2014 Longplay Pinot Noir Jory Bench Reserve Lia’s Vineyard- USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains (11/21/2020)
This was a quick pick, and let decant in bottle for an hour. Poured a glass and let sit for another 30. Its a cloudy crimson and ruby in the glass, light in swirl, light in legs. The nose is fruit-driven, darker, black tea notes, forest floor. It has a nice focus. The front starts cherry that brightens up to strawberry notes in the middle. Medium acidity. The tea components have grip and integrate well with the tannins, like a tea that was over-steeped in a good way. Adds that “thonk” element. The finish is sour cherry and light tannin. It lingers and fades out, moderate length. Good bottle and I like it. I have two more, one of which I think I’ll check in on in 2 or so more years. I think it all can integrate further as this started a bit choppy before it came together and I think the tea element will have an interesting bearing on the how the fruit evolves.
Very earthy, dark fruits and plums edging towards dried fruits and prunes. Some spiciness. Some Cameron funk, of course. Not going downhill, but probably not going uphill either. A nice wine, but not as good as the Dundee - more of a “burger night” Cameron than a Ribeye wine.
2012 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe – Thanks for doing this again Frank. Opened yesterday, the 20th, it was a pretty wine, with nice aromatics and great balance, a beautiful showing. Tonight it’s tightened up a bit and shows a slight astringency. Still enjoyable but not as much as yesterday. I should add that both nights I drank this without food, and food might have helped out tonight. Drunk from a 2017 Falltacular Burgundy glass. I’ll likely drink my last bottle in the next year or two.
2019 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.24- USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros (11/21/2020)
Short and sweet didn’t take formal notes. Garnet glass, medium/light body. Nose is Cherry and raspberry, wafts of cola and nila. Has an edge. Front is a velvety black cherry cola, fruit forward, nilla giving way to middle with medium- acidity, and a fruit driven finish with silky smooth tannins. I’d not say its well balanced however I would say well integrated for what it is, it works. It can develop with time. Can drink now, or lay something down for a few year to see what happens. Can’t lose.
2007 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard - Another '07 tonight, this time a Rhys. This was a little shy on the nose, with hints of dark earthy red fruits. Same flavors followed through on the palate, adding in some mushroom and spice notes. Very smooth and easy to drink, albeit a bit understated, this just felt like a very warm and comforting pinot to cozy up to.
Come on Peloton crew. Let’s go with pics (Viet. AD. Curtis. Charlie. Etc)
2012 Boillot Volnay Santenots - last time this was a great bottle. Not sure if bottle was slightly off but very much stripped of fruit. Feels advanced such that folks guessed mid 2000. Could be heat damage but cork was clean. Disappointing.
2016 Angerville Clos Des Duc - Red cherry fruit, hint of plum, slight vanilla. Palate had lots of good acidic balance. But man it’s just too young and begging for age.
Huge amounts of tannin structure. With plenty of air this opens up and probably the best one of the 3 tonight.
2018 Charles Lachaux Volnay 1er Santenots - lovely lovely nose. Characteristic of these Charles Lachauxs the nose is pretty AF. Red berries, sweet earthinesss. Palate is well balance with acidity but finish does not persist. Not bad and definitely kept a hot year well in check.
Definitely on the wild side here. The first night the nose is pretty funky but it’s got a great dark cherry candy note underneath it on the palate that balances it out well. First night there’s also just a little prickle of effervescence which I think helps lift it above the Hiyu wildness.
Night 2 it’s settled in and lost the funky nose with more brambly fruit and floral notes. Really a yummy wine but I like this young kind of wild note to Hiyu’s wines so I’m glad we opened it now.
Note: I’m definitely present in the reflection on the bottle. Not sure how picky we’re being about the pictures but I love these labels
2015 Halcon Vineyards Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard- USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (11/22/2020)
Very translucent showing very low extraction. Reticent nose showing light strawberry, cheery candy and pine forest. Light bodied palate. Strawberry, blackberry, and black tea flavors. Well integrated acids as well as some late awakening tannin. This wears it’s stem inclusion on it’s sleeve but not in an entirely distracting way. Way into the end of the spectrum for lightly touched Pinot from CA. The look and palate feel showcase that. Elegance and grace over fruit power here. No rush here. If you like mature notes, wait more. A good wine for lighter foods.
2007 Copain Kiser En Haut - This makes a trifecta of '07’s so far for this virtual tasting. Strong black cherry on the nose with a bit of funk. Very tart and angular on the palate to start - I have been sitting with this glass for a couple of hours and it is has opened up and relaxed a bit. Black cherries with a little bitter tea note. This started with a little medicinal cough syrupy note but as the wine opens up, that has receded to a herbal note. Short on the finish.
This Swan was very nice. Yet, I’m still thinking of the 1996 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Reserve from last week. Never have had old Dehlinger or Swan until recently but I’m definitely now a fan. Here’s to you Rich Gibbons!
1987 Joseph Swan Vineyards Pinot Noir- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (11/22/2020)
This wine is drinking really nicely. A classic fully resolved CA pinot noir. Leather, forest floor and subtle oxidation on the nose. Fully resolved rubbarb notes on the palate with nice balancing acid and very fine tannins. Its had some nice layers for Day 1 and Day 2 but fell apart by Day 4. Beautiful wine. My first aged Swan and I am fan. Its not falling apart and some friends might hold it even longer. IMO, drink up.
2016 Kelley Fox Ahurani (Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville AVA, Oregon)
This wine is from the Momtazi barrels that didn’t make the cut for the regular bottling. I have a soft spot for Kelleys’ wines from this vineyard and am sorry she discontinued sourcing it in 2017. They are bigger and wilder than her Dundee wines.
The color is a brilliant crimson with no appearance of ageing. I get a lot of dark cherry, aged balsamic, burnt sugar, but also blood, red meat, iron, rock. And while 2016 is reputed to be a warm vintage, there is a coolness about this wine. I’ve had this wine a half dozen times, yet this one surprised me. It is more tannic and mouth drying than I recall from previous bottles and somehow seems younger. Perhaps it is entering a shutdown phase. I think it will still have upside and be good drinking for another five years minimum. It gives me incentive to keep my hands off on the Momtazi.
2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Aubaine Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley (11/22/2020)
Starting to get festive and made a nice accompaniment to putting up the tree. Did a bottle decant with a full glass poured and waiting, sat for about an hour and a half. Intriguing color, dark garnet with an ever so slight brown tint giving to a little brick. Its fun to swirl and look at. The nose is just lovely, wafts of dark cherry, boysenberry, cola, vanilla, a little pine tar and earth, some smoke. I spent 10 minutes just inhaling it. Front leads off with black cherry cola and vanilla. Crossing the middle, the acidity pipes up and those notes of boysenberry surface. Well balanced, well integrated. Silky tannins kick in and just coast with the fruit for a lengthy finish. Its one of the best bottles I’ve popped of late, a great ride, and fortunately I have a few more laying down. You can enjoy this now or let sit a bit longer to roll the dice and see what happens. Its got weight and the structure and I don’t sense its legs giving out any time soon.
2004 Rhys Family Farms Pinot
Don’t remember getting this so it is likely from my first purchase. On opening, it is a bit funky on the nose, with a bit barnyard. Initial taste is not great, with that something that says over the hill. Some bricking in the glass. Decanted while over-cooking a steak which is another story. An hour later and things have settled down, but still a bit musty. Confirms my feelings about older wine. I prefer “em younger.
![[scratch.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/42a16863a8714da3c1604419e3eb9206bb87aa50.gif "scratch"){kind=small}
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}