Wine Tasting Group - No Theme - Feb. 22, 2020 (My place): Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, CA. Aromas of warm baking spices, black cherries, and bark. Black cherries on the palate with a bit of cough syrup followed by bark, and baking spices. Nice acids with an elegant texture. There a bit of hot cinnamon on the finish which wound up being a distraction for me. Otherwise, a solid and enjoyable pinot.
Smooth, integrated, slightly creamy, light to medium bodied pinot with mild green herbal finish. Went well with aged Comte cheese and a baguette. Drink soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted, Thinner than the last, 12% ABV didn't help this Pinot either. You have to be on spot to craft wine with little of RS. Still I like the style, just didn't gel up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was a much better showing for this wine that a bottle a while back. Very pinot, lacking the candied/overly sweet flavors of the previous bottle. I great value at the close out price. this bottle 89ish, previous bottle 87ish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful expression from that AVA, I would guess this is too expressive for most toodlers, with the fruit showing thru vs the heavy handed overworked wines from most Pinot makers. Light rose on color, hints of strawberry with earth and mild tannins. Med finish. 12% alc makes this a perfect drinker. Paired with bbq ribs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous 5 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous 4 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous 3 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous 2 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium brick red, lighter at edges. Smooth with a mellow cinnamon taste. Balanced, but too much fruit to match with food. Drinks like a good Beaujolais villages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous bottle. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted, and consumed over 2, 1/2 hrs, Rose in color, sublte notes of dusty bowl soaked cherries, pine nuts, light in the mid belt, and finish, but with a nice hint of oak. All said, it's a great example of a hand crafted pino, the lay of the land and climate of what you are drinking, (terroir), not an over X tracked piece of garbage. That would be a Kosta too much, right? Paired with BBQ ribs and a cedar smoked chicken.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light cherry red in color. Nose of tart cherry, blueberry and cinnamon — the highlight of the wine. Flavors are a bit thin as they follow in the same vein as the nose. Tart, slightly raspy finish. Meant to be drunk now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Drank over 2 nights. Soft on approach with notes of tart strawberry fruit and wet rocks, but lacked depth and was somewhat hollow in mid palate, reflecting traits of the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
LM Birthday wines at the Palace, SF (The Palace Steakhouse, SF): Medium-pale ruby in the glass, my initial impressions of the nose were “reductive, elegant pinot.” It reminded me of a tasting I did at Vin, Vino, Wine in Palo Alto of several New Zealand Pinots. In the mouth, medium body, med+ alcohol, medium-high acid, low+tannins, and blatant wood. Well done, and in any other context it probably wouldn’t seem woody, but it did seem a bit out of place after the two older Clarets. Still, it seems like a well put-together wine.
(side note on order: LM suggested that maybe youth should precede age. Sure, older wines are lighter, but if you aren’t rushed, your palate will adjust. By contrast, it’s hard to go from subtle complexity and tertiary notes to bold, clearly-delineated flavors without them seeming just a bit garish by comparison).
12.7%
Around 8.5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a beautiful expression of Santa Maria Valley Pinot. Color is medium, actually a bit darker than I expected. Nose is fragrant and spacious with a bouncy lilty tone of sweet red fruits. Palate shows the purity in fruit that is strawberries. Again, this shows depth in space while allowing a full dismantling of components right before you, in a good way, a deconsrtuct if you will. It unfolds with some very nice layers of different versions of fruit and red berries. Lots to love here and at a price you can live with. Tannins are well in place while acidity balances the whole enchilada. Verve, elegance and pop is what this is all about all while staying pure and fun. Gotta love the fun.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium-deep garnet in color. Forward, attractive and youthful nose of ripe red fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries and red plumes with lovely floral overtones of violets, spices, earthy, some minerals and a slight touch of vanilla in the background. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced, youthful, ripe red fruit flavors of sweet cherries, tart cranberries and red currants with spices, minerals, earthy and a slight hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present and is immediately accessible with the forward ripe fruit flavors although it may develop some secondary nuances with an additional year or two of further aging.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is all about light body and aromatic complexity. Not much on the nose, little mossy, woody, and pretty fruit. On the front this is full on funk and stems but it quickly transitions to floral and then a rush of perfume. There is this green note, and that marries so well into that perfume and stems, it's a little unlike anything I've had. After that brief moment, tangy red fruit with very well integrated acidity. Structure is there, very light tannins. Having just had some beef and cilantro, that aromatic aspect is extremely pleasing with the aftertaste of the cilantro on the palate. Very surprising. Overall, this is a very feminine wine with outstanding aromatic complexity, decent red fruit, and great acid, in a well balanced, light package. I quite like it. Those stems could become savory with some time, this will go a bit. 91-93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blind Pinot Noirs; 5/1/2014-5/2/2014 (Washington, DC): Soft ruby-raspberry color. Beautiful, intriguing aromas of sour cherries, roses, rhubarb and white pepper. Firm but fresh on the palate, full of tangy red fruit (raspberries, wild strawberries, red currants), but there’s also a lot of spice, tobacco and white pepper elements, some spearmint and subtle vanilla in there. Its tangy elegance belies its structure. Beautiful.
