Three domestic Pinot Noirs (in separate notes)

[wondersofwine]

First of the three.
1998 CASA CARNEROS LOS CARNEROS PINOT NOIR, CA
Indications in October at the Baltimore offline were that this might be starting to fade so I decided to drink up. (I may have one more bottle of '98 as well as some '99.)
14.2% alcohol I think about $25 at Carolina Wine Company.
Dark royal purple color, nearly opaque, with some bricking on the rim.
Plum, dark cherries, boysenberries on the palate. Still reveals some complexities along with smooth elegance. May be fading slightly but still quite attractive. From back label: "Casa Carneros, a small vineyard in the Napa Careneros, is the culmination of 20 years of research by the owner/winemaker Melissa Moravec. Melissa uses a hands-on small-scale approach to winemaking that ultimately produces a rich, complex and extracted Pinot Noir. This wine has layers of dense fruit balanced by firm tannins with the structure of velvety texture that is the hallmark of a fine Pinot Noir."
I would rate this 88-90 and 92 on QPR or value. Matched nicely with smoked cheddar cheese.