TN: 2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard

  • 2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/14/2021)
    Man…if I ever did crack, I’d kick it for this! These RM Pinot’s, and Chard’s for that matter, are SO friggin deLISH! I need to buy more on release(note to self) cuz I blow through them in the first year after receiving them! This 18 Summa(last bottle) is seductive, intoxicating, expressive…just loaded with pure exotic red berry fruits, florals, and spices…silky smooth liqueured berries…seamless and engaging…intoxicating sandalwood, smoke cherry, forest floor, rose petal florals…DAMN! Just love it! Going big next mailer… (96 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Nice to read such praise and enthusiasm.

I’ve never had any RM wines but am (attempting to) patiently wait on this same bottle in my cellar. Did you decant long?

Next up, get off the wait list…

I opened a '17 Silver Eagle with a few friends last week and it was pretty stellar. Didn’t see any need to hold. Looking at reviews, definitely more inline with JD and RP and complete opposite of Vinous.

Rivers-Marie really do make nice pinots and chards. Great to see the enthusiasm here. When I tried this wine recently, I similarly greatly enjoyed it.

Can anyone give me a hint on pricing for these?

$60 for the up coming release

You beat me to the punch Buzz. I popped one of these on Wednesday, had some Thursday and still had a splash for this morning. It develops nicely overnight. This is rocking good, edgy complex dark red fruit, Pine cone rather than pine needle if you know what I mean, no green but the rustic pine cone aroma. I absolutely loved this bottle.
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So should I not be holding these, but rather enjoying these soon?

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Do both. The '18, personally all the RM PN, are very approachable at an early age and because of a friend I’ve tasted many with age (more the OVS). Pop one for fun, you won’t be disappointed.

In a brief chat with Will Segui, he mentioned that it was both his and TRB’s opinion that the gap between the “old vine” and regular bottling of Summa is getting closer and closer. This is exciting news to me since I find the OV Summa one of my 5 favorite domestic pinots.

This is a great wine and possibly one of my favorites from RM in awhile. Last tasted at the mending wall facility a week before RM opened their own space. In addition to others’ notes, I picked up on something I usually associate with clove or perhaps tobacco (second hand), which immediately brought me back to the 09 sonoma coast. Frank said it’s possible that the 09 had more summa blended in, though I never did confirm. I’ll have to go digging through old email offers to see if that was the case.

Y’all are making it very hard for me to downsize my order for the next release.

I haven’t tried a Summa old vine yet. I’ve only been on the list since the 16’s were released. My question to those with experience is would it be better to continue to hold or open one now? If so which of the last 3 vintages would be best or is it better to go with one of the regular Summa? Thanks in advance.

Not too bad for a cult winery. [cheers.gif]

I opened one of these tonight, and sampled alongsisde 7 other wines. Wow its amazing, and came out on top of the group. It made it an easy decision to buy my full allocation next week. So glad I discovered this wine from this forum!

AG gave the 17 95 points and was pretty impressed with it based on the note ?

I’m holding the rest for a while. In spite if how tasty it is right now it is structured and the fruit leans a little heavy.

Popped a '14 Summa OV last night. Delicate with lots of finesse. I generally buy all of the RM pinots and (despite lots of buzz over the OV here and elsewhere) I honestly don’t enjoy the OV as much as the others. I think the Platt is spectacular and at the top of the list, but I’d put the OV in the bottom third of the RM pinots. I realize this is analogous to thinking that one school is in the bottom third of the Ivy League, so it’s a high class problem but … I will probably buy less OV next week as a result.

Anyone else feel this way?

I am more curious as to what it is about the OV that you don’t care for. Is it perceived value from the uptick in pricing or some characteristics about the wine.