Larson Family Winery, Pinot Noir 2011 - $38

Sonoma Coast

In preparation for a long awaited visit back to Sonoma later this week, I opened a bottle quite apt for this upcoming trip.  You might not find it on your local wine shop shelves however, if you’re in Sonoma, a visit to this wonderful winery is a must.  Years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a day with former wine maker Carolyn Craig to learn about the processes involved in wine making.  That experience forever influenced a genuine appreciation for the hard work which goes into the art and science of this industry.

Now, on to this amazing wine beginning with a medium ruby red color, aromas of rose petals, macerated strawberries, toasted oak and a hint of anise which brought on anticipation of the tastes in store.  Flavors of dark cherries, blackberries and subtle plums rounded out a true Pinot.  Medium tannins with a smooth, clean finish created an excellent paring for my grilled NY strip.

Current vintage for sale is 2014.  I love this winery’s motto.  "We drink what we can, and sell the rest!" www.larsonfamilywinery.com

Erath Pinot Noir '09 Estate Selection

On Thanksgiving, there's nothing better than a good Pinot Noir to go with turkey and all the dressings. This wine was one I found back in 2011 while visiting the Willamette valley in Oregon. Erath makes various Pinots however this one seems to be a premium one after tasting others. With aromas of ripe plums, vanilla and floral scents this mature red, aged in French oak for 14 months, was outstanding after 2 years home in the bottle. Flavors of dark cherries and crushed strawberries with a hint of toasted oak balanced perfectly with our holiday meal. The tannins were subtle with a soft, silky mouth feel.

I'm not sure on distribution of this specific wine but if you find it, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Oregon, Willamette Valley (part 2)

Sorry for not getting this out sooner but the day job got in the way. 

In reference to my last posting, this is a follow up to a recent visit to Oregon wine country and the Willamette Valley.  These are few more favorites I’d like to share.  Now I can’t guarantee these are all available at your local wine store so I’ve included some web links in case you want to reach out to the wineries directly.

From a small group of producers is the Carlton Winemakers Studio which basically offers wine makers a place to produce their own wines and not have to deal with all the issues of maintaining a large winery.  Believe it or not, this is a great idea and has become very popular in many wine-growing regions.  Some of the best wines I tried on this visit came from here. 

 - Retour Pinot Noir ’09  Winemaker www.retourwines.com

Lindsay Woodard has created a wonderful wine here.  Dark cherries and roasted nuts on the nose.  Flavors of black currants, soft tannins with hints of minerals place this wine in a category all on it’s own.  Lindsay was named one of the Top Emerging Producers by Wine Spectator.  I’m so thankful to find her wines.  She also has one called “Manifest Destiny” which I was told only produced 3 barrels and absolutely amazing.

 - Duke’s Family Vineyard “Charlotte” Pinot Noir ’09  Floral and cherry cola aromas.  Red currants, cherries and a hint of cola with silky tannins on the finish.  

www.dukesfamilyvineyards.com  

Ghost Hill Cellars:  www.ghosthillcellars.com

First off, a big thank you to Michael who gave us a personal tour of his vineyards, their history and future for their family owned business.

Pinot Noir, Bayliss-Bower Vineyard '10  An earthiness followed by bright cherries balanced the aromas well.  Tastes of black berries, a hint of pepper and smooth tannins pleasantly surprised me for this younger wine. 

Wines By Joe: www.joedobbeswines.com

Joe Dobbes has been known for his wine making in Oregon since 1989 and his new winery under his name has some great selections.

Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir "Patricia's Cuvee" '09  Aromas of wet leaves and mild toasted oak.  Ripe plums, dark cherries and subtle tannins rounded out the flavors to make this one of the best finds during this trip.

 

Erath: www.erath.com

One of the largest commercial producers in Oregon, these wines are readily available throughout the USA.  Many are priced for affordability yet the one I liked best may not be on the inexpensive side for some drinkers.

Estate Selection Pinot Noir '09  Vanilla and baked cherry pie with hints of floral aromas.  Plums and currants offer a fruit forward flavor.  A subtle smoke with silky tannins completes for a wonderful finish.  At $34 retail, it's worth it.

Once again, thanks to all the wineries and vineyards who opened their doors to tastings, educating me more and most of all your hospitality and friendship.  

Oregon, Willamette Valley (part 1)

This was my 2nd time visiting this wine region and I must say it proved to be a fantastic trip!  Thanks to all the wineries and vineyards who opened their doors to tastings, education and most of all your friendship.  Pinot Noir is the hero to this area and after this visit; I've found an even better understanding for a great Pinot.

I spent 2 days mostly traveling near the towns of Dundee, Newburg and Carlton.  There are obviously many other wineries to visit in this region and I hope to do so in the near future.

So without making this posting too lengthy, I’m dividing it into 2 parts.  Look for the next posting in the coming days.  Here are some of my favorite wines tasted during the first part of my visit.

Anne Amie Vineyards: (picture with Andy, Assist. Winemaker)

These are great people and my 2nd visit here was a nice reunion.  Look for their upcoming Pinot Noir Rose sparkling, which began crush the day I was visiting.

