2003 Deerfield Ranch Pinot Noir Jemrose Vineyard

Type Red
Producer Deerfield Ranch
Variety Pinot Noir
Vineyard Jemrose Vineyard
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Bennett Valley
Price $34.99 at WineQ



It's THIIIIISSSSSS big!

Night One

The nose is rich and sweet, with sweet cherry, vanilla, toasted coconut and meringue.

The palate is equally big and sweet, with sweet cherries, blueberries, and loads of vanilla. There is chocolate on the mid-palate. This is very sweet, very woody.

The label says "Pinot Noir" and nothing else, but if I were tasting it blind, I would bet there was some Petite Syrah in the mix, thought that would be a rather unique blend.

Night Two

The nose showed more depth on Night Two, adding some balsa and sage to sweet cherries and vanilla, along with some meatiness, like the crisp outside of a sage-rolled pork roast.

The palate, too, shows more depth, as well as deeper, dark fruit. It opens, not with sweet cherries and blueberries, but dark cherries and prunes, plus smoked meat and sage. Dried cranberries and marjoram appear on the mid-palate, followed by vanilla and toasted almonds. The finish is sweet, but falls off quickly.

Acids are low, tannins mild, but the two are just a bit out of balance. The lack of acid does not bode well for a long cellar life.





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2005 Würtz Weinmann Pinot Noir Jakob Neumer

Type: Red
Producer: Würtz Weinmann
Variety: Pinot Noir
Designation: Jakob Neumer
Country: Germany
Region: Rheinhessen
Price: $19.99 from Garagiste



The Little Wooden Guy made a new friend, and he's from Germany.

Night One

The color is interesting. It is bright and semi-translucent, but tinted slightly orange, a brickish color that would normally indicate significant aging. The nose is quite pleasant, a blend of Oregon Pinot and a bit of the same from California. At the beginning aromas of classic red fruit are obvious, cherries and strawberries, plus a bit of cranberry. There is also some sage and a hint of truffle. With a deep enough sniff, richer aromas, jammier fruits and a bit of mocha. The palate, too, blends Oregon and California. Red fruits on the attack are clean and tart, but the mid-palate has a jammy richness and a bit of vanilla. The finish is mid-length.

This is a very interesting wine. My personal opinion about Pinot is that some of the big-name California offerings, Kosta Browne, Sea Smoke, and others, get so big they lose the delicacy that makes Pinot so special. I expect a Napa Cabernet to reach out of the glass and punch me in the nose. I want a good Pinot to waft gently into my nose and grow once it's there. This one sneaks in, then tries to punch its way out.

I wonder what it will be like on Night Two.

Night Two

This is a very pleasant wine on Night Two. It has fresh red fruit flavors up front. It adds very light flavors of licorice and vanilla on the mid-palate.

I absolutely dare anybody to taste this blind and come up with "Germany" without help. This is good, and one of the best $20 Pinots I have had in the last two years.





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2005 BearBoat Pinot Noir

Type Red
Producer BearBoat
Variety Pinot Noir
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Russian River Valley
Price $24 in Indianapolis, IN




The Little Wooden Guy present a pretty good Russian River Pinot for less than $30.

Night One

The nose opened, right after the cork was pulled, with some funk. A few minutes later,after it blew off, red fruit predominated, with several secondary aromas. Cranberries, cherry pits, and some barely ripe wild strawberries took the lead. Pine needles, sage, and a touch of cocoa hovered in the background.

The palate opens with a tsunami of unsweetened, and unsweet, red fruit. Have you ever had unsweetened cranberries? How about tiny wild strawberries, or those little clear native cherries? It's all in there, along with some marjoram and sage. A bit of cocoa and black tea make an appearance on the mid-palate. Tannins and acids are both strong, the acids sharp, the tannins like new leather. They do seem to compete with each other and with the fruit, but might settle down on Night Two.

Stick around for Night Two, because this is a darned good Russian River Pinot, something you just don't find under $30 these days.

Night Two

The nose on Night Two is far more muted than on Night One. On Night One, it reached out of the glass to climb up your nose. On Night Two, though, you have to reach your nose into the glass to find everything it had to offer. It has plenty of red fruit, cherries, less cranberry, some sweet pomegranate, but it also has other aromas, including pencil lead, red licorice and cardamom.

