Best Pinot Noir, and why? GO!

WINE TALK
1

In Los Angeles, there have been a few Pinot Noir events already - all which I missed. And yes, I am still kicking myself. I’m busy, my own fault.
Anyways, I’m wondering if anyone has been going to these PN events lately, and if so - what stand outs did you taste, and why. Tasting notes much appreciated! :slight_smile:

2

Uh oh . . .

3

Best couple I’ve had in very recent times have been the 2010 Failla Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir and the 2011 Lucia Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir (in full disclosure, I buy grapes from both of those vineyards).

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

4

I just saw the 2010 Failla Hirsch sitting on a shelf at a local (upscale) grocery store. . . I might have to pick up a bottle on that recommendation. I haven’t been to any Pinot specific events, but the best domestic Pinots I’ve had recently were a 2010 Anthill Farms Anderson Valley and a 1994 Williams-Selyem RRV Blend. I don’t think that second one is relevant to this thread, but damn it was good. I also always enjoy the Ken Wright Willamette Valley; great QPR at about $27/btl.

5

I also count the Failla Hirsch 2010 as fantastic (my no. 1 pinot of 2012); also loved the Roar Santa Lucia Highlands 2010, and a couple of different Papapietro Perrry’s from 2009/10. I’ll probably get stoned for this one but also enjoyed the Domaine Serene’s Cuvee 2008 this past year.

6

Of the three posters who have replied so far, none explained why their choices were made (as Maylynn requested). I’d be curious to hear what pushed their selections to the front of the line.

7

Thanks, Harry!

8

With the Failla, it was the texture of the wine.

9

Thanks, Mike.

10

I don’t have time to respond right now but I would list at least 3-4. Oregon, Cali, Burgundy, etc. (etc. is probably my fav :slight_smile: )

11

See Harry’s avatar [wink.gif]

12

Oops, sorry, was on a plane before and internet was spotty…and I was drifting in and out of sleep waiting for it.

So on the Failla, while I agree with the texture comment, it still for me tasted of Hirsch (a forest floor/pine needle thing). I love that aspect of the vineyard and thought the 2010 Failla had it with some ripeness but not too much.

The Lucia Soberanes had what I think may be the defining characteristic of the best 2011s (yes, way too early to say that)…concentration without undue weight. Really impressive wine, IMO, that is just beginning its life.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

13

Adam, you too picked up on that Lucia Soberanes. I put that wine into my signature footer about a month ago as it really left an impression on me. Beautiful wine. Since we are talking about it, here is my note:

  • 2011 Lucia Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (12/25/2012)
    Opened last night with XMAS dinner, where we enjoyed about 1/2 the bottle, and left the wine simply under cork until this afternoon. This reminds me of Pisoni Estate, which should not be all that unique since the wine was made by Jeff Pisoni and the vineyard belongs in part to them, too. Really beautiful aromatic, which I will say is without any alcohol or ripe intrusions–just full of berry fruit and brown spice, which then with air lends towards violets–just terrific to smell. On the palate, reminds me more of a Garys’, with the pine needle, juicy blueberry, bit of plum skin and the signature citrus. Last night, I sensed the new oak in the form of some mocha and light vanilla but I don’t get all that today, as it drinks pretty pure with the amount of slow ox it has seen. The finish today is really cool, kind of a loamy and blueberry note, with just a touch of the mocha from last night. In closing, I have stopped buying SLH pinot the past several years, save the Pisoni Estate that I have bought every year since 2003 (and the recent 2008 is a showcase pinot, for sure). However, this wine has got my attention and indeed, I’ll order some of this when it is released and put some in my cellar, as this is terrific CA pinot. Full of flavor, without being dense, syrupy or hot. Just flat out delicious.

Posted from CellarTracker

When Jeff and Mark release this wine soon, it’s going into my cellar, several bottles of it.

14

Lucia does an outstanding job.

15

I will not claim “best” but here are three very different Pinot Noirs I’ve had recently and why I loved them:

2010 Kutch McDougall Ranch: This is just singing now and has a wonderful combination of lightness and power. It is super-aromatic and complex. Very easy and a joy to drink. There was already a squabble in another thread over whether or not this wine should be called “ripe.” I claim it is very ripe and in the best sense of the word. You would not confuse this for an old-world wine (at least I don’t think I would) but it is a wine that shows that new-world Pinot can be fantastic and capture many of the properties that Pinot lovers admire.

2010 Rhys San Mateo Pinot Noir: If you think that all CA Pinots are the same, taste this next to the above. It is painfully young and stemmy with some oak showing, but has amazing power and I am fascinated to see what it becomes in the future. It also has the ripeness of CA but in a much more sinister, brooding package than the above. It is showing better than a lot of young Rhys wines in the sense that everything is there to see, but I think it needs significant time to integrate it all.

2010 Gerard Mugneret Bourgogne: Clearly this is not anywhere near the best that Burgundy has to offer but at the $30 level it is a fantastic wine from anywhere. Though slightly expensive for a basic Bourgogne it has mineral-driven, spicy complexity and character that I rarely find in Villages wines at $50 and up. I believe that most of the grapes come from Vosne and it’s not hard to believe.

None of these are readily available on the open market, but beg a few fellow WBers and some will come out of the woodwork.

16

For me the 2010 Anthill Farms Anderson Valley and the Ken Wright Willamette Valley both punched well above their weight-class ($25-35 range). The Anthill had a very nice balance of acidity and tannin at this young age that sort of makes your mouth water. It is the type of wine, while not too complex, you tend to drink too quickly if you know what I mean.

The Ken Wright always has an elegant juiciness to it and might take it in the delicious category, although without the beaming acidity of the Anthill. I hope this answers the question a little better.

Clearly the QPR is very much part of my picks, I would probably expect a little more out of a $80 bottle, but these deliver in spades for what they cost.

17

2001 Mugnier Musigny - Because it is delicious and magical

18

Dusty - which vineyard(s) on the Ken Wright rang your bell or do they have a non-vineyard as well?

TIA

19

My wine group recently did a blind pinot tasting exploring a wide variety of price points. Here’s what we tasted, from most expensive to least:

  1. 2002 Marcassin “Blue Slide Ridge”
  2. 2008 Pisoni
  3. 2008 Rhys “Alpine”
  4. 2009 Anthill Farms “Abbey Harris”
  5. 2010 Paul Lato Suerte Solomon Hills
  6. 2009 Penner Ashe “Palmer Creek”
  7. 2009 Lenne “Kill Hill”
  8. 2008 Mt. Eden
  9. 2010 Walter Hansel Winery “North Slope”
  10. 2010 Cabot “Nash Mill”
  11. 2009 Jeff Rundquist “R”
  12. 2011 Belle Glos “Meiomi”

Each of us chose a favorite and a second-favorite. Based on that voting, the group’s collective top 4, in order, were:

  1. Walter Hansel
  2. Lenne
  3. Paul Lato
  4. Belle Glos

The Belle Glos was kind of a polarizing wine, with several folks who liked it but others who suspected it was Apothic Red. The Walter Hansel was the clear favorite. Certainly not a cheap wine, but quite a bargain compared to others we didn’t like as well.

20

Although I have several of the vineyard designates from Ken Wright in the 08’ vintage, I’ve never actually tasted any of the SVD’s. The wine I was referring to was the Willamette Valley AVA bottling: