LOL. Not when the breath stinks of four blind tastes of…oh never mind.
I like this topic!
It’s hard for me to get a specific feel for your palate, George, and I may have a broader range of what I like, but trying to guess where you may be pleased…
Sticking to California…
I enjoy Domaine De La Cote pinots a great deal, the entire line.
Also, Ceritas.
Both of the above tend toward a higher acid profile that I enjoy.
Someone mentioned Aubert pinot and I agree.
Also consider auditioning Rivers Marie, Lynmar, Merry Edwards, Hyde Winery, and Peter Michael.
In an hour or so I will remember some favorites I forgot to mention, but I think the above wines are worth your time to taste!
I’d add Sandler to the list.
Well, maybe we do have significant overlap! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Skeptical of anything from Santa Lucia Highlands and I’ve never loved a Pisoni. I’ll edit my above Paul Lato note to add this.
Never tried one…is that also Ed Kurtzman? One of his August Wests was my favorite wine at a huge pinot event.
I 've been avoiding it because I was confusing it with Sandlands. I’m supposed to love their…is it Carignane?.. and I don’t, I prefer Harrington Birichino and Brand styles for the supposed blending grapes.
Thanks for sharing your list. I’ve been in a domestic Pinot mood this past year and have come across some very nice wines (and many clunkers). Here are the standouts:
2009 Masút Pinot Noir
2012 Patricia Green Freedom Hill
2006 W.H. Smith Maritime
2010 Bonaccorsi Bien Nacido
2014 Sandler Bien Nacido
2008 Kutch Sonoma Coast
2009 Bratcher Jane Madison
1996 W.H. Smith Hellenthal
2009 Pfendler Sonoma Coast
2008 Armitage Santa Cruz Mountains
2009 Foursight Charles Vineyard
2007 Foursight Charles “Clone 5”
2000 Copain Hein
2000 Copain Dennison
2006 PGC Etzel Block
2006 PGC Goldschmidt
Sandler is Ed’s own operation as opposed to August West which is a partnership. He makes many Pinots!
I don’t buy much New World pinot. I generally prefer Burgundy at every price point. But you’ve identified some of my exceptions. In addition to what has been mentioned, I would include Kutch and Joseph Swan (surprised they haven’t been mentioned; they age forever)
Re Armitage: I recently had a magnificent 2006 Heart o the Mountain, Alfred Hitchcock’s old vineyard, by Armitage. Found it on Winebid. I looked and there are none on Winesearcher. I think it’s substantially superior to Armitage’s other wines but that could have been the additional age. You are wise to drink your domestic pinots seven to nineteen years old.
Thanks for your list as it gives me some names to try. We overlap a lot on likes and dislikes, especially the dislike of SLH. I can only think of two names to add. One is Tyler. I don’t recall a bottle that I didn’t like and a few have knocked me out. Visited a few years back and then visited Chanin/Lutum directly after and felt them basically equal where I think I preferred the pinot from Tyler and the Chardonnay from Chanin. The other is Ghostwriter, where I admit that I only have a few data points but liked them all and given my love of Kenny’s work with his other labels I feel comfortable cellaring a number of bottles in expectation that I will love them with more time in bottle.
I talked to Jim at ABC on Monday…he is still Jim.
George,
I would start collecting the Knox Alexander Pinot right away. The name is great. Maybe the Isabelle as well. Buy a case every year for ten years and then start drinking.
It’s the second generation, who’ve been apprenticed into the business. They’ve been experimenting and allowing Scott to consult on improving the wines. The old style is fairly big, with bold oak. In my experience, those sometimes age very well. That’s been lightening up. My other issue is I’m not a fan of the Pisoni or Garys’ vineyards. On the other hand, Rosella’s puts out lovely fruit, and Sierra Mar, too. Both the Pinot and Syrah from Rosella’s from '15 knocked it out of the park, from what I tasted when bottling. I think you’d love those. (Oh, and the inaugural Sierra Mar Grenache - only 15 cases, so I didn’t get any - was easily the best young Grenache I’ve had. It was like, “Oh! The SLH growers should be grafting a lot of this in!” Grenache and Riesling! The future of SLH!)
Isabelle was one of the two I tried. I loved it.
Pretty good list 
For me, Rhys Skyline is on top, followed by Horseshoe…
I also enjoy some Littorais with a bit of age (One Acre, Haven) and Anthill Abbey-Harris.
Not a fan of Patricia Green, but I did like Beaux Freres very much when we tasted there last summer.
As someone who drinks predominantly Burgundy, I enjoy the Anthill Farms pinots.
based on your list (and the implied fact that you like burgundy more than US wines) I think you are barking in the wrong state in CA. Oregon is your money shot. Domaine Serene is not representative, and the ones you are aging are probably your best bets. Walter Scott, Patricia Green, Goodfellow, Kelley Fox, Evening Land, Lingua Franca, st innocent etc. Eyrie has a couple bottling that are great, especially the original vines bottlings. The only adelsheim I’ve really liked is an aged Elizabeth cuvee. but if you like ABC in CA then this is the direction to go IMO.
Can’t name one California Pinot that I have really enjoyed. I’ll take Vincent, Biggio Hamina, Goodfellow, St. Innocent, Belle Pente, and Longplay any day over the Cali fruit bombs.
You should try both. Based on your lists, I expect that they will align with your preferences. I opened a 2011 Walter Scott Dumb Ox Pinot Noir this past Wednesday, for my wife’s birthday. It was excellent.