The palate is also far more sedate than on Night One. On Night One, I called it "a tsunami" of red fruit. On Night Two, it is more like a slowly rising tide, loads of fruit, but softer, more full, and sneaking up on you. The fruit is more ripe, Bing cherries instead of native cherries, ripe strawberries instead of wild ones. Pomegranate is added to the mix, and cranberries add some tartness and acid to balance out the riper fruits. The cranberries become a little more dominant on the mid-palate, where they are joined by some graphite, marjoram, and cardamom. Tannins are still firm, but better integrated, offering a memory of leather, rather than a mouthful of it. The finish is quite long.

Conclusion

This is a $20 Pinot? No, you won't mistake it for a great Burgundy, but I dare you to pick it out from a table full of $50 California and Oregon selections.






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2006 Gainey Pinot Noir

Type Red
Producer Gainey
Variety Pinot Noir
Designation n/a
Vineyard n/a
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Central Coast
Price $30.40 from Bin Ends Wine, tasted as part of Twitter Taste Live.



The Big Wooden Guy tries the "Dancer" Yoga pose, not an easy feat after a bottle of win that is best drunk all in one night.

This was tasted as part of Twitter Taste Live.

Night One

The nose was big right out of the bottle. It offered up a whole mix of cherries, from tiny clear native to big Bings, with allspice, and an echo of nutmeg. It was not over-oaked over-fruit, but not quite Burgundy in depth, either.

The palate bears almost no relationship to the nose. A lot more wood shows on the palate, a couple of scoops of vanilla. Spice is there, too, but more peppery, less exotic. It has a shift from cherry on the nose to raspberry on the palate, but the bigger shift is exotic sweet spice to pepper, nose to palate.

This is very good wine on Night One.

Night Two

The nose is far more muted on Night Two than on Night One. The fruit is softer cherry plus some strawberry. Most of the spice is gone.

There are loads of strawberry on the palate, but not really in a great way. It is more like artificial strawberry soda than fresh strawberries. It has a touch of white pepper, and some raspberry on the mid-palate.

The bottom line is simple- this wine was good, not great, but good, on Night One. On Night Two, not so much. That does not necessarily mean it won't last a bit in the cellar, but if you do open it, plan to drink it all that night.





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2006 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Pinot Noir Petersen

Type Red
Producer Sonoma Coast Vineyards
Variety Pinot Noir
Vineyard Petersen
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Sonoma Coast
Price $60.40
From Bin Ends Wine, and tasted as part of Twitter Taste Live.



The Wooden Guys high-five each other over a very good bottle of wine with great potential.

Night One

This wine open with a rich and complex nose, one that is sure to take a few minutes to pick out the different aromas. This is the sort of nose that can be enjoyed so long you forget to take a sip. It starts with rich black dirt and the charred end of prime rib, then adds unsweetened chocolate, all over a strong base of deep red fruit.

The palate is at least as complex as the nose, serving up red fruit, smoked meat, chocolate and spices. Asian spices pop out on the mid-palate, followed by a delightful long finish with an intriguing after-taste of dried tangerine peel.

Night Two

The nose is not as rich as on Night One, but it is still delightful. It still has red fruit and dark chocolate, along with a teaspoon full of black dirt, but the smokey meat aroma is not there any more.

Loads of red fruit, tart cherries and ripe sweet cherries, raspberries, and some pomegranate. The mid-palate brings out smokey meat and a little cocoa, and more tartness to the red fruit, adding cranberry to the mix. This wine has some real Burgundian minerality, as well. The finish is long, tannins are very smooth, acidity offers years in the cellar.

This is very good wine. It might turn out to be great wine in eight years. if I had half a dozen, I would not open the next one for at least six years.





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2000 Michele and Patrice Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras

Type: Red
Producer: Michele & Patrice Rion
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Les Cras
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
SubRegion: Côte de Nuits
Appellation: Chambolle-Musigny
Price: $35.99
From: Chambers Street Wines



The Little Wooden Guy appreciates it when patience rewards him with wine that improves as much as this one did from one night to the next.

Night One

The color was a translucent slightly bricked red with a tint of orange just beginning at the edges.

The nose was nice, soft red fruit and some cocoa lie strewn on a barn floor. There is also a bit of fennel lingering, with an even smaller bit of sage.

Red fruit on the palate is far sharper, more acidic, than the nose lets on. It opens with tart wild strawberries, cranberries, and pomegranate. Fennel and sage are a much larger part of the palate than the nose.

This wine is rather one-dimensional, with little change other than increased tannins on the mid-palate, and a finish that collapses quickly.

