Simply...The Wine Thread

[Rock]

Pinot Noirs vary enormously by quality, maker region etc.
I have tasted some utterly indifferent ones and some that are spectacular.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Ok, thanks Rocky. I had a 2007 Snowden cab and a 2007 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cab prior to tasting the Pinot. The Pinot was aweful, both Cabs went well with Blackened Salmon.

Can someone suggest a great Pinot Noir ?? I'm very uneducated with this wine.

The Silver Oak was crazy good, normally I don't drink Silver Oak. All brought to a Resturant by guests. Corkage was 20.00 for 3 wines

[flyboyx999]

Wine for my tasting tonight.
Deep time, ark, precious, Kali Morgan

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by flyboyx999

Wine for my tasting tonight.
Deep time, ark, precious, Kali Morgan

Sorry, but my invite apparently got lost!!! Ha



I'm a BIG fan of Hundred Acre. Am really excited about the spring arrival of the '13s

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

I had a sip of Pinot tonight. Is something wrong with me ? I thought it was weak, tasteless and had no taste all. Couldn't stand it !

Are you judging a particular bottle or the varietal? if the later then yes something is wrong!

[GerardoG]

Relaxing with a Malbec / Merlot / Cabernet blend...

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

Ok, thanks Rocky. I had a 2007 Snowden cab and a 2007 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cab prior to tasting the Pinot. The Pinot was aweful, both Cabs went well with Blackened Salmon.

Can someone suggest a great Pinot Noir ?? I'm very uneducated with this wine.

The Silver Oak was crazy good, normally I don't drink Silver Oak. All brought to a Resturant by guests. Corkage was 20.00 for 3 wines

Well, first of all I am NOT a wine connoisseur, just a modest aficionado. Happy to share my 2 cents. To me (once again, my own personal; I am not intending for this to be called THE truth or whatever), wines, just as cigars and cordials have its own characteristics that make them unique. I will relate to a story that I have shared before, when attending a cigar event with Habanos SA (Cuba's sole exporter) director general. My question was 'which is the best cigar '. His answer: whatever you are smoking now. Today, that is the best. Tomorrow, whatever you are smoking then. It hit me. Straight. Cigars, as wines, have different flavors and 'power', I have experienced having a strong cigar after a light meal (BAD idea!) and a light cigar aft a strong meal, making the cigar tasteless.

What I have learned to do is pair everything together. If I choose drinks first, meals and cigars revolve around it, but if the cigar is what I want to highlight, I try to make meals and drinks work around it.

To me, once again, personal, Pinot is a beautiful grape with unique flavors, that goes perfect with mild cheese, turkey, pastas in light to medium sauces and some fish. It is my go to mid day, easy going, no frills 'comfort' food (to which I would add a Davidoff Special R cigar). Even so, Pinots account for 10% in my cellar! as I trend towards other grapes for heavier meals, but always do have some Pinot available. I think that by trying a powerful Cabernet (once again, not better nor worse) your palate was asking for powerful look alikes, so a Pinot was not a contender. Think about this as having a Bud light after a pint of Guiness. Poor Bud has no chance.

If you (ok me) set your mind to a certain taste and or experience, revolve around it. Maybe my comment has confused people more, I guess what I am trying to say is that the pairing between elements can make the combination a powerful or lame experience. What I have done, take WS or WE top 20 and try them, making sure that the environment is suited for the grape. If I am having a top 20 Cabernet, pairing with ceviche will only kill it and make it taste awful (I like viogner better with ceviche or a nice Pilsner). In the end, it is all relative, and what is good for you might not be good for me....just like in this forum, tastes on different watches are not the same along members...

Ok Mark, long story short: let's drink and experiment!

[drumminj]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

Can someone suggest a great Pinot Noir ?? I'm very uneducated with this wine.

Not a connoisseur either, but my $0.02:

Like other varietals, region makes a difference. Personally, I'm a fan of Oregon (Willamette Valley) Pinots vs California, though of CA pinots apparently I'm a fan of Sonoma Coast vs Russian River Valley. Then there's French/Burgundian wines which I'm not as familiar with.

I tend to like lighter, fruiter pinot noirs.

