Cirq

Bootlegger's Hill Pinot Noir

9.466 ratings
9.418 pro ratings
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA
Pinot Noir
Turkey, Game, Exotic Spices, Soft Cheese, Duck, Goose, Salads & Greens, Potato, Quinoa, Farro, Brown Rice, White Rice, Pasta, Herbs, Nuts & Seeds, Mushrooms, Chicken, Meaty & Oily Fish, Shellfish, Crab & Lobster, Stew, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Salami & Prosciutto, Salmon, Quinoa, Shellfish
Top Notes For
Shay A
9.4

My last bottle of Cirq. I think the quality is extremely high, but the evolution and secondary market is hard to justify when similar priced wines (ex: Marcassin) are in a different realm.

This straddles bright and moderately lean Sonoma coast Pinot with ripe OR style pinot. When compared to Michael Browne’s Kosta Browne wines, its got a more elegant profile while retaining the rich fruit. Plenty of ripe cherry, black cherry, potpourri, and sandalwood aromatics. The palate here retains a lot of freshness to go along with the spiced rhubarb, black pepper, and maple drizzled black cherries. Acidity is very vibrant and keeps this wine afloat.

Pretty? Yes. Do I see this getting better? Not necessarily, just different.

My last bottle of Cirq. I think the quality is extremely high, but the evolution and secondary market is hard to justify when similar priced wines (ex: Marcassin) are in a different realm.

This straddles bright and moderately lean Sonoma coast Pinot with ripe OR style pinot. When compared to Michael Browne’s Kosta Browne wines, its got a more elegant profile while retaining the rich fruit. Plenty of ripe cherry, black cherry, potpourri, and sandalwood aromatics. The palate here retains a lot of freshness to go along with the spiced rhubarb, black pepper, and maple drizzled black cherries. Acidity is very vibrant and keeps this wine afloat.

Pretty? Yes. Do I see this getting better? Not necessarily, just different.

Feb 13th, 2022
Paco Suro

Price tag too high.

Price tag too high.

Feb 20th, 2021
Al Shikoh

medium reddish purple; black cherry, plum, licorice, baking spices; sappy, dark berry compote; full bodied, fine tannins, 14.5% ABV; aged in 55% new French oak , small amount in concrete egg, inaugural vintage from the vineyard; project of Michael Browne of Kosta Browne, style typical of Russian River Valley and Kosta Browne, bigger and darker than the Treehouse bottling

medium reddish purple; black cherry, plum, licorice, baking spices; sappy, dark berry compote; full bodied, fine tannins, 14.5% ABV; aged in 55% new French oak , small amount in concrete egg, inaugural vintage from the vineyard; project of Michael Browne of Kosta Browne, style typical of Russian River Valley and Kosta Browne, bigger and darker than the Treehouse bottling

Nov 28th, 2019
Mike R
9.4

Awesomely good

Awesomely good

Oct 26th, 2019
Shay A
9.5

WNH event number 3...new world Pinot. Such a treat to experience the many different variations of Pinot!

All done in the name of research as we knew it would be young. Tight but flavor packed already. Maple and cinnamon rich notes out of the glass. Big on the palate. Extracted black and blue fruit but the acidity keeps it from being flabby. Give this a few years and it will likely be incredible. Thanks for opening
@Bill Bender .

WNH event number 3...new world Pinot. Such a treat to experience the many different variations of Pinot!

All done in the name of research as we knew it would be young. Tight but flavor packed already. Maple and cinnamon rich notes out of the glass. Big on the palate. Extracted black and blue fruit but the acidity keeps it from being flabby. Give this a few years and it will likely be incredible. Thanks for opening
@Bill Bender .

Nov 10th, 2018
Bill Bender

Classy and balanced with a solid, sexy red fruit core. Will continue to evolve in the bottle I’m sure but it’s so good right now.

Classy and balanced with a solid, sexy red fruit core. Will continue to evolve in the bottle I’m sure but it’s so good right now.

Nov 10th, 2017
Shawn R

@Bill Bender thank you.

@Bill Bender thank you.

Nov 9th, 2017
Martin G Rivard

Stellar and it was firing on all cylinders. Absolutely stunning 😘🍷🍷😘Thank you Bill!!! @Bill Bender @Shawn R @David L

Stellar and it was firing on all cylinders. Absolutely stunning 😘🍷🍷😘Thank you Bill!!! @Bill Bender @Shawn R @David L

Nov 9th, 2017
Kary Vega

Kary had this 8 years ago

Kary had this 8 years ago

1 person found it helpfulJul 20th, 2016
Jeff Gaffner

Winemaker Saxon Brown, Black Kite, Xtant, Stephanie, Etré, Ram's Gate.

9.3

Jeff had this 8 years ago

Jeff had this 8 years ago

1 person found it helpfulMar 18th, 2016