Night Two

The nose on Night Two is a little darker, a little more ripe, but still deep and musty. Sage and marjoram are there, too, along with a pinch each of fennel and cardamom. the nose is far more integrated and rich than on Night One.

Again on Night Two, the palate is sharper and more acidic than on Night One. Fruits are newer, fresher, perhaps even not-quite-ripe, tart with acids. Sour cherries, tiny wild strawberries, cranberries, and the very dark red fruit of pomegranate all contribute to the fruit flavor profile. Now the wine has a real mid-palate, with smoke and crisp pork fat rubbed with leafy spices. The finish also last longer, a lot longer, than on Night One. Satiny tannins give a sense of suede, not leather, red fruits come back to the fore as the flavor first glows, then slowly fades.

Huge changes from Night One to Night Two, particularly on the mid-palate and the finish, hint of more life in the cellar, even for an off-year. The color, on the other hand, says it is nearing the end of its life. The best bet to balance the two is probably to give it another year, two at the most, then leave plenty of time for decanting before drinking.

2005 Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Cuvée Gérard Potel

Type: Red
Producer: Nicolas Potel
Variety: Pinot Noir
Designation: Cuvée Gérard Potel
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
Appellation: Bourgogne
Price: $20
From: Bin Ends Wine, as part of Twitter Taste Live



The Little Wooden Guy is pleased to present a good $20 pinot, and from Burgendy, no less.

Night One

The nose opens with some funk, not 'huge barnyard' funk, but certainly 'more serious pinot than you'd expect at this price point' funk. Red fruits follow closely behind the funk, cherries and cherry pits, plus deeply bruised strawberries.

The palate opens with the same red fruit, cherries and bruised strawberries, plus some added rhubarb tartness. The fruit all floats above an earthy base of truffles and loam. The mid-palate is coppery, with the fruit morphing to drier cranberry. The finish is moderately long, the tannins firm but silky.

Night Two

This wine underwent huge changes on the nose from Night One to Night Two. On Night Two, the opening aromas include brambles, marjoram and fennel, along with ripe bruised strawberries. It is definitely more complex than on Night One.

It has a lot more to offer the palate on Night Two as well. First, the classic pinot arc, the tendency of pinot to grow, expand, even explode with new layers of flavor after the initial attack (compared to, for example, Malbec, that opens big then fades to the finish). The initial attack is mild, red fruit far softer than on Night One, tart cherries and pomegranate. On the mid-palate, though, it rips through several layers of additional flavors. First is fennel, then sweeter cherries, then even more tart cranberry, all with just a little sprinkling of sage and marjoram. Toward the finish a real meaty flavor, not smoked meat or bacon, but red bloody beef, joins the fruit. The finish is meaty, fruity, and long.

This is good wine and a great QPR (bang for the buck).

2004 Nicolas Potel Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes

Type: Red
Producer: Nicolas Potel
Variety: Pinot Noir
Designation: Vieilles Vignes
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
SubRegion: Côte de Beaune
Appellation: Savigny-lès-Beaune
From Bin Ends Wine as part of Twitter Taste Live



The Little Wooden Guy finds this wine a bit confusing. It underwent huge changes from Night One to Night Two, and seemed incredibly tight. It was good on Night One, but a little tight. It was nowhere near as good on Night Two, and a lot tighter, actually offering promise of being better than it showed on Night One. At a $28 price point, it is probably best to treat this as a "drink now," but if you buy half a case or more, hide one away at the back of the cellar or closet, and maybe you will have a pleasant surprise in a few years.

Night One

The nose open with the light barnyard funk that often promises something good to come. It is not overwhelming fresh barnyard, more like one you walk into and just know, "animals used to live here." Red fruit comes to the nose behind the funk, cherries and strawberries, and a touch of cranberry. It also has a touch of smoky meatiness, a little bit like the crisp end of a prime rib. The nose also offers up clear minerality, a sense of crushed limestone, like walking through a quarry.

Red fruit dominates the palate, tart, not sweet, like tiny wild cherries and strawberries. The flavors get deeper and broader as it goes through the classic pinot arc. The mid-palate adds some sage and a rich smoked meat flavor, more like rich fatty dark smoked duck than like bacon. Tannins hit home on the finish, tight and dry. The finish is rather long, but drops just short of a sense of "this goes on forever."

The wine still seems tight, all bound up in tartness and tannins, offering a glimpse of what it might be with more time in the cellar. It should be interesting to see if Night Two verifies the future promise, or if it falls short.

