Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Jarman – Pinot Noir 2014
Carmel Valley, Central Coast, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Estate-grown Pinot Noir from Carmel Valley, a cooler pocket within California’s Central Coast, known for producing elegant, terroir-driven wines. Jarman focuses on small-lot, expressive bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
The wine opens with softened red cherry, baked strawberry, and dried cranberry, framed by subtle notes of earth, dried rose petals, and faint cedar. Age has muted some brightness, but left behind intriguing savory tones.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with softened tannins and fading acidity. The wine has moved past its peak vibrancy, yet still offers a smooth, mellow texture and gentle finish.

Winemaking Notes
Crafted as a classic estate expression of Carmel Valley Pinot Noir, aged in French oak. By 2024, its prime drinking window has passed, but it still shows grace and character.

Food Pairing
Pairs nicely with roasted poultry, mushroom risotto, or even a simple charcuterie board to complement its more delicate, matured flavors.

Verdict
No longer in its prime, but still enjoyable for those who appreciate the subtlety and softness of aged Pinot Noir. A reminder of how gracefully Central Coast Pinot can evolve. Cheers! — 8 months ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

This Carmel Valley wine is Monterey County born and bred, made from two different Chardonnay clones, 95 and 76. It is aged in new French oak barrels for five months, and the touch of wood is just about perfect. The alcohol hits a lofty 14.2% abv. Well, it would be lofty in Burgundy. In California, it's about normal. The organic and certified sustainable grapes are harvested and sorted by hand, and only seven barrels were made
The wine is a pretty golden color and smells very much like citrus and earthy minerals with a faint hint of smoke thrown in. It's a titillating nose for a Chardonnay. The palate holds up the promise of the aromas. There is a strong sense of minerality up front, which gives way momentarily to a butterscotch flavor. That flavor in turn hands off to lemon-lime and notes of fresh stream water that has run over sandstone rocks to get to you. The oak make itself known, but in a very polite way. Fresh, zippy acidity feels perfect for a picnic or the Thanksgiving table. — 10 years ago