This wine didn't do much for me. It was well-balanced and smooth, but very light in flavors. I detected cherry and light minerality, but not much else. Not my style of Pinot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Translucent garnet in the glass with a nose of cherry. On the palate, the same cherry, vanilla and subtle oak and spice. Not quite as good as the excellent 2010 and the outstanding 2009, but delicious none the less.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium in color and body, offers up aromas of strawberry and Bing cherry, which carry to palate along with a touch of cola and wild berry. Delicious and balanced, with a very pleasant medium-long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2023 - joesi16 wrote:
On the decline, very little fruit and not much else. Some sediment and a long cork that breaks so use an ah so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2021 - JoeDwine wrote: 90 Points
With Pork Chops...still bright, light raspberry, black cherry and spice rack. Fairly floral but nothing stood out.good QPR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2020 - James Kim Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wine Tasting Group - No Theme - Feb. 22, 2020 (My place): Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, CA. Aromas of warm baking spices, black cherries, and bark. Black cherries on the palate with a bit of cough syrup followed by bark, and baking spices. Nice acids with an elegant texture. There a bit of hot cinnamon on the finish which wound up being a distraction for me. Otherwise, a solid and enjoyable pinot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/3/2017 - dt95 Does not like this wine: 70 Points
10 bottles through a case. Thin, very light. Little fruit, not much of anything. Paid less than $15, delivered - won’t be buying more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2016 - joesi16 wrote:
Decent wine for $15 but didn't really taste like a pinot noir. I tasted some spice, ground herbs and a touch of pepper more like a Syrah.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2016 - ArtF Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, integrated, slightly creamy, light to medium bodied pinot with mild green herbal finish. Went well with aged Comte cheese and a baguette. Drink soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2016 - wino121 wrote: 88 Points
Decanted,
Thinner than the last, 12% ABV didn't help this Pinot either.
You have to be on spot to craft wine with little of RS.
Still I like the style, just didn't gel up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2016 - thalver wrote:
This was a much better showing for this wine that a bottle a while back. Very pinot, lacking the candied/overly sweet flavors of the previous bottle. I great value at the close out price. this bottle 89ish, previous bottle 87ish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2016 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful expression from that AVA, I would guess this is too expressive for most toodlers, with the fruit showing thru vs the heavy handed overworked wines from most Pinot makers.
Light rose on color, hints of strawberry with earth and mild tannins.
Med finish.
12% alc makes this a perfect drinker.
Paired with bbq ribs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2016 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice restrained pinot. For $15 it is pleasant and very drinkable. Nothing spectacular but some cherry and kind of one dimensional but went down quick
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2016 - takk wrote:
N/a
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2016 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous 5 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2015 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous 4 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2015 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous 3 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2015 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous 2 bottles. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2015 - ArtF Likes this wine: 86 Points
Medium brick red, lighter at edges. Smooth with a mellow cinnamon taste. Balanced, but too much fruit to match with food. Drinks like a good Beaujolais villages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2015 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous bottle. Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2015 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted, and consumed over 2, 1/2 hrs,
Rose in color, sublte notes of dusty bowl soaked cherries, pine nuts, light in the mid belt, and finish, but with a nice hint of oak. All said, it's a great example of a hand crafted pino, the lay of the land and climate of what you are drinking, (terroir), not an over X tracked piece of garbage.
That would be a Kosta too much, right?
Paired with BBQ ribs and a cedar smoked chicken.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2015 - oakville72 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Light cherry red in color. Nose of tart cherry, blueberry and cinnamon — the highlight of the wine. Flavors are a bit thin as they follow in the same vein as the nose. Tart, slightly raspy finish. Meant to be drunk now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2015 - cuffthis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium ruby in color, this wine shows bright red fruits of raspberry, tart cherry and spice cake. The mouth feel is lighter bodied with hints of smoke and cedar as well as a subtle candied sugar element. The finish has nice lift and pulls the red fruits and acidity together in a seemless, pleasant fashion. The 12.7% abv is a nice touch.