Night Two

The fruit on the nose is red, but very light. Crushed rock minerality is quite strong. Fruit is strawberry and cranberry. It also has just a touch of sweet pickle and sage.

The fruit on the palate is definitely red, but it's hard to put my finger on it. Cherries are there for sure, but the strawberries are gone. There is something there a bit tart and sour, ... RHUBARB! Yup, rhubarb. It also has that tiny touch of sweet pickle from the nose. Crushed limestone shows up on the mid-palate. The rich smoked meatiness from Night One is gone. Florals, lavender I think, show up late, on the finish and a good ten to twenty seconds after you drink it.

This wine is simply tight, very tight. I think it might benefit from some more time in the cellar.

2004 La Rochelle Pinot Noir

Type- Red
Producer- La Rochelle
Variety- Pinot Noir
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Central Coast
Appellation- Monterey
From WineQ
Approx. $20



This Big Wooden Guy would not leave me alone until I promised to add more of this to my queue at WineQ.

Before I even put my nose near the glass, let me thank the wonderful people at WineQ. I tried this once before, as you may recall. It gave the Webkinz a chance to make an appearance, but the bottle was flawed. The next thing I knew, I was getting email assurances another bottle was on its way. If you have not checked out WineQ yet, do yourself a favor and head over there soon.

The nose is nice. It opens with a little earthiness, truffles and black dirt. It is very light, but definitely there. Red fruit comes next, light fresh strawberries, wild cherries and pomegranate. There is also a hint, a tiny hint, of red licorice at the very edges of the glass.

The palate is rich, filed with soft full-bodied red fruit, black cherries, very ripe strawberries, followed by raspberry. The 100% new French oak starts to show on the mid-palate as vanilla first makes a gentle appearance then grows, eventually taking the lead, going from red fruit with a little vanilla to a little red fruit on vanilla ice cream.

Mouth feel is silky smooth. The finish is long.

This is good, but just on the edge of over-oaked. Too much wood is the trend in Cali pinots lately, and in my personal opinion does injustice to the fruit. This one is not quite there, not quite too much, on Night One. Sometimes, though, they can really fall apart, devolve into over-sweetened oak juice on Night Two. Will this one? Or will it dance delicately along the edge, balancing fruit and wood, while adding depth overnight? Stay tuned, and we will find out together.

Night Two

The nose is far more subtle on Night Two, less fruity, far more floral. Truffles are still there, but very light, very light indeed. Birch beer and cream, strawberries, and then violets all make up the nose.

The palate is absolutely silky smooth, even creamy. Fruits are red and soft, pomegranate, very ripe strawberries, cherries bought at a roadside fruit stand in Michigan in the summer time. More impressive, though, are the florals that appear on the mid-palate and grow, first joining the fruit then eclipsing it, in the classic Pinot Arc. They are violets and roses, and definitely worth the second night wait.

Give this wine some time in your cellar. If you can't wait, and I can't blame you, decant it for several hours, then treat yourself to a Burgundy doppleganger from the Central Coast of California.

2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard

Type: Red
Producer: Siduri
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Hirsch Vineyard
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Sonoma County
Appellation: Sonoma Coast



The Little Wooden Guy liked it thiiiiiiss much.

This smells terrific. The nose starts a little bit earthy, but then adds black cherries, raspberries, and some spices, dill and sage.

This is a nice mouthfull. The mouth-feel is silky smooth. Fruit is big and full, but not fruit-bombish or overpowering. Rich black cherry is balanced by some tart wild strawberries. Sage and a bit of dill fill out the attack. A bit of pepper joins on the mid-palate, and the finish lingers. This is good. This is really good. It is not a modern over-oaked vanilla caramel California disaster, nor is it a thin cherry cola and black tea Oregon why bother. It lacks the florals of a delicate Burgundy, but it is very well balanced, earthy, with fruit and spice.

I can't guarantee this one will make it to Night Two, but I'll try. For you, I'll try.

Nope. Didn't make it. Sorry.

Thanksgiving Round-Up

N.V. Mumm Napa Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs

Type- Rosé - Sparkling
Producer- Mumm Napa
Variety- Pinot Noir
Designation- Blanc de Noirs
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Napa Valley
Appellation- Napa Valley
Price- $15.99



My family has one of the best Thanksgiving traditions ever. Mimosa! I needed something bubbly to add to the OJ, and this was the cheapest bottle in the cellar. It was actually too good for mimosa, but you've got to do what you've got to do.

