noir, especially in California. It has also been an awakening of sorts in my brain as well when it concerns this grape of such variable successes. Great Pinot is being made in every nook and cranny of California. Regional differences in this state, in a way, mimic the terroirs of Burgundy. Not to say that they taste the same, but I argue that Santa Barbara wines taste like Santa Barbara’s soil and grapes, and the same goes for Russian River, Paso Robles, and everywhere else for that matter (provided the inherent qualities are preserved by the growers and winemakers).

The twelve wines that follow are the finest examples of Pinot Noir that I have tasted in the past year or so. They represent fruit with balanced acidity, oak for aromatic nuances, texturally sound midpalate, and overall bliss factor. Of course price has nothing to do with anything. Availability might be an issue for some wines.

2001 Foley Barrel Select Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
Fennel pollen, tea roses, and shy red cherry aromatics do great justice to the palatable characters of deep plum, sour black cherry, and strawberry sauce flavors. Oh baby! This plum scented number teeters on the edge of cherries and cappuccino flavors. I really love this wine, and have a hard time saving a bottle for my buddy Chef Melissa. It is deep and gorgeously textured, like silky velvet. The acidity is just slightly tangy enough to make my mouth water. Okay, I am drooling! This is really delicate Pinot Noir, but not without heaps of flavor in the midpalate. Worth every red scent!

2001 Fort Ross Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
What a wine, so silky and seductive. A jaw dropper of a glass of wine filled with plum and cherry cola. Coffee and roasted nut aromas are subtly waiting in the wings of the starring fruit. Fred Scherrer consulted for this one. Go Fred, go!

2001 Scherrer Winery Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
My friends Dave and Kevin were out here to taste this with me. The incredible fruit and structure of this wine really defined what the Sonoma Coast appellation is all about. Scented with cherry blossoms and deep plum- berry fruit, with perfectly balanced acidity, and a finish that wouldn’t quit, this is one of my all time favorite wines, from anywhere, at any price!

2001 Cobb Coastlands Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
I watched Ross Cobb make this wine and helped with the bottling. The care that he takes with his wines is so intensely attentive, that I just couldn’t believe it. Ross and his parents are among the talented few who not only farm for flavors, but also raise their wines in the cellar as if they were part of the family. The wine world can learn a lot from a winemaker like Ross, I know I did! Check them out: http://www.cobbwines.com/.
The final product could very well be the finest Pinot Noir I have yet tasted from California. Subtle Asian spices tiptoe alongside the utterly seductive black cherry flavors and undulating waves of flavor amongst the texturally harmonious, yet not intrusive, extract and acidity in the midpalate.

1991 Domaine Dujac Aux Combottes Gevrey Chambertin
Frighteningly balanced black fruit and mineral. Stops you in your tracks kind of wine. Makes one realize why Burgundy is great. A “wine epiphany” wine. Utterly complete and seamlessly knit together, without and frayed edges showing. The kind of wine that glides through the mouth.

2002 Spy Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir, New Zealand
A sumptuous Pinot nose with dark berry, juniper, blood orange zest, and cherry cola integrates well with spicy and delicious black fruit and nutty oak. Nice acidity with vanilla on the finish brings this wine to a close. The acidity on this wine makes it appear light and quite young, which it is. With an overnight of air, or a year or two in bottle this wine is supreme. Black coffee, sweet pipe tobacco, and black cherry emerge as the acidity smoothes out over the full silky tannin frame. I open this wine the night before, at this point, and the waiting is the hardest part!

2002 Flowers Andreen Gale Cuvee Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Of course I love this wine, silly! I was THERE to help Hugh and Ross that year. (I was knee deep
in the fragrant must, shoveling it into a basket press.) Coffee, violets, cinnamon, cardamom, sage, toasty oak, cherry, all whirling around and around with Asian spice, zingy raspberry, and a memorable, bittersweet finish that leave you glad you were there to taste it. Really friendly at first, but needs time to mature and loosen up.

2001 Annapolis Winery Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
If I wanted to be a Pinot Noir in a Syrah costume… a BIG ONE, with chocolatey oak, hinting at ginseng and graham cracker, I would be from Annapolis Winery. Dark soil, caramel, cocoa, pear and white tea flavors dissipate into a nice coffee finish. Very large for Pinot Noir! Enjoy with very flavorful dishes.

2000 Lynmar Winery Quail Hill "Quail Cuvee" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Mixed berry and spicy vanilla cola knit well with dried fruit to present a Pinot Noir with good varietal character. This is one of my picks for home. For its price, it beats most others. I think it is delicious, with layers and layers of spices and flavors. Blackberry aromatics don’t hurt either. In my book, it’s their best wine.

2001 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir, Calistoga
Beautifully flavored, almost Syrah-like in intensity with its blackberry syrup personality. This is delicious, dark, and extremely rich. If I only had MORE!!! Big and dense, this wine keeps on delivering heaps of full-bodied pleasure.

2001 J Vineyards Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
12,500 cases produced. Like seeing a child all grown up, J Pinot hits the balance and comes of age with a really nice wine for the dollar. Inviting flavors of cranberry, cola, bright cherry, and pomegranate with touches of mushrooms make this a wine to bring this to our house anytime! Hint, hint…

2002 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Pinot Noir
Winemaker Anthony Austin is the guy I call the $6 million dollar winemaker. Not only does he do magic in the cellar, but he is one of the most hands on, down to earth people in the business. His style is an amalgamation of finesse, balance, and texture. The flavors that emerge from his light hand are true Pinot Noir expressionism. The 2002 SCV Pinot is not unlike slipping into a bed with satin sheets; soft, seductive, and lets the imagination run wild. This is a wine with personality, body, character, and intelligence to fall in love with. It’s what Pinot Noir is all about!

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