- Annahala Vineyard Pinot Noir '09   Only made this year and WOW is it amazing. Subtle, smooth with berry fruits and soft toasted wood on the finish. Thomas the wine maker has a great story for this one. Ask him.

- "Prisme" Pinot Noir Blanc '09  Refreshing balance of fruit and subtle citrus. Great white wine for seafood.

- Cuvée A '10  A great Pinot Noir that you can find widely distributed.

Stoller Vineyards:   (picture of new tasting room)

With a new, fully sustainable tasting room and beautiful views, this is a must visit.

- Turkey Hill Red, NV  A nice blend of Tempranillo, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Very interesting to find this here and they've done a nice job on this wine.

- Reserve Chardonnay, Dundee Hills '10  Perfect balance between fruit & subtle oak.

De Ponte Cellars:

- Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ’09  Dark cherry and nutty aromas.  Silky, smooth with soft tannins.

- D.F.B. Melon de Bourgogne ’11  A refreshing white wine with floral and citrus hints.  Crisp apple and pear flavors could pair this well with seafood and salads.

Check back in a day or so for the remaining wineries I had the pleasure of visiting. 

Sean Minor, Pinot Noir ‘09 ($14)

Napa Valley, CA

A few months ago I posted the Cab Sav. by Sean Minor and from what I’ve heard the market went crazy for it.  A great wine at a great value so go figure, the price also went up $3-$4 since then.  Congrats on market penetration with a great wine…I’ll still pay $18/$20 for it.

The ‘09 Pinot Noir is no exception for another great wine from Sean Minor however, I’m not sure pricing will jump like the Cab. so find some of the ’09 Pinot while it’s still on the shelf.  Aromas of cherry jam, black pepper and lightly toasted oak all found to be pretty typical of a Pinot Noir.  The flavors of sweet plums, blackberries and cocoa really measured up to a well-balanced wine.  Hints of vanilla and caramel supported smooth tannins on the finish.

The wine went unbelievably well with dinner of grilled pork loin, grilled asparagus and a porcini mushroom risotto.  Aged for 9 months in French oak gives this wine a nice flavor and shows care in the wine making process.  Sean Minor seems to genuinely care how his wines are made and it shows in the finished product.  You can read more about them at www.seanminorwines.com

Angeline Merlot ’07 ($13) & Angeline Pinot Noir ’08 ($12)

Sonoma, CA

It’s not often I buy 2 different varietals from the same winery in one shopping trip.  In this case I had tried the Chardonnay from Angeline and was pleased, so my thought was, if even one of these new wines (Merlot or Pinot Noir) was good, I’d be happy.  Well, I was fooled they both were great.

The Merlot started with aromas of cedar and black pepper.  It might have had a bit of an alcohol scent but that definitely wasn’t in the tasting.  Rich in blackberries and plum on the first tastes had this feeling like a well-balanced Merlot.  Not too fruity with mild tannins and subtle oak on the finish made for a great wine at $13.

The Pinot Noir absolutely blew me away for a $12 wine.  It must have been the reason the guy before me was loading his cart up with it.  I guess that’ll be me next time…  Strawberries, a hint of must and subtle spice stood out on the aromas.  The tasting followed with bright berries and a velvety, smooth finish.  The fruit on this wine is so nice!  Very well balanced with a nice, easy drinking feel on the palette.

Angeline has 3 thumbs up for me now with their Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir.  They must be doing something right.  I look forward to hearing from any of you trying these wines in the future.

Kim Crawford, Pinot Noir '08 - $18

Marlborough, New Zealand

I’ve always liked the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay so I decided to try the Pinot Noir.  It was a moderately priced bottle and given the great results for the other varietals, I didn’t think I could go wrong.  I was right!

With pleasant aromas blending black pepper, dark cherries and hints of oak I couldn’t wait to try this.  The flavors were full of ripe dark cherries with subtle black pepper, as found in the aromas.  Bringing together bright fruit flavors along with the oak and smooth tannins helped make for a nice finish.  This definitely has a gentle mouth feel making the wine very drinkable with most any type of foods.  It seems to be a very versatile, food friendly wine.  Grilled beef, chicken, pork, seafood or even a pasta dish with a light red sauce could go great with this wine. 

This is one of my new favorites!

Mac Murray Ranch, Pinot Noir $17

Central Coast, CA

I admit, I bought this wine after reading a Wine Spectator issue recommending it as a moderately priced and very good Pinot Noir. I honestly don’t follow up on all the notes I take from reading wine related magazines but I’m glad I did on this on.

The aromas began with bright fruit, cherries and dried mushrooms followed by a hint of Fall-like wet leaves. Sounds like a lot going on here although it was a nice rounded and balanced sensation. It helped reinforce and remind me that the aromas (or “nose”) play such an affect on the tastes which follow. This is actually a proven fact in wine tasting so don’t be shy to sniff, sniff, sniff.

The tastes were a wonderful collection of ripe cherries with a mild spice. On the finish, vanilla and a hint of chocolate were present. Very nicely balanced wine that I would categorize as easy drinking yet sophisticated in flavor composition. I had it with salmon on cedar plank and the wine was an excellent complement. Even the warm chocolate chip cookies after dinner went great with the wine.

Recently I saw this wine on sale at World Market ($16). I guess I should continue to follow up on my wine magazine notes more often.