Etheral and Silky Reds Flashcards
BERGSTROM, “Cumberland Reserve”, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2015
Pinot Noir. $82.
Cumberland Reserve is dark red cherry in color and showcases an explosive and heady aromatic profile of fresh black cherries, red raspberries a slight kirsch note and ripe blueberries.
The fruit character is bright and pure and only slightly lifted and framed by great Oregon spice and loamy earth character which adds depth and dimension to this very promising wine.
Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve has an open, expressive nose of crushed raspberries, Bing cherries and cranberries with hints of violets, chocolate box and dried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich and opulent, with tons of baking spice and red berry layers supported by fine-grained tannins and a racy backbone, finishing long.
BODEGA CHACRA, Patagonia, Argentina, 2015
Pinot Noir $66
A beautiful nose mixing red and black fruit aromas with a spicy twist; earthy, very subtle, starting to show some complexity even at this early age. Very fine tannins, great acidity and balance, Barda is supple and tasty, with a savory finish.
It has a citric, blood orange-like freshness that is noticeable mostly in the finish. Stunning, and an excellent value.
Pairs well with roast beef, salmon, swordfish and pastas with meat or seafood sauces.
LINGUA FRANCA, “Tongue & Cheek”, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon, 2015
Pinot Noir $112
From a low-yielding, rocky site, this is a well-structured wine with compelling minerality. Its immaculate raspberry fruit is etched with well-modulated streaks of stem and leaf. It was aged in one fifth new barriques.
The ‘Tongue ’N Cheek’ Pinot Noir was sourced from the Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, as the vines are set on rocky volcanic soil. This shows aromas of smoky nuances, with wet stone and black tea aromatics all taking shape in the glass. The mouthfeel is sumptuous with red fruits and citrus rind. The mouth-watering acidity continues to bring you back to the glass for more. Overall a fantastic effort which should continue to age beautifully in the cellar.
J.M. GUILLON, “Les Champonnets 1er Cru”, Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France, 2016
Pinot Noir $179
Rich, powerful, pure. “Outstanding. A toasty nose offers up notes of dark currant, earth, game and a hint of forest floor. There is excellent richness to the round, velvety and muscular flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the lingering and firm finish. This needs a few years to develop better depth but the material is good enough that more complexity should develop.”
THIBAULT LIGER-BELAIR, “les Deux Terres”, Bourgogne, France, 2016
Gamay-Pinot Noir
$59
This new cuvée is a blend. The idea of “les Deux Terres” (the two lands) comes from the marriage between Beaujolais and Bourgogne, and Gamay and Pinot Noir (2/3 Gamay & 1/3 Pinot NOir). Quite lush on the palate, with ripe fruit of coffee/toffee flavors.
Cultivation and trading wines has been a family business since the early 18th century. The establishments C.Marey and Comte Liger-Belair, created in 1720 at Nuits Saint-Georges, later quoted on the Lyon Stock Exchange in 1923, counted amongst the most important wine merchant houses in Burgundy. Building on the quality of harvests and that wines, the family endeavoured to enlarge the domaine and to distribute the best wines of Burgundy, both in France and around the world.
PEAY, “Scallop Shelf”, Sonoma Coast, California, 2014
Pinot Noir
$124
The most complete of these wines, the 2014 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf is the most aromatically intense and sensual of the Peay estate Pinots. A host of sweet red berry, raspberry, orange peel, mint and cinnamon give the Scallop Shelf its distinctive feminine personality. Silky and gracious on the palate, the 2014 is vivid and exceptionally polished. Another year or two in bottle will only help the wine be at its most expressive. Overall, readers should expect an understated Pinot built on finesse.