Purchased for $15US, this is an enjoyable wine whose low abv makes it easy to drink an extra glass or two. The subtle candied or burnt sugar element in the background knocked my score down a little. Glad I bought 6 of these though at this price point.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/7/2015 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 87 Points
almost non existent nose. Faint strawberry. Palate leans to the earthy side. some raspberry/strawberry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2015 - DRS-Inc wrote: 88 Points
Drank over 2 nights. Soft on approach with notes of tart strawberry fruit and wet rocks, but lacked depth and was somewhat hollow in mid palate, reflecting traits of the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2015 - garetjax_kison wrote: 88 Points
Good QPR. No detail notes taken.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2015 - John O' Likes this wine:
nice nose
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2015 - Ecoenophile wrote: 87 Points
No detailed notes... but some nice red fruit with a little acidity on the finish. Nothing distinctive... but an OK QPR for an <$15 PN
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 85 Points
LM Birthday wines at the Palace, SF (The Palace Steakhouse, SF): Medium-pale ruby in the glass, my initial impressions of the nose were “reductive, elegant pinot.” It reminded me of a tasting I did at Vin, Vino, Wine in Palo Alto of several New Zealand Pinots. In the mouth, medium body, med+ alcohol, medium-high acid, low+tannins, and blatant wood. Well done, and in any other context it probably wouldn’t seem woody, but it did seem a bit out of place after the two older Clarets. Still, it seems like a well put-together wine.
(side note on order: LM suggested that maybe youth should precede age. Sure, older wines are lighter, but if you aren’t rushed, your palate will adjust. By contrast, it’s hard to go from subtle complexity and tertiary notes to bold, clearly-delineated flavors without them seeming just a bit garish by comparison).
12.7%
Around 8.5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2015 - King Cab wrote: 91 Points
What a beautiful expression of Santa Maria Valley Pinot. Color is medium, actually a bit darker than I expected. Nose is fragrant and spacious with a bouncy lilty tone of sweet red fruits. Palate shows the purity in fruit that is strawberries. Again, this shows depth in space while allowing a full dismantling of components right before you, in a good way, a deconsrtuct if you will. It unfolds with some very nice layers of different versions of fruit and red berries. Lots to love here and at a price you can live with. Tannins are well in place while acidity balances the whole enchilada. Verve, elegance and pop is what this is all about all while staying pure and fun. Gotta love the fun.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2015 - Vinnut wrote: 89 Points
Medium-deep garnet in color. Forward, attractive and youthful nose of ripe red fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries and red plumes with lovely floral overtones of violets, spices, earthy, some minerals and a slight touch of vanilla in the background. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced, youthful, ripe red fruit flavors of sweet cherries, tart cranberries and red currants with spices, minerals, earthy and a slight hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present and is immediately accessible with the forward ripe fruit flavors although it may develop some secondary nuances with an additional year or two of further aging.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2014 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is all about light body and aromatic complexity. Not much on the nose, little mossy, woody, and pretty fruit. On the front this is full on funk and stems but it quickly transitions to floral and then a rush of perfume. There is this green note, and that marries so well into that perfume and stems, it's a little unlike anything I've had. After that brief moment, tangy red fruit with very well integrated acidity. Structure is there, very light tannins. Having just had some beef and cilantro, that aromatic aspect is extremely pleasing with the aftertaste of the cilantro on the palate. Very surprising. Overall, this is a very feminine wine with outstanding aromatic complexity, decent red fruit, and great acid, in a well balanced, light package. I quite like it. Those stems could become savory with some time, this will go a bit. 91-93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Blind Pinot Noirs; 5/1/2014-5/2/2014 (Washington, DC): Soft ruby-raspberry color. Beautiful, intriguing aromas of sour cherries, roses, rhubarb and white pepper. Firm but fresh on the palate, full of tangy red fruit (raspberries, wild strawberries, red currants), but there’s also a lot of spice, tobacco and white pepper elements, some spearmint and subtle vanilla in there. Its tangy elegance belies its structure. Beautiful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/25/2014 - Central Coast Wino wrote: 87 Points
This wine didn't do much for me. It was well-balanced and smooth, but very light in flavors. I detected cherry and light minerality, but not much else. Not my style of Pinot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2014 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Translucent garnet in the glass with a nose of cherry. On the palate, the same cherry, vanilla and subtle oak and spice. Not quite as good as the excellent 2010 and the outstanding 2009, but delicious none the less.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2013 - Chili wrote: 87 Points
Ripe earthy funk
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2013 - Snoman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium in color and body, offers up aromas of strawberry and Bing cherry, which carry to palate along with a touch of cola and wild berry. Delicious and balanced, with a very pleasant medium-long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment