A bit translucent yet still cloudy in the glass with aromas of cherry, earth, and just a trace of spice. The palate is quite amazingly fruity, stopping just short of "amazingly-so." The palate is a delight: fresh cherry, hints of spice, and a zesty tartness that persists through the finish. Yowza. thedrunkencyclist.com
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An interesting low(er) alcohol (13.9% ABV) RRV pinot, showing a great deal of acidity but maintaining some purity of fruit and a touch of mineral. Well integrated tannins. Smooth and easy to drink.
Me - 91, Wife - 92
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Still holding on but fruit notes have softened. Nose is still rich and tha palate is well balanced with acids integrated nicely with the alcohol, fruit and tannins. Consider uncorking in 2016 for peak.
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Perhaps I underestimated this wine on release. It's showing delightful baked cherry, spice, rhubarb, cola, and a touch of mineral. Moderate plus length. It's RRV, but not over the top. Really at a nice spot right now though held a glass overnight and it was going strong the next day, so certainly no rush.
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Decanted for 2 hours and drinking well. A big pinot with tons of fruit upfront. I noted that some people thought this wine was fading. I didn't get that impression.
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Red brick hues but with some intensity showing a nice extraction of fruit. Excellent acid structure which subsides if consumed a day after uncorking. The nose wowed folks showing an amazing bouquet with standard Russian river markers like wild strawberries and cinnamon spice cake. A good entry on the palate but some bracing acid following initial uncorking. Properly cellared, this wine may have a few years remaining!
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Much better in its youth and by youth I mean on release. The nose is predictable RRV cinnamon and baking spices and ripe (candied??) strawberry. On the palate there was an artificial flavor aspect which I didn't like. The acidity and freshness this wine possessed on release was just nowhere to be found - now it feels big and clumsy. Disappointing prospects as I really loved this wine and this vineyard.
Came across as relatively big and ripe, but it had good acid on the finish that kept it from feeling flabby and overdone. Pretty straightforward pinot flavors -- not terribly complex at this point -- but there appears to be an upside here and I expect they'll pick up more secondary flavors as the years pass. Got outclassed by a J. Christopher Abbey Ridge from 09. Seemed like the warm year in OR yielded a wine of similar ripeness to a cool year in CA.
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Hint of purple in the ruby colored, watery edged wine. The nose is red licorice and anise, with a little floral and baking spice. Cherry and cranberry come through, maybe a touch of blueberry. Lots of complexity, definitely decant.
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This is absolutely delicious wine...beautiful balance of fruit and minerals...a great winemaker and a great vineyard...could you as for anything more? As good as Kosta Browne's Keefer at a third of the price!
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1st night, open in the bottle 2+hours. The whole just shy of the sum of its parts. Stratified, its admirable qualities distinct, not quite integrated. Alcohol here, blueberries there, struggling to coalesce, but missing.
2nd night, after being vacuvined in fridge: unification! It just needed the time to assemble itself into a superbly structured rounded drink, from nose to tongue to hard and soft palate and down the throat where, perfectly-balanced, its goodness lingers for half-a-minute or more.
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Kingston Dinner 3/25/13 (Fairfield, CT): This wine was decanted for 3+ hours. It is a pretty dark Pinot and still brooding well after it was released from the bottle. The fruit is straight up in your face. You can smell it and taste it. It would be nice to see the sugar move a little bit into the background on this wine. My only nit pick on the wine is that the sugar is almost too prominent. Looking forward to trying again in a year or two or three.
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Very perfumed with high aromatic lift. Has gained more depth and weight since I last tasted a year ago. Even the complexity has gone up as well. Drinks like Grand Cru stuff. Will try not to touch my last bottle for quite some time.
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Notes consistent with the last bottle. Needs a decant, and I think it's better the next day. I've probably drank about a half case of this already, and I've enjoyed it every time.
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Tasting again and doing this note after it's been open for a day.
Still very good today. Some of that nice Pinot funk on the nose, along with some blueberry, anise, cola. Palate has nutmeg, berries, meat, mushroom? Very light, smooth tannins...nice balance, 30+ second finish that dances around the mouth.
