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| Drinking window: Drink between 2020 and 2025 (based on 17 user opinions) |
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| Community Tasting Notes (average 92 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 13 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by SirJ on 11/24/2023 & rated 92 points: Wine tasting 24/11
Held a wine tasting where the theme was Chardonnay from different parts of the world. We tried six different producers where my idea was to pit a Premier Cru from Burgundy against five other producers to blindly test and see what possible differences we could find.
All six wines have gone through malolactic fermentation and all have been aged for a certain amount of time in oak barrels. All but one wine (By Farr) has been on its lees (Sur Lie). All wines were decanted 30 – 60 minutes before tasting.
Three of the wines come from several different vineyard locations:
House of Smith – Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay 2019
USA / Washington State / Columbia Valley.
Alcohol 14.0%
Calera Chardonnay Central Coast 2021
USA / California / Central Coast
Alcohol 14.5%
Failla Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019
USA / California / Sonoma County
Alcohol 13.5%
Three of the wines came from a specific vineyard location:
Les Héritiers Saint-Genys Mercurey 1er Cru Clos Marcilly Blanc 2019
France / Burgundy / Côte Chalonnaise / Mercurey
Alcohol 14.0%
Gala Vinnarstvi Chardonnay Hermes 2020
Czech Republic / Moravia / Perná
Alcohol 13.0%
By Farr Chardonnay 2021
Australia / Victoria / Geelong
Alcohol 13.5%
I presented all the wines first, origin, terroir, what altitude and a little about the philosophy of the respective winemaker. Then we tested all the wines blindly where everyone had to decide their respective top three wines for the evening;
3rd wine 1 p
2nd wine 2 p
1st wine 3 p
No prices were revealed before the tasting, but everyone was looking for the wine from Burgundy, thinking it would be the most expensive. All six wines were very good, and very difficult to distinguish in many ways. No over oaked wines (phew) but good fruit and more or less well-balanced oak.
After scoring, the outcome was as follows:
Failla Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019 - 0 points (my score 90 p)
House of Smith – Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay 2019 - 2 points (my score 89 p)
Calera Chardonnay Central Coast 2021 - 6 points (my score 90 p)
Les Héritiers Saint-Genys Mercurey 1er Cru Clos Marcilly Blanc 2019 - 8 points (my score 92 p)
Gala Vinnarstvi Chardonnay Hermes 2020 - 10 points (my score 91 p)
By Farr Chardonnay 2021 - 10 points (my score 93 p)
Compilation
Blind tasting is incredibly interesting, and difficult, but usually gives a fairly fair picture of the wines. What we found most interesting was that all three wines that were specific vineyard locations ended up in the top 3.
What surprised many was that the Czech wine from Vinnartsi Gala shared first place, I was not surprised, one of my favorites for sublime well-balanced Chardonnay. That By Farr's Chardonnay also ends up at the top was not surprising, here it is the terroir that really ends up in the first place, limestone, limestone...limestone, the fruit is also extremely elegant. Those of you who have not tried By Farr's Pinot Noir should do so, very fine wines.
In third place Premier Cru Héritiers Saint-Genys, a wine that really performed and would probably have been rated higher a few hours later with a little more time in the glass.
Also have to give + points to the Caleras Chardonnay, near the podium, a clear fruit that appealed to many. But as said before, all six wines were very good, small margins. A very appreciated test, and instructive.
And the price level of these wines, cheapest Calera with its SEK 279, most expensive By Farr SEK 580. All wines purchased at SB except Gala which is bought in the Czech Republic.
Then the evening ended with three very good red wines:
Failla Pinor Noir Lola 2017 (my score 92 p)
Two Handes Shiraz Ares 2014 (my score 91 p)
Lunae Niccolo V 2016 (my score 91 p) - Great wine for €25
Wine is fun friends! (229 views) | | | Tasted by VinoEtSeq on 11/20/2023 & rated 89 points: Spiced strawberries, raspberries, hints of vanilla. Medium alcohol and medium(+) acidity. Delicate tannins. Drinking very well. (161 views) | | | Tasted by 2 Utes on 2/8/2023 & rated 93 points: First of all, I think it is important to state I am not an avid Pinot consumer. However, this one was quite nice. It had quite a perfume and was readily drinkable right out of the bottle. My wife and I continued to consume this over the next 2 hours and it continued to open, yet also maintain its presence. The jamminess was upfront and had a lingering pleasant finish. The cellar tracker app has this of drink in 2022, I think it has a couple more years to reach its peak, but it is wonderful right now. (393 views) | | | Tasted by acrosenberg on 7/30/2022 & rated 95 points: This is a star from the start. Round lush balanced, fruit berries light earth. I’m speechless. Tastes great right out of the bottle. (429 views) | | | Tasted by SirJ on 10/3/2021 & rated 93 points: Failla Vineyards is my new favorite Pinot Noir from Sonoma. Typical warm fruit from the New World, strawberries, herbs, roses. With wonderful harmony regarding acidity and tannins. Double decanted 1 hour before serving. Drink or hold. (531 views) | | | Tasted by Gonzo91 on 7/23/2020 & rated 92 points: Very bright and floral with refreshing minerality. Easy drinker (1184 views) | | | Tasted by mkribar on 2/21/2020 & rated 90 points: Failla tasting at K&L: Really light ruby. Mostly Petaluma fruit. Raspberry and strawberry on the nose. Floral, with some whole cluster character. On the palate, there's som more whole cluster herbaciousness, crush strawberryies, some cream. Medium/medium plus acid. Very light body. (1249 views) | | | Tasted by VinoViking on 11/23/2019 flawed bottle: Something wrong with this one. Foggy garnet. Flat. No better on day 2. (1057 views) | | | Tasted by Joe Kane on 9/12/2019: Named after the winery dog. Across from Gap's Crown. Gorgeous palate. Balance, drinking great. (1165 views) |
| Failla Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast AVA (Wikipedia)
* Sonoma Coast AVA (Wine Institue) |
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