2014 Sojourn Spring Release Wines

In CA for work, as I always am about this time of year, and met up with the gregarious Craig Haserot to taste thru the 2014 spring release Pinots and Cabs.


2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir-nice wine and I liked it more as I drank through the rest of the Pinots. A nice combination of fruit-red cherry and cranberry-along with earth/mushroom/forest floor, baking spice, and some back palate acid. I think this and the Rodgers Creek will be the best food wines. There is a lot going on and I enjoyed the complexity. Given the current state of CA Pinot prices, I think this is a great deal at sub-$40. 93.

2012 Sangiacomo Pinot Noir-this is a really pretty wine. Bright red cherry fruit profile. It is one of those wines that I think of as “perfect” in that it all just flows together without any discordant or jarring notes. Ready to drink now. It’s long, voluptuous, and very pretty. Sojourn typical mouthfeel and texture. It is a bit hedonistic to sit back and enjoy. My only bitch is that it lacks the earth/mushroom/forest floor thing that I really like. 93. People who like more fruit forward CA Pinots will rate it much higher.

2012 Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir-see the above notes for the Sangiacomo, except the predominant fruit character is more of a tart cranberry than a red cherry. Again, it’s just a perfect, pretty wine. I like the fruit profile better than the Sangiacomo, but I’ll give it the same 93. People who like fruit forward CA Pinots will rate it much higher.

2012 Rodger’s Creek Pinot Noir-this is always my favorite Sojourn Pinot because it has that earth/mushroom/forest floor thing going on and has more mid-back palate acid. Lots of baking spice to go with the tart fruit. Much more of a food wine than the Sangiacomo or Gaps. It is less voluptuous and “perfect”. I prefer it. 94+. This will get better with age, while I’m not sure the Sangiacomo and Gap’s Crown have as much upside improvement potential.

2011 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon-Beckstoffer George III Cab and some Petit Verdot. This may be my favorite of Sojourn’s cabs, but I’d have to try them all side by side. The same pretty, perfect styling as in the Sangiacomo and Gap’s Crown Pinots. Luscious, velvety, and smooth. A very long finish. Typical Rutherford cab characteristics with cassis and blueberries. 95. A good QPR at $70 relative to the Beckstoffer at about $100. Will get better with some aging, but very good right now. 95

2011 Home Ranch Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon-I think it is very similar to the 2010. A little big initially, but it settled down with some air. Very forward and expressive. Will benefit from some bottle time. Chocolate and blueberry fruit profile. Typical Sojourn winemaking style in terms of texture and mouthfeel. My only concern is that it might be a bit too big, but only time will tell. 91.

Erich Bradley and Randy Bennett are doing a great job with the winemaking and the wines keep getting better. As I get older, I’m preferring a bit more acid and structure in my Pinots, but their wines are terrific expressions of pure California fruit without going over the top on intensity.

Just a heads up, Sojourn will be participating in the Berserkerday festivities on the 27th of this month. having had this near full lineup I can only say you would not go wrong with any of them.

yep holding out for BD before grabbing some pinot.

Already saw a Sojourn Berserker Day thread, so I’ll post my notes.

+++++

The Sojourn Spring offering (Craig can call it spring if he wants, but it is definitely winter here in Chicago) is my favorite of the two yearly offerings. It has Sangiacomo for Pinot and Chard, Gap’s for Pinot, and Home Ranch for Cabs. I have always like these three vineyards. Sojourn has been one of my favorite producers over the last few years, and while last year’s wines were good, these are much improved upon. I was able to taste these new wines recently. The 2012 Pinots are great, as are the Chards. The Home Ranch is maturing, and this year Craig is offering a Rutherford Cab that is really good and a great QPR.

First, the 2012 Pinots, all of which had been decanted for about a half hour and poured back into the bottle an hour earlier.

2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Of the four Pinots, this is clearly the most approachable one right now. It strikes me as ready to drink. In fact, we all had the same thought. It was very crisp, clean, with a nice acidity. This would pair well with food, but could be enjoyed on its own. The SC also had a lot of fruit. To me, the sweet red fruits came out, such as strawberry and red cherries, but there was a back-end of dried cranberry as well. That sounds odd, but the red fruits really jumped, and the crispness is what I think some detected when they said cranberries. The SC has some of the earthiness you would expect from SC. I think this one will be a crowd pleaser, and is a good QPR. A great Pinot to stock up on. Save some for spring and summer Pinot drinking. This is the best of this SC bottling yet – just pure tasty.