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Drank this at Failla a few weeks ago but didn't have time to really assess it due to running to different tasting appts. Just got a chance to spend time with this bottle and WOW what an amazing Pinot this is! Already accessible at such a young age and revealing so much complexity on the nose and palate. Aromas of dried red berries, hibiscus, spice cabinet, wet river stones, forest floor and mushrooms. On the palate layers and layers of dried and fresh red fruits - strawberries, raspberries framed in sweet fine grain tannins with medium plus finish. the palate is so juicy it leaves you salivating after each sip. it's possible that this '10 Keefer Ranch might be more successful than the '09. It may be even as great as the '09 Occidental which is in itself a stunner!
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Had this wine last night at Frasca in Boulder, CO. Ehren Jordan was serving wine for the tasting. Certainly more complex than the 2009 and 2008 Failla Sonoma Coast. Medium bodied with lots of dried cherry and earthy undertones. Good balance of fruit, alcohol and acid. The wine improved as the night went on.
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8/6/2020 - pinotpounder wrote: 91 Points
91 points
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3/21/2020 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 Points
A bit translucent yet still cloudy in the glass with aromas of cherry, earth, and just a trace of spice. The palate is quite amazingly fruity, stopping just short of "amazingly-so." The palate is a delight: fresh cherry, hints of spice, and a zesty tartness that persists through the finish. Yowza. thedrunkencyclist.com
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9/20/2016 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An interesting low(er) alcohol (13.9% ABV) RRV pinot, showing a great deal of acidity but maintaining some purity of fruit and a touch of mineral.
Well integrated tannins.
Smooth and easy to drink.
Me - 91, Wife - 92
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12/19/2015 - RobSpectator wrote: 92 Points
Still holding on but fruit notes have softened. Nose is still rich and tha palate is well balanced with acids integrated nicely with the alcohol, fruit and tannins. Consider uncorking in 2016 for peak.
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12/6/2015 - yossarian.livez wrote: 90 Points
Perhaps I underestimated this wine on release. It's showing delightful baked cherry, spice, rhubarb, cola, and a touch of mineral. Moderate plus length. It's RRV, but not over the top. Really at a nice spot right now though held a glass overnight and it was going strong the next day, so certainly no rush.
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8/8/2015 - fournet Likes this wine:
Much improved from two years ago. Nice acidity. Fruit could improve; a bit thin.
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3/2/2015 - sayward wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and drinking well. A big pinot with tons of fruit upfront. I noted that some people thought this wine was fading. I didn't get that impression.
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12/1/2014 - SMZ wrote: 90 Points
Seems to be fading a bit; I agree with mattboy.
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11/23/2014 - tkcbone Likes this wine: 92 Points
very good
opened up nicely
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6/21/2014 - RobSpectator Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red brick hues but with some intensity showing a nice extraction of fruit. Excellent acid structure which subsides if consumed a day after uncorking. The nose wowed folks showing an amazing bouquet with standard Russian river markers like wild strawberries and cinnamon spice cake. A good entry on the palate but some bracing acid following initial uncorking. Properly cellared, this wine may have a few years remaining!
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3/5/2014 - mattyboy_ wrote: 90 Points
Much better in its youth and by youth I mean on release. The nose is predictable RRV cinnamon and baking spices and ripe (candied??) strawberry. On the palate there was an artificial flavor aspect which I didn't like. The acidity and freshness this wine possessed on release was just nowhere to be found - now it feels big and clumsy. Disappointing prospects as I really loved this wine and this vineyard.
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11/1/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Hennepin Lake's Annual Tasting (Tons of Napa Cabs); 10/30/2013-11/2/2013: Hey nice stuff with cherry, blueberries, tobacco and minerals. Medium plus finish.
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10/17/2013 - Ron Felthoven Likes this wine:
Came across as relatively big and ripe, but it had good acid on the finish that kept it from feeling flabby and overdone. Pretty straightforward pinot flavors -- not terribly complex at this point -- but there appears to be an upside here and I expect they'll pick up more secondary flavors as the years pass. Got outclassed by a J. Christopher Abbey Ridge from 09. Seemed like the warm year in OR yielded a wine of similar ripeness to a cool year in CA.
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9/21/2013 - Vervelb wrote: 91 Points
Hint of purple in the ruby colored, watery edged wine. The nose is red licorice and anise, with a little floral and baking spice. Cherry and cranberry come through, maybe a touch of blueberry. Lots of complexity, definitely decant.
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9/6/2013 - Tom Warden wrote: 94 Points
This is absolutely delicious wine...beautiful balance of fruit and minerals...a great winemaker and a great vineyard...could you as for anything more? As good as Kosta Browne's Keefer at a third of the price!
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6/16/2013 - lzelman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome Pinot. One of my favorites.
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6/4/2013 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 85 Points
For me pretty standard pinot, ok nose, strawberries, cherries, and pepper
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3/31/2013 - halbri Likes this wine: 94 Points
1st night, open in the bottle 2+hours. The whole just shy of the sum of its parts. Stratified, its admirable qualities distinct, not quite integrated. Alcohol here, blueberries there, struggling to coalesce, but missing.
2nd night, after being vacuvined in fridge: unification! It just needed the time to assemble itself into a superbly structured rounded drink, from nose to tongue to hard and soft palate and down the throat where, perfectly-balanced, its goodness lingers for half-a-minute or more.
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3/25/2013 - sayward wrote: 92 Points
Kingston Dinner 3/25/13 (Fairfield, CT): This wine was decanted for 3+ hours. It is a pretty dark Pinot and still brooding well after it was released from the bottle. The fruit is straight up in your face. You can smell it and taste it. It would be nice to see the sugar move a little bit into the background on this wine. My only nit pick on the wine is that the sugar is almost too prominent. Looking forward to trying again in a year or two or three.
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3/13/2013 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very perfumed with high aromatic lift. Has gained more depth and weight since I last tasted a year ago. Even the complexity has gone up as well. Drinks like Grand Cru stuff. Will try not to touch my last bottle for quite some time.
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3/10/2013 - ToddS Likes this wine:
Fabulous young wine.
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1/29/2013 - SMZ wrote: 92 Points
Beautifully structured. Flavorful and vibrant. Will only get better with age.
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9/28/2012 - gossba Likes this wine: 92 Points
flavorful pinot - cinnamon and blackberry
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8/26/2012 - wineberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes consistent with the last bottle. Needs a decant, and I think it's better the next day. I've probably drank about a half case of this already, and I've enjoyed it every time.
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3/31/2012 - SanFranSoxFan04 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, cloudy. Perfumed, cinnamon, cherry pie. On second go around I got lychee, pear, coffee, roses and cherry. Excellent.
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3/31/2012 - wineberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting again and doing this note after it's been open for a day.
Still very good today. Some of that nice Pinot funk on the nose, along with some blueberry, anise, cola. Palate has nutmeg, berries, meat, mushroom? Very light, smooth tannins...nice balance, 30+ second finish that dances around the mouth.
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3/4/2012 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank this at Failla a few weeks ago but didn't have time to really assess it due to running to different tasting appts. Just got a chance to spend time with this bottle and WOW what an amazing Pinot this is! Already accessible at such a young age and revealing so much complexity on the nose and palate. Aromas of dried red berries, hibiscus, spice cabinet, wet river stones, forest floor and mushrooms. On the palate layers and layers of dried and fresh red fruits - strawberries, raspberries framed in sweet fine grain tannins with medium plus finish. the palate is so juicy it leaves you salivating after each sip. it's possible that this '10 Keefer Ranch might be more successful than the '09. It may be even as great as the '09 Occidental which is in itself a stunner!
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2/28/2012 - ralphie9677 wrote: 92 Points
Had this wine last night at Frasca in Boulder, CO. Ehren Jordan was serving wine for the tasting. Certainly more complex than the 2009 and 2008 Failla Sonoma Coast. Medium bodied with lots of dried cherry and earthy undertones. Good balance of fruit, alcohol and acid. The wine improved as the night went on.
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