This wine was full of earth, stone and vegetables. Probably the latest this can be enjoyed, but it was enjoyed colder than it normally should be which may have helped it taste younger than it is.
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Best this wine has ever been. Very impressive straight out of the opened bottle and as dark and full bodied as Napa Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons. Aromatically fruity with red cherry, black cherry, and pomegranate. Rich, savory, and juicy in the mouth, with bright and rounding acidity, added fruit of plum and blackberry, a caressing texture, and tannin that is supportive and drying. Will easily be as good for another 5 years. I should have bought cases of this.
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An excellent Pinot Noir in the style of the better Sonoma Coast Pinots. Firm drying tannins, high acidity, and strong fruit centered on pomegranate with black and red cherry. However, the wine gets really special only several days after being opened.
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Opened and served. Nose velvety of grenadine and red fruit syrup, with spices. Mouth mixing a franc acidity with vivid fruits and a hint of residual sugar. Globally balanced but at the hight stage of expression, perhaps a bit to much for me. Very surprising for French tasters. A very good wine, mostly a techno style. No default, but no nobleness for the moment. We don't have a clue how it is going to evolve. it is a shame that the howling dog has disappear from the label, only for marketing consideration. A clever production, and not a craft.
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Had a glass at restaurant. Served too warm. Started off poorly, very acidic, but gradually revived. This has the Fogdog effervescence which is a little off-putting for me. NIce cherry, berry nose and taste. Smooth finish, but a little flat.
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Somehow it didn't impress me as much as the first time I tasted it. Maybe it was the temperature or the food served with it. Still a very good glass of PN though.
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Nez mentholé/fraise, en bouche on retrouve cette palette plus un côté chocolaté... Le côté pinot noir ressort quand même assez prononcé mais cette matière et cette gourmandise sont trompeuses. C'est vraiment bon et le côté gourmand est contrebalancé par une finesse et une acidité quand même bien présentes. 90
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Nose of strawberry with some interesting spice notes (almost like chili peppers); bright strawberry and raspberry on the palate with a lot of acid (perhaps a bit too much), creating a crisp slightly sour finish. More complex than an average pinot noir, but a little bit out of balance.
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Needed decanting or venturi, if you're in a hurry. Red red berries on nose, a bit acidic on the palate with a sharp finish, that was tempered with time open.
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Not at all what I expected from the Sonoma Coast appellation. As another TN noted, this is fairly blunt in that there is a lack of finesse that many of us associate with Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. This is certainly not a bad wine, hence the 84 score, but it is fairly extracted. Flavors of tart cranberry and slightly unripe, sour cherry, dominate the palate, while the nose is quite appealing with strong notes of bright red cherries.
This Pinot Noir will meet the expectations of most. I can certainly recommend it as a kind of workhorse Pinot that will match well with a bit of heartier fare. No buyer's remorse here!
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1/15/2017 - BlaneyArmyCellars wrote: 80 Points
This wine was full of earth, stone and vegetables. Probably the latest this can be enjoyed, but it was enjoyed colder than it normally should be which may have helped it taste younger than it is.
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11/12/2016 - BlaneyArmyCellars Likes this wine: 85 Points
Lighter in the mouth, fresh and green on the nose, even black and red berry on the finish.
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3/28/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
Best this wine has ever been. Very impressive straight out of the opened bottle and as dark and full bodied as Napa Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons. Aromatically fruity with red cherry, black cherry, and pomegranate. Rich, savory, and juicy in the mouth, with bright and rounding acidity, added fruit of plum and blackberry, a caressing texture, and tannin that is supportive and drying. Will easily be as good for another 5 years. I should have bought cases of this.
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8/13/2015 - Mossrose wrote: 92 Points
An excellent Pinot Noir in the style of the better Sonoma Coast Pinots. Firm drying tannins, high acidity, and strong fruit centered on pomegranate with black and red cherry. However, the wine gets really special only several days after being opened.
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10/30/2014 - nav2u Likes this wine: 89 Points
Well made, with ripe red fruits and earth on the nose. Ripe cherries and smoked spice on the palate, with a drying finish. Enjoyable.
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10/4/2013 - Badgermitch wrote: 87 Points
Light, thin, not much on the nose. A decent bottle but nothing special.