The color was a pale salmon pink, tinting slightly toward orange. It had a steady stream of small bubbles. There was a lot of fruit on the nose, strawberry, banana, and a hint, a tiny hint, of lemon zest. Minerality, not fruit, drove the attack, plus a little bit of lime. Some banana and white grapefruit appeared on the mid-palate, with mineral and lemon juice on the finish. It was tart, bright, acidic and clean.

2005 Redline Pinot Noir Cedar Lane Vineyard

Type- Red
Producer- Redline
Variety- Pinot Noir
Vineyard- Cedar Lane Vineyard
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Central Coast
Appellation- Arroyo Seco
From- WineQ
Price- $19.99




This wine went pretty quickly and I did not get much in the way of notes. It went well with the meal. in general, it was pretty good. it had a bit of earth and some depth, something I look for to distinguish a drinkable under-$30 pinot from its more common cherry-cola-and-black-tea brethren. I will definitely revisit this, so stay tuned.

2006 Georges Dubœuf Pouilly-Fuissé

Type- White
Producer- Georges Dubœuf
Variety- Chardonnay
Country- France
Region- Burgundy
SubRegion- Mâconnais
Appellation- Pouilly-Fuissé



Night One
Soft tropical fruit led the nose of this wine, banana, pineapple, along with a bit of light toast. On the palate it was thick and oily, tasting of banana, pineapple, and green apple. White pepper appeared on the mid-palate. It had a long, slightly dusty finish.

Night Two

The nose the next day was softer and a little spicier, more like banana bread than bananas, plus pineapple and a bit of nutmeg. The palate was much more citrusy than the nose, with spice and acidity. Lemon, lime, and gingersnaps, softened on the mid-palate to expose underlying pineapple. The finish was short, dropping suddenly.

2005 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Clifford Bay Reserve

Type- White
Producer- Villa Maria
Variety- Sauvignon Blanc
Designation- Clifford Bay Reserve
Country- New Zealand
Region- South Island
SubRegion- Marlborough
Appellation- Marlborough



Night One

What the heck is that smell? This one got passed around the table and everybody said the same thing, "wait a minute, I know it, ...wait a minute, ... no, I can't place it." Then I broke out the good glass and it was obvious. Asparagus. There was also some ginger snap and vanilla custard. There were also ginger snaps and vanilla custard on the palate, moving to lemon meringue on the mid-palate. Underlying all of it was the green taste of asparagus. It was also surprisingly fat for a Sauv. Blanc, particularly from New Zealand.

Night Two

The asparagus smell was much stronger, overpowering any fruit. It smelled like asparagus and slightly rancid butter. On the palate, well, it was just a disaster. Imagine, if you must, boiling asparagus in pineapple juice until it all dissolves. Strain it and drink it. Or don't. I'm sure not drinking any more of this crap.

2001 Dow Porto Late Bottled Vintage

Type- Red - Fortified
Producer- Dow
Variety- Port Blend
Designation- Late Bottled Vintage
Country- Portugal
Region- Douro
Appellation Porto



The nose wasn't giving up a lot, but if you worked at it you could get some licorice. The palate was just loaded with raisins and prunes, plus a bit of blueberry syrup. The finish simply collapsed.

Chocolate Stout and Raspberry Lambic Float



You will never want a root beer float again. Float some vanilla ice cream in 2 parts chocolate stout to 1 part raspberry lambic. Once a little of the ice cream melts, taking away a bit of the beer bite and adding creaminess, well, it is a grown-up ice cream float. Everybody who tries it is always stunned. I would not hesitate to serve this as a fun finish to an upscale barbecue on a hot summer's day.

2004 La Rochelle Pinot Noir

Type- Red
Producer- La Rochelle
Variety- Pinot Noir
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Central Coast
Appellation- Monterey
From WineQ
Approx. $20



The Wooden Guys had no interest in the clearly flawed bottle. The farm animals from Webkinz, on the other hand, felt right at home amidst the brett.

Night One

Major funk blew out of the bottle upon opening. After an hour or two it seemed to settle down, but not disappear. Beneath it there were some great flavors, enough to think an unflawed bottle might be good. Black cherries, cranberries, smoked meat and some tomato all made for a very interesting, if not a tad heavy, palate. Tannins were smooth, acidity bright. Unfortunately ...

Night Two

The funk had funk of its own. It was just overpowering. There was plenty of barnyard and a distinct smell of moldy cherries. Two hours later a lot of the funk was gone, but not all. The nose smelled surprisingly of burnt toast spread with strawberry jam. There was dark cerry, watermelon, nutmeg, vanilla and tarragon, in that order, from attack to finish.

