Raen Offer Live - 2020 Pinot

Michael_Baryla · September 20, 2021, 3:35pm

Not sure where you are but in a lot of states you don’t have to be a member to buy alcohol.

Carter_Pelham · November 13, 2021, 9:20pm

The label design puts me off. I tried a few because my local guy offered them. I put them into the cocktail pinot category. Ripe, sweet wines you’d drink by themselves mostly as they just shout loudly over flavors you pair with. You could use them with grilled stuff, I suppose. Other cocktail pinots I have in small quantities (due to my tastes/preferences) include Occidental (and formerly Kistler), Kosta-Browne, and Rochioli. Some folks don’t lump Rochioli in this camp, but I have never had one that didn’t feel overdone in some way. If I were comparing Raen to those, I’d say it is not as extracted as the Occidental, and seems higher pH/lower acid. I would not expect them to be long-term cellar candidates, but I’ve been surprised by some old-school pinots from Napa stalwarts.

Cheers,
fred

Just to pile on this also differs so wildly from everything else I’ve heard about RAEN. I will be tasting through their wines in 3 weeks in Napa and if this thread is active then I will report back. But listening to the numerous reviews on here and elsewhere I’m confident that this description is not reflective of what most people would get out of these wines. Carlo did a podcast episode and a 30+min piece with SOMMTV which also really describes how their philosophy, growing and winemaking which is also a stark contrast to the way they are described above.

Figured I’d follow through on this. Tasted through RAEN’s lineup. They are definitely not cocktail pinots, but they are not incredibly austere either. Definitely all benefit from food. The Royal St Robert and the Fort Ross Seaview are red fruited and spiced while the bodega has a Nuits St George dark fruited character. They are made with a high percentage / 100% whole cluster and I think 25% new oak. They were all very enjoyable. More a “true sonoma coast style”

John_Oglesby · November 14, 2021, 10:14pm

You’re not going to get much color extraction from WC. You can have the same cap maintenance program for each lot and end up with vastly contrasting shades of color extraction.