Penner-Ash (Shea Vineyard), Argyle, Beaux Freres, Elk Cove, Domain Serene are some Willamette Pinots I've enjoyed. Eveningland Sonomoa Coast is another I liked, though they primarily make wine with Oregon fruit.

Might not be wines you'll enjoy, but if you're looking for recommendations, I'd throw those out there. Part of the fun is the journey, right?

[HL65]

Originally Posted by flyboyx999

Wine for my tasting tonight.
Deep time, ark, precious, Kali Morgan

That is what I am talking about...All top for me!

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by Rock

Pinot Noirs vary enormously by quality, maker region etc.
I have tasted some utterly indifferent ones and some that are spectacular.

+1.

Never judge a wine on a single bottle or region, especially pinot

[RHIII]

I would highly recommend trying these Sea Smoke Pinots --- this is the 'Southing' vineyard --- I also recommend the 'Ten'.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rock]

New Zealand makes great Pinot Noir.
Any good wine merchant in the USA will have a few quality NZ Pinots to choose from.
I do think Pinot Noir, as a variety, is more of an acquired taste than say, Shiraz or Cab Sav. I know people who simply do not care for it's distinctive taste, so someone new to the variety might need to taste quite a few before deciding whether it was their 'thing'.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Are you judging a particular bottle or the varietal? if the later then yes something is wrong!

Varietal

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Well, first of all I am NOT a wine connoisseur, just a modest aficionado. Happy to share my 2 cents. To me (once again, my own personal; I am not intending for this to be called THE truth or whatever), wines, just as cigars and cordials have its own characteristics that make them unique. I will relate to a story that I have shared before, when attending a cigar event with Habanos SA (Cuba's sole exporter) director general. My question was 'which is the best cigar '. His answer: whatever you are smoking now. Today, that is the best. Tomorrow, whatever you are smoking then. It hit me. Straight. Cigars, as wines, have different flavors and 'power', I have experienced having a strong cigar after a light meal (BAD idea!) and a light cigar aft a strong meal, making the cigar tasteless.

What I have learned to do is pair everything together. If I choose drinks first, meals and cigars revolve around it, but if the cigar is what I want to highlight, I try to make meals and drinks work around it.

To me, once again, personal, Pinot is a beautiful grape with unique flavors, that goes perfect with mild cheese, turkey, pastas in light to medium sauces and some fish. It is my go to mid day, easy going, no frills 'comfort' food (to which I would add a Davidoff Special R cigar). Even so, Pinots account for 10% in my cellar! as I trend towards other grapes for heavier meals, but always do have some Pinot available. I think that by trying a powerful Cabernet (once again, not better nor worse) your palate was asking for powerful look alikes, so a Pinot was not a contender. Think about this as having a Bud light after a pint of Guiness. Poor Bud has no chance.

If you (ok me) set your mind to a certain taste and or experience, revolve around it. Maybe my comment has confused people more, I guess what I am trying to say is that the pairing between elements can make the combination a powerful or lame experience. What I have done, take WS or WE top 20 and try them, making sure that the environment is suited for the grape. If I am having a top 20 Cabernet, pairing with ceviche will only kill it and make it taste awful (I like viogner better with ceviche or a nice Pilsner). In the end, it is all relative, and what is good for you might not be good for me....just like in this forum, tastes on different watches are not the same along members...

Ok Mark, long story short: let's drink and experiment!

Ok. Sounds good

Originally Posted by Rock

New Zealand makes great Pinot Noir.
Any good wine merchant in the USA will have a few quality NZ Pinots to choose from.
I do think Pinot Noir, as a variety, is more of an acquired taste than say, Shiraz or Cab Sav. I know people who simply do not care for it's distinctive taste, so someone new to the variety might need to taste quite a few before deciding whether it was their 'thing'.

I think I need a flight of different vineyards to try.

[theloxmyth]

Oh my.

Thank you, Gerardo, or not
(Tis a pricey bit of indulgence, like a Rolex! )



Nothing fancy 'bout the "decanter."
(Breathe, dammit, BREATHE! )

[BNA/LION]

Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay tonight.

Three bottles of Duckhorn Merlot arrived today! WS 90 | WE 91

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by theloxmyth

Oh my.