2012 Rodgers Creek Vyd (SC) Pinot Noir
Of the four we tasted, this was the tightest, and it had the most grip. This one probably needs the biggest decant right now. It also should age well. This one is more dark berry and wild fruit. Much more structured than the SC (as to be expected). Rodgers is much more concentrated. It had more of the SC forest floor, mushroom, and earth notes you would expect of a SC Pinot. Definitely had more of that earthy, floory aroma. Probably of the four, this had the most aromatics.

Now, onto consistently my most favorite Pinot vineyards – Sangiacomo and Gap’s. Got to taste these before the main course at a dinner, but they were paired with veal saltimbocca and rabbit ragout, per the restaurant’s recommendation. The previous two were paired with a wild mushroom soup and a duck bruschetta (there were no bad food matches).

2012 Sangiacomo Vyd (SC) Pinot Noir
This was the group’s favorite. All of us universally liked this the best. As a side note, the restaurant manager and the server (she is a pretty good sommelier in her own right) also sampled the wines, and this was their favorite – they both loved this wine. Why? Probably because this paired the best with the meal and foods. In many ways it reminded us all of the regular Sonoma Coast – just amped up. Of the four, the Sangiacomo also seemed the most sophisticated. It had more of the SC characteristics than the first wine – more earth, more forest floor. It also had more tannin. Still had great fruit, but instead of sweet red cherries, it was black cherry. It had some cinnamon as well. So in general, everything was just a bit more intense, or darker. Again, this was the favorite for balance of aromatics, intensity, layers, eloquence, and ability to pair well with food. Buy this as an all-round, eloquent Pinot.

2012 Gap’s Crown Vyd (SC) Pinot Noir
This vineyard has become my favorite across multiple Pinot producers, and Sojourn does about the best job with this vineyard. Of the four wines, this was the biggest. It was the most plush, had the most mouthfeel – was just big. The Gap’s paired well with the heavier meats and game. This is a wine that can go with big food, and can stand on its own. Right now it is a great winter wine. But this wine could use some time, and should be able to age. Of the four, this one showed the most SC spice – the Thanksgiving and baking spices that I love. It also had a great deal of earth, and more cocoa and dark fruits. I love Gap’s Crown, and if you’re looking for a Pinot to go with heavier or richer foods, or you want a Pinot to pop and enjoy, Gap’s is the one.


Now onto the 2011 Cabs. I’m getting more excited about Sojourn’s Cabs. Most people by now are quite familiar with their Pinots, but I think the Cabs need more attention (and the Chards may be next in line for attention). Again, we were told that all had been decanted for about a half hour and poured back into the bottle an hour earlier. These were also served during the main course.

2011 Home Ranch Vyd Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley)
I’ve liked this vineyard since the first time I tried it. I’ve enjoyed the brambly, rustic nature of it. It is now beginning to tame itself. Home Ranch is now more silky and lush. It still has just a bit of barnyard to it, but lots of dark fruit (blueberry, some blackberry), mocha, some vanilla and cola (on this board, I don’t think I can say chocolate), and plenty of tannin. This wine needs more time, although it is quite drinkable now. Actually, what this wine needs is meat. The restaurant noticed this as well, that it would pair well with heavier meats. Still, all that said, it is very expressive and refined, and has the acidity to pair with food. Home Ranch is becoming more polished. A crowd pleasing Cab that should also get better over time. Continues to be one of my favorites.

2011 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
This Cab is much more jammy and big. It has a lot more mouthfeel. It has more layers and more structure. This is a Cab that, while it pairs well with food, I can enjoy just sitting around drinking. The Rutherford is a nice, silky, velvety Rutherford Cab. Very balanced, very classic. Great QPR if considering other Cabs. Buy this as a luxurious Cab that competes well with some higher priced Rutherford Cabs.


Now onto the 2012 Chardonnays. We tasted these wines on another occasion at a friend’s house with a chicken, scallion and mushroom dish alongside them. We were fortunate in that there was an opened 2011 Sojourn Sangiacomo Chardonnay to taste alongside these, as well as a French Chablis. While the 2011s were very good, these are much better. So to my previous note, the Sojourn Chards have gotten quite good as well and need more attention.