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5/4/2013 - Kaerhoeg wrote: 88 Points
Straight forward californian pinot
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11/10/2012 - dead puddle wrote: 88 Points
Opened and served. Nose velvety of grenadine and red fruit syrup, with spices. Mouth mixing a franc acidity with vivid fruits and a hint of residual sugar. Globally balanced but at the hight stage of expression, perhaps a bit to much for me. Very surprising for French tasters. A very good wine, mostly a techno style. No default, but no nobleness for the moment. We don't have a clue how it is going to evolve. it is a shame that the howling dog has disappear from the label, only for marketing consideration. A clever production, and not a craft.
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10/21/2012 - Kaerhoeg wrote: 86 Points
Nice pleasent and plain californian pinot...
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7/1/2012 - steveg1776 wrote: 91 Points
This is just one of the best pinots out there.
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6/15/2012 - Leejgreen wrote: 88 Points
Hearty Pinot with good fruit. Short finish. Nothing special but enjoyable.
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5/25/2012 - budh wrote: 87 Points
Had a glass at restaurant. Served too warm. Started off poorly, very acidic, but gradually revived. This has the Fogdog effervescence which is a little off-putting for me. NIce cherry, berry nose and taste. Smooth finish, but a little flat.
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5/24/2012 - BobS wrote:
Nice but not worth the tariff.
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4/19/2012 - alohaboys wrote: 84 Points
Great fruity nose; cherries with trace of earthiness. Short finish, not much on the palate.
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2/10/2012 - svpandae wrote: 79 Points
Aureole LV. Hard to drink. Sour and overly floral. Very disappointing. Tasted like a cheap Pinot from Safeway.
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1/10/2012 - sbtoby wrote: 87 Points
Very "eh". Well blended, but nothing really pops out at you. I'm not running back to buy another.
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11/2/2011 - Pcparis8 wrote: 93 Points
Nice fruit great picnic wine not dry tannic or oaky. Lighter Pinot with great nose and opens well
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11/1/2011 - Koluda wrote: 90 Points
Somehow it didn't impress me as much as the first time I tasted it. Maybe it was the temperature or the food served with it. Still a very good glass of PN though.
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10/15/2011 - jazzb wrote:
fatkryddad saft
7p
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9/17/2011 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
For the money a nice wine. Some nice typical Cali Pinot flavors.
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9/15/2011 - abistodenas wrote: 90 Points
Nez mentholé/fraise, en bouche on retrouve cette palette plus un côté chocolaté...
Le côté pinot noir ressort quand même assez prononcé mais cette matière et cette gourmandise sont trompeuses.
C'est vraiment bon et le côté gourmand est contrebalancé par une finesse et une acidité quand même bien présentes. 90
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6/15/2011 - Mugwump wrote: 88 Points
Nose of strawberry with some interesting spice notes (almost like chili peppers); bright strawberry and raspberry on the palate with a lot of acid (perhaps a bit too much), creating a crisp slightly sour finish. More complex than an average pinot noir, but a little bit out of balance.
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5/8/2011 - BigBoy_Sonoma wrote: 80 Points
Fruit strawberry, minerality, tea, some cola on the back end. Finishes with dry tannins. Slightly below average wine, B.
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3/28/2011 - StarM wrote: 82 Points
Needed decanting or venturi, if you're in a hurry. Red red berries on nose, a bit acidic on the palate with a sharp finish, that was tempered with time open.
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2/6/2011 - smokeshowing Likes this wine: 84 Points
Not at all what I expected from the Sonoma Coast appellation. As another TN noted, this is fairly blunt in that there is a lack of finesse that many of us associate with Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. This is certainly not a bad wine, hence the 84 score, but it is fairly extracted. Flavors of tart cranberry and slightly unripe, sour cherry, dominate the palate, while the nose is quite appealing with strong notes of bright red cherries.
This Pinot Noir will meet the expectations of most. I can certainly recommend it as a kind of workhorse Pinot that will match well with a bit of heartier fare. No buyer's remorse here!
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8/29/2010 - MindMuse wrote: 84 Points
Rather a blunt stick for a Sonoma Coast pinot noir to me.
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