There is a lot of promise beneath the obvious flaw in this particular bottle. If I had an opportunity, I would give it a second try.


Just out of the bottle

Jeriko Estate Pinot Noir 2005

Mendocino
Certified Organic
14.3% alcohol
From WineQ

The Wooden Guys flat out loved this wine.

The nose of this wine, just after it was opened, had serious funk, barnyard funk. There was also a lot of chocolate and coffee. Imagine the smell if a goat ate nothing but coffee and cocoa beans and you will have some idea what I am talking about. Some people might find the smell that comes out of the wrong end of a barnyard animal a bit of a turn off, but believe me, it is often a promise of good things to come. As the funk settles it turns into burned butter and dark toast. After fifteen minutes in the glass there was still no sign of fruit on the nose, but a hint of hazelnut was just starting to peek through. After thirty minutes a strawberry, one small lonely strawberry, peeked through. Now it was time to taste it.

Okay, that is interesting. This will sound odd, but stick with me and try to imagine it- strawberry marmalade. Strawberries are there, but with the tartness and richness of marmalade, rather than the pure sweetness of jam or jelly. That was the first taste up front, on the attack, along with truffles and a touch of bacon fat. This showed the classic pinot noir arc, with a mild initial attack, then huge growth through the finish. Through the evening the wine continued to evolve, later showing a more typical California pinot taste profile, with cherry pits and strawberries, but also offering up earth and meat, depth and richness.

The tannins are obvious on the finish, drying but not leathery. The finish is long,very long, even continuing to grow and evolve after drinking. Long after the sip, half a minute or more, the first taste of licorice shows up and lingers.

The mouth feel is silky, even a little oily in the way it coats the mouth and tongue.

Night Two

The nose on Night Two is different from Night One. It was intriguing, opening with the sweet smell of Jolly Rancher watermelon candy, then ripe strawberries and cherry pits, plus river rocks and smoky sage. There was as much sweet fruit as you could ever desire, but all well balanced by mineral and smoky herbs, a full-bodied but balanced wine rather than an over-extracted fruit bomb.

The palate did not see as big a change from Night One to Night Two. What I described on Night One as "strawberry marmalade" might better be described on Night Two as a blend of strawberries and rhubarb pie, sweet, tart, and rich. The mid-palate added new layers to the flavor profile, rather than replacing it in waves of different flavors. It added limestone and a meaty flavor best described as the crispy salty end slice of a good prime rib.

Again, the pinot arc is there, flavors continuing to grow, even glow long after the last sip. Licorice and beef appear, for the first time, at least thirty second later and remain for minutes more.

This is really good wine, even great wine. I am going to buy a whole lot more of it. You should, too. Then invite me over and share yours with me.

Sanford Pinot Noir

Sanford Pinot Noir
Santa Rita Hills
2006
Alc. 14.5%
$32.99 in Indianapolis

The Little Wooden Guy liked this. Too much California pinot strives to be something else these days, over-extracted over-oaked pinot monsters, exactly, in the Little Wooden Guy's humble opinion, what the delicate and wondrous pinot noir grape has to offer.

From the bottlenotes:

Sanford blazed a trail in Santa Barbara County more than 25 year ago, planting some of the first Pinot Noir in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. This Terlato Family winery has produced a string of award-winning estate-bottled wines ever since. The 2006 Pinot Noir demonstrates what makes Sanford wines sought the world over. It has the breeding, complexity, and style found in all the great wines of the world.

Night One

The nose on Night One was delicious. The Little Wooden Guy and I spent 20 minutes just enjoying the aromas wafting from the glass before taking our first sips. It offered rich black cherries and the slightly hay and musty smell of dried strawberries. The fruit was well-complemented by white pepper, asian spice, and anise. Then, at the very back of the sinuses, at the end of a long, lingering inhalation, just a little tickle at the back of your head, came a hint of smoke and candied orange peel.

On the palate the black cherries took the lead, followed by ripe strawberries. The texture was very soft,, creamy, and there was a taste of english black tea heavy with cream, as well as a hint of holiday spice. There was a definite midpalate, cream, earth, and increased tartness as the strawberries morphed into raspberries. Tannins were smooth and sweet, acid bright, and a strong vein of minerality was there throughout. The finish, I am sorry to say, was rather bitter, apple seeds and almond skins. The bitterness cut right through the creamy fruity sweetness, creating a sense of disappointment after such promise. The finish alone kept this good wine from being great.

