Grenache Noir
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
La Tâche Pinot Noir 1964
Soft and subtle fruit. Delicate floral notes with bright and light finish. Haunting and evocative. You need to lean in a bit. Very good. — 2 days ago
Domaine Serene
Yamhill Cuvée Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2017
Elegant Ruby red color with red fruit aromas and gentle floral spice, aged for about 12 months in French oak, signature blend of grapes from Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, and Yamhill-Carlton AVA's. On the palate flavors of cherry and black raspberry with notes of herb, licorice and wet stone notes. Soft dusty tannins on a long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy notes. Very Nice! Drinking well now! — 8 days ago
Enderle & Moll
Liaison Pinot Noir 2021
Wow! So glad I bought a bottle of this. Funky on opening. After 2 hours it is so good. Violets, roses, cherry, baking spice is in background, there’s an earth/herbal component I cannot pinpoint. It is so drinkable but evolves with almost every sip. Need more Pinots like this in my life. — 13 days ago
Belle Glos
Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
Crafted by Joseph J. Wagner, 4th generation winemaker, with winemaking roots in the Napa Valley since 1906. Deep Ruby with red berry fruit aromas, tea and sweet spice notes. On the palate flavors of jammy blackberry and cherry with pronounced sweet vanilla oak, cacao and pepper spice notes. Soft tannins and bright acidity, well balanced, with mineral tones on a long finish ending with toasty spice! Nice! — 9 days ago
Goldeneye (Duckhorn Vineyards)
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2022
Deep Ruby color with aromas of black fruits, cedar and baking spice, aged in 40% new French oak. On the palate flavors of ripe cherry and raspberry with cola and sweet cinnamon spice notes. Full-bodied, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and an earthy mineral character. Nice! — 8 days ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Richebourg Pinot Noir 1988
Oh boy…is this real life? A DRC from back in the days when Lalou was involved in the process. Enjoyed out of the Baccarat DRC glass which is hilarious to behold but I’ll be damned if wasn’t a pretty effective glass. The 1988 Richebourg pours a deep ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady notes of ripe and slightly desiccated red and black fruits: strawberry, spiced meat, red flowers, forest floor, and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with lovely, savory minerals. There is so much density. Honestly, this still needs a ton of air. It’s remarkable how youthful it’s showing. Drink now with loads of patience and through 2038. Bottle No. 4044. — 25 days ago
Ericsson
Tasting notes during visit to the winery where absolutely everything is done in-house by hand; preserving centuries old winemaking traditions. In the Tondonia offering one can really appreciate the time and patience dedicated to crafting this wine. The wine evolves to a rustic yet graceful profile with strong notes of dark berries with slight oak and dark chocolate. On the palate the wine is bliss, medium bodied, fully integrated, with balanced acidity and a long finish.
The juice is fermented in old large wooden “tinas,” then transferred to American oak barrels (made in house to medium toast specifications), stored underground in their +100 year old cellars for at least a year. After that it is bottled and stored in the same underground cellars and finally released about ten years later. Learning about their curated winemaking process was inspiring. — 13 days ago