2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
This was a very nice, crisp Chard. It had great acidity to it. The Sonoma Coast paired the best with food, and was also the most approachable. It is definitely ready to pop-and-pour (in fact, both had no decant). It had a nice herbal characteristic, great aromatics, with some floral notes. It had some stone fruit and lots of minerality. It also had a slight greenish color to it. Everyone really enjoyed this wine, I think because of its approachability, and because it paired so well with the chicken dish (should get the recipe and send to Craig). Someone noted it was more French-like. I’ll be getting a few of these because it is so easy to drink and to match with food.

2012 Sangiacomo Vyd (SV) Chardonnay
This Chard was heavier and the oak showed more, both in mouthfeel and color. The Sangiacomo has a more golden color, and the mouthfeel was heavier (to creamier, but in a good way, not a buttery way). The oak did not overpower, as it had more citrus, pectin, and maybe even some fig and melon. Someone even noted crème brulee. The Sangiacomo has a bigger nose, with honey aromas. This was a much tastier Chard, and one I would let rest a bit before I opened. The Sangiacomo simply has more layers, depth, and complexity. If you’re looking for a Chardonnay to pop and to just sit back and enjoy, this will be the one.

I definitely plan on ordering some as well, but will check out what BD brings from Sojourn. I’ll definitely be getting some Sonoma Coast and Rodgers Creek, as well as some other Pinot and/or Cab. No Chards for me, though.

BD is this:
http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/article/1360932/sojourn-cellars--95-bonus-wine-free-shipping-amp-more/

Awesome - I had planned on ordering a case anyway, so that scores me an extra bottle (I’ve been wanting some of the Proprietary Cuvee, but it was a bit pricey IIRC) and gets me 10% off. I’ll take it! I wonder if we have to wait until Monday to use that code or if it works now.

The code does not work now, you have to wait until Monday! We’re not quite ready.

Thanks for the quick response Craig. That may give me some time over the weekend to check in on a 2008 Sangiacomo to determine where to focus some of my non-Rodgers/SC Pinot funds to.

Laurie and I were fortunate to be able to squeeze in a tasting of the new Sojourn release along with another couple of friends. The overall lineup was stellar.

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2012
Of the two Chards, this was my wife’s favorite. It was definitely lighter and more crisp, with less of a mineralistic taste than the SVD Chard, which was surprising as both are said to be from Sangiacomo and both in 30% new oak. The oak was not present in this wine - which to the wife was a good thing. The first flavor profile on my tongue was apple and melon, but it followed with other tropical flavors, some acid but a very long finish. If you call it medium bodied, it would describe my thought. This was a very nice Chard. 90 pts.


Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay 2012
I preferred this style, which was fuller bodied, with a somewhat buttery texture. It had a much more prominent mouthfeel and the oak was present but NOT overbearing. A touch of tartness with the citrus and stone fruit profile. This Chard is ready to go now, but another six months of bottle time may give it time for some of the acid to tone down. This wine would go great with a cheese platter sitting by the pool (yes in California we are having 80 degree days!). Now I have to buy both… 92 pts.

Next we tried the Pinots.

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012
This was ready to drink right out of the gate. It had a dark cherry profile with an earthier finish; some spices were present and very little oak was noted. Acid was present but not overpowering. A very nice finish on the end. 93 pts.

Rodgers Creek Vineyard 2012
I would have put this in a different order. It also highlights what air will do to improve a wine. The initial taste was big, a touch too tart and acidic. I went back and revisited after it had been in the glass for 10 minutes and it was remarkably different. The Rodgers Creek has traditionally been one of my favorites and perhaps the most Burgundian with lots of earthiness and I believe this will get there with a little more time. It had a strong floral note on the mid-palate, but in the background I got fruit compote and cranberry with some acid. I went back and tasted again at the end, after the Cabs, and it did develop nicely. It needed air. Layers of fruit, and some spice. I would age this another year before drinking but it is a definite buy. 91 pts.

Sangiacomo Vineyard 2012
Traditionally this is our “go-to” Pinot over any other producer (and some think we buy a lot of Pinot). The 2012 was right up there with prior vintages, and we have loved this since at least 2006. Brighter fruit profile, with strawberry and cherry, some nutmeg, and a slighter touch of acid. On the palate I detected some black tea and tart cherry. I thought I smelled a little asparagus on the nose, which was not present in the taste profile. An incredibly beautiful finish. This was the favorite of three of four of our group (my favorite was next). 94 pts.

Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2012
The 2012 Gaps was my favorite of the Pinots. It shined! A beautiful mouthfeel of fruit, with a floral nose. Deep black cherry fruit, with cocoa, and spices at first, and then an earthy, mushroom oomph. This is what Pinot is supposed to be - sorry you Burg lovers. The boldness of this wine is what I like, but it may soften over time (if that is your cup of tea). 95 pts.