Night Two

There was not much change from Night One to Night Two. It was, perhaps, a bit darker on the nose, with slightly reduced acid. The only other change was that the orange peel was a bit more prevalent. On the palate, too, little change. I had hoped the bitterness would subside but, alas, it did not. At least, not much.

Conclusion? This is good wine. The bitterness might work better, or be better masked, with food. That said the finish truly kept this from being something I could enthusiastically recommend at its price point.

Wild Earth Pinot Noir 2005

Central Otago, New Zealand
14% alcohol
$33.98 in Indianapolis

Can I tell you a secret? The Wooden Guys and I, we don't drink a lot of pinot noir. It's not that we don't like it, we just can't afford the stuff we like, and don't much like the stuff we can afford. Most of the latter tastes like Strawberry Snapple and black tea. When we come across one we like in the $30 range, well, I promise you will hear about it.

The Big Wooden Guy liked it. He was surprised. He told me that, but he liked it. In fact, he asked me to buy some more. I might, but only if he saves me some.

From the bottlenotes:

Wild Earth expresses the essence of an untamed land far from the pressures of a crowded world. Each wine presents orginal art created by New Zealand's finest emerging artists. Our pinot noir vineyards are sited on the respected Felton Road and Lowburn distrct, located in the stunning alpine desert landscape of Central Otgago. This pinot noir was made from clones 5, 6 and a range of Dijon clone vines, tended by hand and crafted with devoted care in the traditional manner.

The color is just barely translucent, dark for a pinot. It is ruby red in the center trending to pink before it disappears at the edges.

The nose is very promising. It is not just fruit and tea. There is fruit, no question, dark cherries and strawberries, but there is also old leather, mesquite smoke, and an old velvet dress from the back of the closet.

On the palate this one falls back a little, a little more like the typical $30 pinot than the nose seemed to promise. It doesn't fall all the way back, mind you, but a little. Cherries are there, but dark ones, barely ripe and tart. Strawberries are there, too, but little ones, fresh farm berries mixed half and half with tiny sour wild ones. There is smoked meat, too. Not juicy meat, the smoky edges and ends, more meat flavored smoke than smoke flavored meat. There is also a hint of sea salt, most noticeable if you let a drop dry at the rim for a few minutes then put your lips back to the glass. That old velvet is there, too, a dusty musky earthy flavor coming mostly from dusty sweet tannins. This is getting better. It has the classic pinot arc, growing from the time you first sip through a long glowing finish.

I hope this holds up on Night Two. Perhaps a more immediate fear- I hope it lasts until Night Two.

Night Two

The nose has not changed much. Cherries and strawberries, leather and smoke. It is still lovely.

Nope, this really has not changed much from Night One to Night Two. It still bridges generic pinot to good pinot, bringing cherries/strawberreis and black tea, your generic stand-bys, with earth and smoked meat. I think this is the first time I have seen so little change from Night One to Night Two. What does that mean for aging? I don't know, but if you have a few botles of this why would you wait? It is quite nice right now.

Stoneleigh Pinot Noir 2006

Marlborough, New Zealand
13% alcohol
$17.99 in Indianapolis
Screw-cap closure

The Little Wooden Guy is not impressed.

Wienmaker's comments:

This wine displays a fragrant bouquet of red berry fruit, coupled with savory spice from ageing the wine in French oak. The palate is soft and supple with lingering fruit sweetness. This is balanced with fine velvety tannins to give the wine depth and structure to mature. - Jamie Marfell, Winemaker

Night One

The nose opens with red fruit, strawberries and cherries. That is followed by the wooden-sweet-spice smell of birch beer, then a bit of caramel.

The palate is just as red, strawberries and cherries again, but a bit more tart than the nose suggested. It was spicy with pepper and cardamom, brightly acidic, and very softly tannic. An hour or two later, as it warmed from the cellar (55 F) to room temperature, vanilla made a powerful appearance.

Night Two

Strawberries, white pepper and a little vanilla on the nose.

Over night it lost a lot of sweetness. Strawberries and cherries are still there, but more like the fruit skins than the fruit itself. It seemed more tannic, again, as if from fruit skins. There is very little to the palate other than that.

On the first night this seemed like an adequate Pinot with a good QPR. The huge drop-off on Nigh Two gives me pause.