Thank you, Gerardo, or not
(Tis a pricey bit of indulgence, like a Rolex! )



Nothing fancy 'bout the "decanter."
(Breathe, dammit, BREATHE! )

To me, flavors change on Faustino after decanting.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

Ok. Sounds good
.

Great! So, same place?

[Runnin' Rebel]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Great! So, same place?

If they have wine tasting there sure. That would work . I know a wine cellar that's has flights to try, I would think they'd have flights of Pinot Noir

We'll figure something out

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

If they have wine tasting there sure. That would work . I know a wine cellar that's has flights to try, I would think they'd have flights of Pinot Noir

We'll figure something out

Another very easy way to get some quality Pinot Noir is to think of two very highly regarded regions of France, Montrachet and Sancerre, both regions are known for their white wines, mostly Chardonnay in Montrachet and Sauvignon blanc in Sancerre but both regions plant roughly 20% of their vineyards with Pinot Noir. Stylistically they are very light, all most Beaujolais like but with much more character and depth. True Terroir shines through in these offerings and should be experienced by all!

Is it a bing bulging Cab or a Bordeaux blend? No, is it a juicy Syrah or a puckering Zin, no, it's completely unique, completely inconsistent, troubling and alluring and in it's best expressions ethereal with a touch of earth thrown in. Nothing else like it in the world. JMHO

[GED]

[codester]

We've had good luck with the Calera Mt Harlan pinot and Belle Glos. We are not wine experts but these two usually deliver for us.

[BNA/LION]

Delicious... Oaky and not to fruit forward. If you prefer buttery oaky this will work for you!

Winemaker Notes

We like to think of Flora Springs Barrel Fermented Chardonnay as Napa Valley history in a bottle. In 1980, when Napa Valley was far better known for Chardonnay than for Cabernet Sauvignon, Flora Springs became known for its rich, opulent and textured barrel fermented Chardonnay – one of the greats of this region. Trends in Chardonnay styles have come and gone since those early years, but we continue to craft our Barrel Fermented Chardonnay in an unabashed style – one that has inspired other white wine producers and created loyal Chardonnay enthusiasts for over 30 years.

The 2013 vintage yielded what our winemaker calls a "perfectly balanced Burgundian style of Chardonnay," exhibiting expressive fruit including juicy pear, honeydew melon and fresh white peach alongside notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and turmeric. The oak (67% new; 34% seasoned) is subtle, providing warm notes of buttered toast and a lingering marzipan and vanilla crème finish.

[drumminj]

Speaking of Pinot, we really enjoyed this one last night...

alexana.jpg

[returntorolex]

Picked this one for our evening out.

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by returntorolex

Picked this one for our evening out.

That's a solid cab right there. We opened up a bottle of '12 Artemis yesterday evening with some friends and it was great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by RHIII

That's a solid cab right there. We opened up a bottle of '12 Artemis yesterday evening with some friends and it was great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was glad to see it on the wine list. Definitely added to the evening.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by RHIII

That's a solid cab right there. We opened up a bottle of '12 Artemis yesterday evening with some friends and it was great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad you guys brought this up, two wineries, two different wines, and wine makers. Steve had a bottle from Stag's Leap Winery and Artemis is an offering from Stag's Leap Wine Cellers. I tend to prefer the winery over the Cellers, the Cellers get a lot of notoriety and the winery is a little more understated but stylistically is a better fit for my tastes.

My local Costco had the 2012 Cab from Stag's Leap Winery for $36 a bottle last month, I bought 2 cases. It's my house red right now, won't last long though....

[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Glad you guys brought this up, two wineries, two different wines, and wine makers. Steve had a bottle from Stag's Leap Winery and Artemis is an offering from Stag's Leap Wine Cellers. I tend to prefer the winery over the Cellers, the Cellers get a lot of notoriety and the winery is a little more understated but stylistically is a better fit for my tastes.

My local Costco had the 2012 Cab from Stag's Leap Winery for $36 a bottle last month, I bought 2 cases. It's my house red right now, won't last long though....

My wife is at Total Wine right now looking for more of this!

Update...sold out.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by returntorolex

My wife is at Total Wine right now looking for more of this!

Update...sold out.

tequila time.

[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

tequila time.

Well now....

She found this instead.