Bearwallow Vineyard Pinot Noir

After having the 2016 Silver Eagle last year, and the 2016 Summa last month (both of which were drinking fantastic) I wanted to take the Bearwallow for a spin.

I ended up having a small glass of this at pop to make sure it was sound, then poured about half out for some peoppe to try before corking and taking the remaining home to consume about an hour and a half later (so it got a decent amount of air).

This is my first experience with the Bearwallow offering, and it came across as somewhat ripe OR Pinot in profile. The fruit certainly isn’t big or in your face…much more restrained. Underripe black cherry and dark plums on the nose, but mostly in the background behind herbs, spice and dark floral notes. On the palate it is rich (as far as AV fruit goes) but there is a lot of earthy/mineral components, as well as black tea. The last glass was a touch more expressive, but with it being Anderson Valley, I'm not sure the fruit ever bulks up. I wonder if this wine is either meant to hold 7-10yrs, or is just meant for those who want a bridge to OR Pinot.

Cherry licorice, raspberry, mushroom, crushed berries, decent tannins.

Blackberry, rhubarb, slight citrus, damp earth.

With the annual release of these coming this week I needed to try one of these for research purposes. A couple years in bottle now has definitely helped it settle in and a splash decant is recommended. This marries the classic Rivers Marie style with a darker fruit profile from the Rhys estate vineyard fruit. Definitely on the list to buy from the upcoming release.

Dark fruit, licorice, damp earth, and menthol. Sweet berry undertones throughout.

With the release last week I decided it was time to take a peak at the “oldest” bearwallow they’ve made to get a feel for where these are going and how they compare to wines made by Rhys from their estate vineyard. The darkest fruited of the rivers-marie family. This really puts on weight with extended air time and the fruit rises up to meet the presence of acidity. Once it has opened up it’s very similar to the Rhys but richer in profile. Cranberry, spicebox, and freshly dug earth. This has years to go until peak.

Raspberry, cranberry, a bit of baking spice and forest floor, and a sweet berry finish.

A hugely promising wine, the 2016 Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, powerful and explosive, with notable fruit density, the Bearwallow is compelling. Inky red and purplish berry fruit and exotic spice notes are front and center. Even with all of its exuberance, the 2016 possesses tremendous structure and depth. Readers will have to be patient, as the Bearwallow does not seem to offer the early appeal of many the other wines in this range. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2018)

Fun to experience TRB’s winemaking with Anderson Valley fruit. Nose is lighter and more lifted than his Sonoma bottlings, yet still has the density and depth of fruit expected of his style. There’s a background radiation of higher acid from times past. At this age it’s all in balance with the savory and bright elements perfectly balancing Thomas’s extraction level. This might be peak. Drink up!

This Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley was a nice surprise for the table. A pure red fruited wine, the aromatics are very developed with floral tones. A focused mineralogy on the finish.