by Ray Johnson | Oct 31, 2008 | California, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
Williams Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s a sweet medley of cherry, berry and vanilla notes in the nose. In the mouth the wine is pure elegance. I consistently see this thread in Bob Cabral’s wines, what the French often look for in expressing...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 31, 2008 | California, Green Valley, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
DuNah, Russian River Valley, DuNah Estate Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 Toastiness and toffee leap out of the glass with a sense of earthiness and crushed leaves. The mouth is deeply concentrated with cherry fruit and toffee with a very supple feel and richness. P&B...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 31, 2008 | California, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Russian River Valley
Balletto, Russian River Valley, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2007 There is candied cherry fruit in the nose and a creaminess to the mouthfeel. The fruit really comes through in the palate as well. 20% of the wine was fermented in neutral French oak and there’s a...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 28, 2008 | Burgundy, France, Marsannay, Pinot Noir
Give this wine some time to blow off the stink. Then you can see the cherries, cola and earthy forest floor notes in the nose. There are gamey flavors in the mouth, with the acidity you’d expect and a rather light-body and light to moderate concentration. This...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 24, 2008 | Anderson Valley, California, Pinot Noir, Rosé
Lazy Creek, Anderson Valley, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 This wine has the zippy acidity and vibrance of the rose from County Line with a depth of flavor, a density that fills out the wine on the palate – great in October ’08. But in January ’09 the...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 24, 2008 | California, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Kanzler, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2007 This is a barrel sample from the family’s vineyard out in what is called the Sebastopol Hills, about 3 miles west of town. While dense, the wine is very polished with a slather of new oak that will integrate with time down...