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Véro 2005

France
Burgundy
Bourgogne
$19.99
12.5% alcohol

The little wooden guy is not pleased with this wine. Read on to find out why.

The color is very light clear red. The nose opens tart and fruity, sour cherry and strawberries. The fruit sweetens after the initial tartness, smelling candied with brown sugar or maple. There is also just enough of a whiff of earth to tell you it is likely French.

The palate opens all sour fruit, sour cherries and sour strawberries. That sweetns a little on the finish, adding a sense of red licorice. Tannins were slightly drying but smooth.

Will this close down on night two, or will it soften and open up, revealing something other than red fruit? Let us find out together.

NIGHT TWO

Sour cherries and strawberries still lead the nose, but there is also some caramel and some sage. It actually seems, on the nose, to have closed a bit from night one. The palate is still sour cherries, but deeper, a bit richer, with blackberries throw in instead of the sweeter strawberries of the night before. A little Dr. Pepper followed, then a hint of spice. Overwhelmingly, though the sour cherries and blackberries deominated from start to finish, without significant transition to midpalate or finish.

This is a disappointingly one-dimensional wine. Yes, I know, at $19.99 it is practically free by the standards of 2005 Burgundy, but why bother? There are far more intersting wines from other regions for the same amount of scratch.

Muir-Hanna Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2004

Estate Bottled. 14.3% alcohol, 100% Pinot Noir.

The color was brilliant translucent ruby.

Right after opening this had a strong nose, earthy, rich with dark cherries and mushrooms. An hour later most of that blew off and the nose was light, even closed. I was faint but fruity. If you stuck your nose all the way in the glass you would catch strawberries and cherry pits.

Right after opening this was disractingly bitter. An hour later, again, it is entirely different. Pomegranate, strawberries and distinct minerality, with slightly pronounced tannins keeping the end a little bitter, but not to the point of distraction. Instead, it gave some depth, distinguishing the wine from cheap 'cherry cola and black tea' pinot plonk. Fruit, then tannins, followed by toasted pecans at the end. The finish was mid-length and pleasant, tannins fading with fruit lingering.

Day two.

The nose is distinctly more full-bodied, combining the initial earthiness with lilting fruit. Now there is earth and a hint of peaty undergrowth to go with strawberries, cherry pits, and some raspberry.

Wow! The longer this stayed in my mouth, the more different things I tasted. It just kept evolving. First, fruit, pomegranate, strawberry, and maybe raspberry. But then, oh then, mushrooms and beef, smoky bacon, barely-ripe plums, some more smoke, all covered with a delicate strawberry glaze. This would be magnificent with food, but it's so nice on its own that you want to make a meal of it.

I like this wine. Based upon the two-day review, it either needs a LOT of decanting or several more years in the cellar. I'm guessing five, minimum.

Now let me tell you a tiny short story about this family vineyard, and I mean FAMILY vineyard. When I called to order the wine the delightful lady on the other end of the line had to shout a bit to be heard, because she was giving the baby a bath at the same time. Now how can you not just love that?

Carmel Road Pinot Noir Monterey 2006

It was hotter than hell and the air conditioning was not working. Nothing was in the fridge, so what to drink? Something lighter, maybe a fairly fresh pinot. This mid-priced bottle seemed to fit the bill.

The color was a medium garnet, translucent, very pretty. The nose was bigger than I expected, since newer pinots often seem to be closed, hiding their odors. It offered black cherries, raspberries, black tea, and, if you kept your nose shoved all the way in the glass long enough, just a touch of cocoa. The palate was similar, with black cherries and raspberries up front, followed by a touch of sweet cocoa powder and tannins. The tannins were surpisingly soft. The finish did not fall right off but lingered a few extra seconds.

The next day. The wine spent the night back in the cellar (the A/C was out and I did not want to cook it) under the Vacuu-Vin. The next night it was far more earthy, with mushrooms and earth added to raspberry and darker cherries on the nose. The palate wa still fruity, showing strawbery and raspberry, black tea and, as odd as this sounds, a hint of somethin reminiscent of ginger snaps. The finish was softer and far longer, more obviously teeth-coating. This improved a lot over night, telling me (as if I didn't know, heck, it was an '06) it would actually improve with some cellar time or long decanting.

The first night's overall impression was a pretty typical mid-priced Cali-Pinot, mostly cherry and black tea, with enough mid-palate secondary development to justify a "pretty good, I'd drink it mid-week if the restaurant marked up the good stuff beyond reason" rating. In Parker-world that is probably about 84-86.