2003 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir

[hotwine]

From the Sonoma Coast. "Different" is the first word that comes to mind on this puppy: seems to bear a relationship to CA PN but with a difference that is difficult for me to define. Tasty enough with salmon and mixed veggies with a decidely "hot" profile at the prize restaurant at the Westin La Cantera Resort, "Francesa's at Sunset" last night for D's birthday dinner. $14 by the glass. Don't think I would opt for this without further inspection.

[wondersofwine]

I'm not very fond of this one either. I have only had it as part of a flight with other Pinots.

[Kcwhippet]

Had this a few times at the shop, but have never taken to it. I do like their Merlot, however.

[wdonovan]

Had a distributor trick me with this stuff at a tasting last year. Whatever it is that he poured was quite tasty, closer to a Burgundy taste than most pinots that I've had (don't beat me up on this, I don't drink Cali wines). On this tasting, I bought a case of 03, what I was told I tasted. It was the most awful wine ever. Still green and slightly effervescent. It shouldn't have been released. My wife liked it and wouldn't let me return it. I opened it for her when I was drinking something else, not in the mood for wine, or if I needed to rinse out the Insinkerator. It was true garbage and the last bottle, opened 8 months after buying it, was just losing the greenness and effervescence. The distributor admitted to me at the next tasting that they had a "problem" with this wine. "You should try the current vintage". But... they sold it anyway and I paid for their problem. Why should I ever again buy crap from Gallo? Easy, I shouldn't. I should've known better. Now I do. When I want something that tastes like a Burgundy, I pay the price and get a Burgundy.

[Drew]

Don't think I'd slam Gallo for a wine that you didn't enjoy. If that was the case I'd rule out 25% of wine producers. Seems like your beef is with the distributor who mighta done a bait and switch on you.

Drew

[winoweenie]

Thoroughly agree. Some of the best P/Q wines I';ve ever enjoyed are from E&J. Lots of distributors haven't a clue when it comes to storing wines. We've educated them here in the valley by sending back baked juice by the case for credit. WW

[Bucko]

2003 MacMurray Ranch, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, $17, 43,568 cases. This garnet-colored wine delivers aromas of black cherries, tomato leaf and smoky oak. You'll find loads of red and black fruit, integrated oak and earthy nuances in this impeccably balanced Pinot; 88/90.

Hotsie, maybe it is the earthiness or tomato leaf characters you question?

[hotwine]

Buckster, I normally appreciate a bit of earthiness in a wine, so that wasn't a problem. And a tomato leaf note would have been OK, too. Think it was the very hot, Yucatan-style, food prep that clashed with the wine. In fact, can't think of a wine that could have handled that.... would have been better off with a Dos Equis.

[wdonovan]

OK I concede with the following exception. Yes perhaps the distributor was to blame for a bait and switch but..... the greenness and effervescence should not have been in a wine that was released from the bottler. I may be wrong here but I don't think the distributor's responsible for aging wine and releasing it at (and not before) the proper time. I actually think that the tasted wine and the bought wine were really from the same year, just different batches. Bucko's description above is exactly what I tasted. That's why I bought a case. If the wine was released while very green, why wouldn't you blame Gallo? I'm not sure I get the "hold harmless" thing here. As far as having this happen from lots of other wineries to the point that I'd rule out 25% of wine producers, well.... this just has never happened to me. I've had lousy wine but I have never bought and opened a bottle that should have still been in "the womb". I am in the manufacturing business and I call this a crystal clear manufacturing defect. I am open to suggestions, though. Guess I don't concede as much as I originally thought, huh?

[Drew]

Could be bottle variation. No different than an individual lot of anything that's produced in mass that could be recalled. I've seen this and other cases many times. The retailers I deal with always exchange or refund without question so it's no big deal for me. If a producers bottlings start showing poorly and not due to a bad vintage I'll cool on him til the next vintage. If he continues to show poorly then I cross him off the list. There's way too much wine out there.

Drew

[wdonovan]

Really, you've seen this sort of thing? I couldn't imagine how a variation like this could show up. I thought if the wine is green, the wine is green. It's all green, not just one case or one truckload. I mistakenly thought that the wine would be ready for release before it left the winery. Hmmm.