| 1996 Pinot Noir - Stanly Ranch - Carneros - Beringer Vineyards |
| Medium deep ruby color; cherry and oak aromas - spicey, some light pepper ; Good acidity - tannins in evidence - oak dominates the flavors; there is fruit, but it isn't showing too well yet; finishes with the oak overpowering the fruit. Would have preferred to see more fruit showing - less oak. That would have likely resulted in a more intense and clean flavor. This wine should lose some of the oak in time. Too heavy a hand with new oak ? Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot are better able to handle new oak, but Pinot Noir should be shown a softer approach, in our view. |
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| 1997 Pinot Noir - Carneros - ETUDE |
| Similar in color to the Stanly Ranch Pinot, but may be just slightly lighter; penetrating warm berry fruit aromas - more plum than cherry, with some oak showing ; oak is blended better than with the Stanly Ranch - tannins - cherry fruit with some oak; finish is a bit mixed - would like to see a stronger statement from the fruit; a pleasing long finish. |
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| 1997 Pinot Noir - Quail Hill Vineyard - Russina River - Lynmar Winery |
| Quite a bit lighter than the previous two wines; clean oaky/cherry aromas; good acidity - sweet cherry flavors, with a very long fruit aftertaste. Acidity gives this wine plenty of vitality. Very good effort. |
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| 1997 Pinot Noir - Russian River - Gary Farrell |
| Medium ruby color - bright and clean; Burgundian styled nose - smoky oak and dark berry fruit - quite penetrating; round, ripe sweet cherry flavors over soft oak - excellent balance - harmonious; unfortunately it didn't last too well on the finish. Very satisfying on the palate - but perhaps in need of some more acidity. Nontheless - quite attractive. |
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| 1997 Pinot Noir - Russian River - J. Rochioli |
| Good, deep ruby color ; scented floral and cherry fruit aromas ; round, ripe on the palate - some citrus edged cherry fruit; everything in balance here; extremely long and satisfying finish - drk cherry fruit lasts and lasts - easy and supple on the palate. Best wine of this tasting ! |
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| 1998 Pinot Noir - Russian River - J. Rochioli |
| Similar color to the 1997 ; a fuller, more complex nose - oak showing through the fruit - Burgundian styled aromas - penetrating berry fruit ; not as cleanly delineated as the 1997 - more oak on the palate, but has massive fruit; finishes long, but not as clean as the 1997 ; needs some time. Taste again in a year.This is obviously a fine wine, but we aren't tasting it at its best. |
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| 1994 Pinot Noir - Famous Gate - Carneros - Carneros Cellars |
| This was an added wine tyo the tasting to show what a few years can do to a wine. Garnet edged ruby color; spicey/smoky aromas - fruit underlying; soft, elegant on the palate, with velvety soft tannins; good berry fruit that extends to an easy medium long finish. |
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| 1998 Pinot Noir - Okanagan Valley - Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars |
| This doesn't fit the California heading. It's a Pinot Noir from Canada's Okanagan Valley In British Columbia. Included to see what progress is being made there with Pinot Noir. Clean, ruby color; light nose - fresh floral and berry fruit; oak comes through over the berry fruit - good acidity - dark cherry and plum flavors linger in the finish. Plenty of vitality. This is a pretty good effort - from younger vines - 8 and 13 years. It was a hot year - needed some culling of the grapes. |
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| 1993 Pommard Les Grands Epenots 1er Cru - Francois Gaunoux |
| This wasn't part of the tasting, either, but the group wanted to see the differences between California and Burgundy. Wasn't open long enough before tasting - and required some vigorous swirling. Garnet edged ruby color; oaky/spicey fruit aromas; round and ripe on the palate - spicey oak tinged cherry fruit, extending out to a pleasing and long finish. Certainly a different style, but an attractive wine in its own right. Tasted blind, and two of the tasters correctly identified the wine as a Pommard. |
