2001 Davis Bynum RRV Pinot Noir

[dananne]

Back in the '80s, there was a Wendy's commercial where an old lady would shout, "Where's the beef?" Well, my question about this wine was, "Where's the earth?" Dense, almost purple color with ruby flashes, nose of red spices and some plums. Flavors are of tart wild strawberries with some more of that spiciness from the nose, but this thing could be from anywhere or nowhere. A lab wine or something folks with white coats would make in little beakers. No earthiness that I like in my pinots, whether it's a little "forest floor," "pine," "mushroom-y," "barnyard," whatever. This was basically fruit, then nothing. Decanted during drinking. A little better with some bread and a light, grassy Spanish OO. Alc 13.9%. Paid $38 for it. Shouldn't have, or maybe it's just that I need to take up that offer to have Bucko replace the tongue. FWIW, W&S 85.

Opened two "nicer" (meaning, in some respects, "pricier") PN this weekend, and was just "Eh" on both. I think Anne sensed my disappointment, as she took me wine shopping yesterday and bought me a '00 Beaucastel CdP. I was immediately cheered. All she said was, "Keep the cellar in good working order for the next 20 years." She is a very sweet person. I'm lucky.