There were two Cabernets, both from 2011. The Rutherford bottling and the Home Ranch.

Home Ranch Cabernet 2011
I can never get over how this Sonoma Cab has so much of the dusty tannin profile I love, for a moderate price. This wine has some blueberry and plum notes, with chocolate and some toast. Tannin is present and relatively soft for a young wine. A very nice finish. This was already approachable now but will improve over the next couple of years. 91 pts.

Rutherford Cabernet 2011
This is different than the Georges III bottling, which is one of my favorite vineyards, as it has a touch of Petit Verdot blended in. Blackberry and dark fruits on the nose and then layers of texture; the ever-present Rutherford Dust was prominent with chewy tannin, yet a really smooth long finish. A winner!!! 92 - 93 pts.

Overall a very nice line-up, just in time for Berserkerday.

3 Couples had the opportunity to try the Spring (yes, I’m using that word in the hope that the cold weather we have been experiencing here in MN, will give way to warmer temps soon!) Release last night with grilled surf and turf of lobster claws and steaks with grilled truffled asparagus, thymed mushroom ragout and Frank’s maple bacon infused brussel sprouts.

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2012
Golden nose of honeysuckle, crisp fruit, vanilla and some oak. Mid-palette of flat stones. Not heavy or buttery. Very nice neutral chardonnay. Great wine for a summer picnic or take out on the boat. 88-90 pts.

Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay 2012
Tropical fruit nose with touches of grass, hay and melon. More full bodied than the Sonoma Coast. Has lively acidity but is balanced from start to finish having a little oil and mineral around the edges, a touch of meyer lemon on the finish. Give this a few months in the bottle to round out. 90-91 pts.

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012
Sojourns entry point pinot. Just what you would expect. Light and lively. Yummy red fruit of cherry and strawberry. More singular but who cares, this party ready wine. 87-88 pts.

Rodgers Creek Vineyard 2012
Soft blue fruit nose with some slight oakiness. Forest floor with some mushrooms, which is pretty typical of this bottling. Velvety tannins on the finish. Nicely done. 91 pts.

Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2012
This was my favorite and I think group’s favorite pinot. Creamery nose of red fruit with a hint of cola and fresh forest floor. Very balanced and the mid-palate fruit handles the 14.6% alc. Not hot and has the longest finish of the pinots. 92-93 pts.

Sangiacomo Vineyard 2012
Bright red fruit nose with flavors of raspberries and cherries. Not as deep and dark as prior vintages causing it to be maybe a little monolithic. Age the Gap’s and drink these while you wait. 90 pts.

Rutherford Cabernet 2011
This was my wine of the night. Gorgeous nose that is followed by waves of fruit in the mid-palette. No rough edges what so ever. Beautiful dark fruits with blackberry and blackcherry. The tannins are velvety and helped cut through the steak. A pure pleasure to enjoy. Tremendous lengthy finish. No reason not to enjoy this over the next 5-7 years. [welldone.gif] 93 pts

Home Ranch Cabernet 2011
We are not in Kansas anymore. Whoa, this is throwback compared to the ready to drink Rutherford. This is backward, rustic and maybe even a little austere. This reminds me of some of Randy Dunn’s wines from the 80’s. This needs to rest for 5 years and then its fruit, which is present under the tannins, will blossom. Will be a great wine to experiment with cellar age. 91 pts.

Thanks again to Craig and his team, they have done another outstanding job!

my order is in … Thanks Craig … [cheers.gif]

As is mine. :slight_smile:



and then there were three
(Thanks, you ENABLERS!)

My order is in as well! [stirthepothal.gif]

Done!

I don’t often go over a case but found it impossible not to do so here. There are few producers that make such a wide range of wines that are all “hits” like Sojourn. I could honestly take the spring release list and blindly throw darts at the wines I should buy and I would be happy either way.

I love Sojourn for its near term drinkability. Am I losing out by not ageing these?

For just the Pinot I don’t think so. They are so good out of the gate and have that signature silky mouthfeel. We usually drink ours within 2 years of release or sooner. Looking forward to tasting these soon.

If anyone on the board is in Tampa or Central Fl area and interested in trying them shoot me a pm.

The 06 Reserve Cab is in a very nice sport currently. As for pinots, agree with Fred but will probably stuff a few away to experiment with.