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+--- Thread: Pinot Noirs from around the world (/thread-6909.html)
- wondersofwine - 03-01-2004
A tasting at a private home in Bethesda, MD on February 15. Wines were to be under $30 a bottle at time of purchase (might be more now for an older vintage, etc.)
Old World Wines
A. Benoit Ente 1999 Bourgogne Rouge
13% alcohol; unusual aroma; smooth
flavor with red berries; a simple but
drinkable wine that didn't reveal much
terroir (one of my contributions)
B. Arlaud 2000 Gevrey Chambertin
13% alcohol; pretty tannic; pale, clear
red; needs time and/or food (I have had
this before and prefer the Arlaud wines
from Morey-St.-Denis to the Gevrey
Chambertin wines
C. Bocquenet 1999 Nuits-St.-Georges "Aux
Juliens"
13% alcohol; pale, clear red; nose and
flavor elements of black cherries or
raspberries; less tannic than when I
tried it a year ago; very slightly
chewy texture; fine-grained tannins;
very nice wine
D. Jadot 1995 Savigny-les-Beaune "La
Daminode"\
clear reddish color; attractive but
with slight pucker factor; nice with
bread and cheese
E. Citius "Alta Pavina" Cosecha
Especial 1998 (Spain)
I got a slight toffee note which may
have been from the wood treatment;
quite nice flavor but unlike any
Pinot Noir I've had before; something
light-hearted about it; an enjoyable
wine if you aren't looking for more
varietal character
New World Wines (plus one from Israel)
somewhere in the tasting (but not on the sheet) we had a 2002 Catoctin Vineyards Pinot Noir (Maryland) some P.N. aroma and viscosity when poured; a little on the sweet side
F. Chalone 1995 Pinot Noir Reserve (Santa
Cruz?)
I don't have much in the way of notes.
I found this to be pleasant but not
complex.
G. Yarden 1999 Pinot Noir (Golan Heights,
Israel) from young vines
Sweetish impression; fruity; not too
varietally correct
H. Morgan 2000 P. N. (Monterey County, CA)
Santa Lucia Highlands
13.5% alcohol
I have liked this wine in restaurants
but found it a little heavy and dull
in comparison to the next wine
I. Bearboat 2001 P.N. (Russian River, CA)
my second contribution
13.5% alcohol
clear, medium red color
I tasted dark cherries--another taster
got cherry/berry flavors
One suggested it needed a couple more
years to integrate the wood and
possibly develop more complexity.
I have to say I like the way it's
drinking now and I'm not aware of too
much wood with this wine. That's not
to say that it wouldn't be interesting
to buy some more 2001 bottles and open
one in 2006 or 2007 with a younger
vintage for comparison.
J. Alamos 2002 (Argentina)
pale to medium red color, clear
not exceptional
K. Calera 1999 Central Coast
14.1% alcohol
I don't know if I balked at the alcohol
content or what but I don't have any
further notes on this.
L. Hartford 2001 (Sonoma Coast)
14.1% alcohol again; nice aroma; medium
red color; pleasant tasting; not bad,
somewhat sweet finish (I would like to
try other Hartford Pinot Noirs which I
have heard others commend)
M. St. Innocent 1998 Shea Vineyard
Washington? sheet says Oregon but I
thought this was a WA wine)
13.6% alcohol; quite viscous; nice
wine; not too tannic; my previous
experience with a St. Innocent P.N. I
had tried it too young and was disap-
pointed; this one seems approachable
now ($20 on sale)
N. Highfield 1999 Marlborough, New
Zealand
13.5 % alcohol
Didn't make any further notes.
O. Curious Grape 1999, England
Bubbly when first poured.
Curious all right. Didn't live
up to producer's hype.
With two desserts (apple nut cake and pear/almond tart) we had two dessert wines--a 1998 Quarts de Chaume from the Chenin Blanc grape, 12.5% alcohol and a German Riesling Auslese that I contributed and now can't remember the details--it may come to me later. Both dessert wines were half bottles.
We ranked our first, second and third choice Pinot Noirs. Wine of the night with all but one first-place vote was the Bocquenet Nuits St. Georges "Aux Juliens." Second was the Arlaud Gevrey Chambertin. The Chalone and the Jadot Savigny-Les-Beaunes were close for third and fourth. Others getting at least two votes were the Bearboat, the St. Innocent and the Morgan. My rankings were #1. Bocquenet Nuits St. Georges "Aux Juliens"
#2. St. Innocent Shea Vineyard
#3. Bearboat
The non-French or non-USA wines did not fare well in the competition.
Ironically, a different vintage Bocquenet "Aux Juliens" than the one that won the competition was offered (pre arrival by e-mail) the next week from Carolina Wine Company. I tried to order some bottles the day after the e-mail came out but was told it was already sold out pre-arrival. Shucks!
- dananne - 03-01-2004
Thanks for these notes!
More than a few on here are ones I'm waiting to try, esp. the St. Innocent (BTW, Shea Vineyard is in Oregon -- Willamette Valley. Beaux Freres and others make a vineyard-designated bottling).
Again, thanks! Sounds like a fun time [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- wondersofwine - 03-02-2004
Thanks for the confirmation of Oregon origin for St. Innocent Shea Vineyard. I guess that makes sense because Washington State is not known for Pinot Noir. The host of the Pinot Noir tasting prompted my memory on the German Auslese. It was a Haag 2001 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese. Quite nice! I will make a tasting note on it when I open the second half bottle.