I think Richard’s comments above are spot on.
There can be significant variability among bottles and they may be awkward early. I find them at their best 7+ years beyond vintage but you do need to be prepared for some sub-par bottles.
JT is very much his own man - he does things hands on, by himself, his way and sometimes the results are superb.
+1 (For the comments in Post #20, anyway . . .) 
The string of '04 Thomas clunkers last August were a perfect example of negative variation, while an '02 that same evening was stunning.
I haven’t tasted the '11; thus, I cannont comment specifically on it. However, as one comparison, the '07 had a few rough edges upon release and there were some who panned it. Yet, all the component pieces were there, just as you describe for the '11. Based on that, there was another camp of folks who felt that it had the potential to resolve and improve with age. (I know that there are tasting notes on here somewhere when Richard and I had the '07 Thomas and '07 Westrey Abbey Ridge side-by-side, about 3 years ago. I just don’t have time to search, since traveling.) The point being that. on that night, the Westrey was drinking better than the Thomas; but, the thought was was that the Thomas could turn out to be the better wine in the long run. That may be the case. Time will tell. However, I do know that time in bottle has been a very good friend to the '07 Thomas. I’m glad to be sitting on several.
That was funny! ![[welldone.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/fc9709a841aa9379fd892a9cf0b535b05f473b86.gif "[welldone.gif]"){kind=small}
I don’t blame other winemakers for rolling their eyes. And I don’t doubt for a minute that Mr. Shearer’s note is fairly descriptive as to how the '11 tastes at the present moment. Truth is, Thomas probably DOES get undue amount of praise. Under the radar wines are fun. The fact that Thomas only appears on a few retailers shelves and otherwise sells direct is part of this. BUT, part of this, a large part of this, is that Thomas is distinctly restrained and at the same time “thought provoking”. That last part-thought provoking-does not apply to all tasters. I don’t claim any degree of superiority for finding it to be such. It’s subjective as hell. And on top of all that, I have never seen a Thomas fan declare the wines to be some mythical 95-100 pointer. Hell, I think most Thomas fans don’t do points. It’s just about loving a certain wine, points be damned. I’ve got every vintage since '04 and don’t plan to stop any time soon.
I’ve only bought the wines in the 2010 & 2011 Vintage…I had a corked 2004 a few years back that could have got me hooked much sooner on his wines. I love the style and grace that’s in the wines. I don’t know how to describe it…but there is something there in the wine that is hard for me to pin down. I’ve had the 2010 twice in the last 6 months and I will be holding off on my remaining few bottles and solo magnum for several years. I can see greatness in the wines like I can with the Cameron…but for me they’re more enjoyable now than the Cameron Clos Electrique (that’s a bottle that I’ll be VERY patient with after my last experience). I’ve spent the last 5-6 years trying to narrow down what wines I can’t live without in my cellar and I think I’ve finally landed on what works well for me. In the end…there has to be a balance of wines that require patience and others that are ready to go early on.
I don’t blame other winemakers for rolling their eyes. And I don’t doubt for a minute that Mr. Shearer’s note is fairly descriptive as to how the '11 tastes at the present moment. Truth is, Thomas probably DOES get undue amount of praise. Under the radar wines are fun. The fact that Thomas only appears on a few retailers shelves and otherwise sells direct is part of this. BUT, part of this, a large part of this, is that Thomas is distinctly restrained and at the same time “thought provoking”…
+1 Perfect comment on the Thomas wines as a whole.
As a local winemaker, I actually think the world of JT’s wines. I have had mind-blowing wines from Thomas, from enough vintages, that he is someone I respect highly. The TN for the 2011 Thomas is exactly what makes the 2011 vintage great. The vintage as a whole is not an obvious one. For Thomas, enough fans know that’s how his wines are every year and the 2011 is nothing to worry about. The flip side is that after our 04 tasting and a few other experiences, I also know John is human and that pretty severe bottle variation is a part of the Thomas experience. My eyes roll and I get annoyed when I am stuck with someone for whom the Thomas wines are no longer “thought” provoking. If I am looking at a beautiful woman with a cleft palate and I note that she’s very beautiful but has a cleft palate and the guy next to me says “what? that’s not a cleft palate, that’s how all the girls in Europe are”…it would annoy the crap out of me too.
Last, I love JT’s wines, but I love McKinlay Special Selection just as much, it’s very restrained, it’s just as ageable, and it is a dynamite wine with 10 years in the bottle. Same goes for Westrey, Brickhouse, Walter Scott(all right…none of these are 10 years old yet, but they are delicious), and PGC. Not all of these wines are as restrained as Thomas, but it really seems as if because these wineries don’t make people go on treasure hunts to get a bottle, that they are relegated to a tier below the magical Thomas…and I think that’s BS. So I roll my eyes when people talk about Thomas, but I still buy it and cellar it.
I am by no means an expert on OR pinot and probably only have about 8 producers represented in my cellar. The OR wine that got my attention was JT pinot, like many I am a big fan. I haven’t had the opportunity to taste through numerous vintages but the few I have had were incredible and consistent so I can’t attest to any bottle variations yet. But, if I do eventually drink that bottle I will think nothing less of what JT has accomplished and I’m not saying anyone who posted on this thread is. Great feedback so far! IMO, every profound winemaker will have years where they don’t get it exactly right. I look to Burgundy when I think of this, sometimes you’ll get bottle variation, GM and brett (I don’t mind a hint) from the very best.
We had this wine last night, en Magnum, as my wife has HS friends visiting the area. I am far from an OR fanboy, despite having lived here the past seven years.
This PN is flat-out gorgeous. Lovely, elegant, understated in every way but fresh and with fruit. In this format it lasts another 10-25 years with TLC.
I loved it so much out of Zalto Burg stems I am slightly damaged goods today.
Scorn to you for bubbling up a topic that is 6 years old. I clicked the link in the first thread thinking I could stock up on some back vintages! ![[oops.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/1f129ddad071ffe5db6c99817c3cab666035a70a.gif "oops"){kind=small}
Sounds like a great bottle though!
TW
LOL…same
That sounds awesome!! I opened a magnum of the 2010 at my wedding last year and it was loved by all.
I think you’re still holding a magnum of the 2011 for me, am I right, or am I misremembering?
I got Barbaresco for you!
Gotcha! Thank you Sir!