Well this was an interesting array of wines. Some great, some good and some just beyond bad. White Rose the clear winner and Mike just keeps bringing disappointment after disappointment. Who bring a Rose to a Pinot Noir event? Don’t care if it is Rose of Pinot Noir.
- 2007 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Day 1: Well will only make it one day as brining this to event later. Always a small pour preview but this might be wine of the year territory. A full report later. This is off the charts good and as good as I remember. A clear winner of the night with funk, earth, dried flowers, mushrooms, minerals, wood and red currants. Complex and medium plus finish. Has another 5 plus years at this level if not more. 95 points
As good as the time back in 2009 when we realized how great the 2007 vintage from Oregon really was. (95 pts.) - 2013 Winderlea Pinot Noir Winderlea Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Classic Oregon Pinot with strawberries, raspberries, sour cherry, dust, earth, underbrush and violets. Medium plus finish and improved over the night. Should drink well through 2030. (92 pts.) - 2013 Testarossa Pinot Noir Rincon Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
Good but a light heat that blew off. Spice, cinnamon, dark fruits and rose petals. Medium plus finish. Would recommend a decant of a few hours. (90 pts.) - 2015 Rhys Pinot Noir Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Good but not great. Cranberry, rose petals, earth, stone, and forest floor. A bigger style Pinot but not over the top. Medium finish. (91 pts.) - 2018 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Meunier – USA, Oregon
Ok wine with floral, mushrooms, earth and red currants. Short to medium finish. (87 pts.) - 2019 Drew Family Cellars Pinot Noir Fog Eater – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
2nd best wine of the night. Just a treat again. Funk, strawberries, bramble, raspberries, minerals, stone and dried flowers. Medium plus finish. Super complex wine. (93 pts.) - 2019 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Irancy – France, Burgundy, Côtes d’Auxerre, Irancy
Ok this could have beaten the Drew for 2nd place with a more airtime. Showing really well and nice mineral streak along with red currants, earth, flowers and mild wood. Medium finish and complex wine. A real winner from Dauvissat. 92-94 (92 pts.) - 2019 Siduri Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
What a complete mess of a wine. Tried early and later and later offered a chemical taste and smell along with really sweet currants, paint thinner and spice. This is looking to compete for the 3 Day Wine Review top 10 worst wines of the year. (68 pts.) - 2019 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Young and needs time. Finishing a glass as I am writing the notes from the event. Cranberries, wafer, stone, pepper, earth and dark fruits. I would cellar this for 7 to 10 years and revisit. 90-92. (90 pts.) - 2022 Waypoint Pinot Noir Starscape Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Some really bad wine but Last Bottle and there you go. Water, sweet fruits and some mild spice. Acidity is lacking and disjointed wine. Many spit this one out at a wine party. Tried an hour later and equally as bad. (71 pts.) - 2022 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Was joking on the way over that someone would bring a Dairyman and sure enough one person did but then someone who came later brought a second vintage which is equally as bad. Rasins, spice and dirt. No real Pinot character and Belle Glos continues to make some really bad wines. (68 pts.)
- 2021 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Well the average will drop a tiny bit but how people think this is good is beyond me. Rasins, spice and chalk. Short finish and acidity levels are low. A hard wine to drink but I smell, swish and spit so no worries. One person thought this was better than the 2022 but they are both terrible. One person gave this 100 points. Wow. (67 pts.)
- 2016 Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir Stewart – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Always solid wines overall from Boedecker. Aging nicely with dust, spice, red currants, earth and rose petals. Medium finish. (90 pts.) - 2021 Jonive Wine Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted like a Pinot from Total Wine and maybe I will be right. Mint, spice and mild fruit. Really not very complex and short finish. A forgettable effort. Actually not from Total Wine but almost can’t believe what this is going for. Hard to believe. (84 pts.) - 2021 Elizabeth Spencer Pinot Noir Special Cuvée Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
This was good overall with floral, spices, cranberry, cherry and earth. Nice finish. (90 pts.) - 2023 Shea Wine Cellars Rosé of Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Can’t believe this was brought to a $40 and up Pinot Noir event. Very light with raspberries, minerals and mild spice. Short finish and rather boring. (83 pts.)