Producer notes: “The 2014 Scallop Shelf is quite aromatic with a core of wild berry and strawberry/rhubarb fruit bolstered by crispy pork belly and bay leaf aromas. It is high toned like the 2009 Scallop Shelf with some of the darker anise notes lingering underneath like the 2013. The flavors in the mid-palate are consistent with the aromas. The weight on the palate is medium due to moderate alcohol and the tannins are silky making it approachable now but also able to age for as long as you’d like. The finish has the dried pine needle and earthy quality present in all of our Pinot noirs. I would enjoy a bottle now to gauge it for your own palate and then open the rest over the next 10 years. A superb Scallop Shelf. 700 cases produced.”
CHT. de MARSANNAY, Marsannay, Burgundy, France 2016
Pinot Noir
$109
Jancis Robinson - Much less tense than the Bourgogne Rouge - better balance and truly comfortable and well balanced. Rich, ripe fruit with good freshness and structure. Pretty wine. (Jan 2018)
Subtle nose, with fresh ripe aromas and slightly smoked notes. Supple palate, full and well-balanced with spicy aromas.
CHT. de MEURSAULT, Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France 2016
Pinot Noir
$139
Red wines coming from this appellation present nice spicy aromas paired with beautiful volume and nice tension.
CHT. de MEURSAULT, “Clos des Epenots 1er Cru”, Pommard, Burgundy, France 2015
Pinot Noir
$299
This 1er Cru comes from the sole parcel of 3,6 ha that adjoins Beaune and produces the wines that are long and juicy, with grand finesse and beautiful length.
This wine has magnificent color and red berry aromas. One should keep this wine for several years in the cellars so that it could be enjoyed at its best.
Try pairing with roasted partridge and chestnuts, veal shrank with carrots and cardamom confit
RP93Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2015 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epenots comes from the 3.2-hectares of vineyard, since separated into two cuvées according to vine age and matured in 35% new oak. It has a perfumed, quite floral bouquet with blackberry, black plum, quite confit-like with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, well-integrated oak, well balanced with a dense, slightly sinewy, sappy finish that suggests it will require 3-4 years in bottle to mellow. The substance here suggests that it should age with style, although for a Pommard it does seem lithe and approachable.
Range: 91-93
V92Vinous
The 2015 Pommard Clos des Epenots 1er Cru has an attractive, Volnay-like bouquet that offers generous, slightly plush red fruit and some high-quality if vanilla-y new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, very well judged acidity, good energy and a lovely salinity streaming through on the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
WE92Wine Enthusiast
Properly bold and tannic, this is a concentrated wine. The rich fruits and powerful tannins will allow this generous wine to age. Black fruits, intense acidity and dark tannin mean it will take time. Drink from 2024.
ANTHILL, “Harmony Lane”, Sonoma Coast, California, 2017
Pinot Noir
$109
The 2017 Pinot Noir Harmony Lane is one of the more open-knit wines in this range. Sweet red cherry, kirsch, rose petal and spice give the Harmony a distinctly exotic feel. Soft curves and silky tannins are nicely complemented by underpinnings of salinity that give the wine a lovely sense of proportion. - Vinious
The ridge in between Graton and Occidental is known by several names—Occidental Ridge; Stoetz Ridge; and, perhaps most commonly, Harrison Grade, after its principal roadway. Harmony Lane occupies a three-acre site of fine Goldridge soil just below this ridgeline at about 800 feet. This elevation puts the vineyard right at the edge of the marine layer: the fog laps the vineyard like a shoreline, creating a dynamic warm-and-cool environment that creates wines of elegant bearing and tight precision.
GOODFELLOW, “Ribbon Ridge”, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2016
Pinot Noir
$69
Up front and dynamic, showing beautiful mixed berries and subtle, spice-laden structure beneath. The product of a clearly outstanding vintage for Whistling Ridge Vineyard, this wine’s source, and for Goodfellow, where’s there is so much fantastic raw material that a banging single-vineyard Pinot noir has a more basic label designation and a super-modest price tag.
The single vineyard bottling shows red currant, black cherry and brown spice, with roses, perfume, deep savory herb, dried ginger, peppercorn, and a sweet citrus pith.
