Fess Parker Pinot Noir Santa Barbara 2006
On the nose you’ll find lots of cherry, cola, cinnamon vanilla, strawberry, and raspberry combined with toasty oak, tobacco and a hint of new saddle leather. The striking palate exudes flavors of cherry, cranberry, cola and cinnamon supported by nice acidity and firm tannins.
Villa Mt Eden Pinot Noir Grand Reserve 2005
Aromas of warm, sweet orange caramel strudel develop nicely into mature Pinot Noir fruit characters. The ripe red fruit flavors include hints of butterscotch with a touch of mushrooms and dried flower petals. The silky dried cranberry finish lingers seductively.
MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007
MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir possesses an expressive fruit character with elegantly integrated red and black fruit aromas of cherry, raspberries and red currant. The rich fruit flavors meld together with earthy notes, and balance perfectly with the nuance of soft vanilla from oak aging.
Buena Vista Pinot Noir Carneros 2006
In 2006, budbreak began in early March and was followed by a cool wet spring. Ample rain generated vigorous vine growth early in the season, requiring diligent canopy management. The summer weather was quite favorable with generally warm days and one short hot spell. Most of August and September was slightly...
Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard 2005
Julia’s 2005 Pinot Noir offers dark ripe Bing cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavors that open into an underlying earthiness. A round mid-palate leads to vanilla and cinnamon spice on the silky finish. Sweet oak smelling of roasted vanilla beans with a hint of creme caramel joins with ripe cherries and whispers of raspberry in this wine's medium-volume and fairly open aromas, and that same sense of openness shows up in the wine's fairly rounded, slightly soft-edged texture and flavors. On the whole, it is well-balanced and ready to enjoy today. -Rated 88, Connoisseur's Guide to California Wines
Byron Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2006
The Santa Maria Valley is located on an unusual topographic slice of land known as a transverse range. Unlike the majority of California’s wine producing valleys, the orientation is east to west rather than north to south. As a consequence, an unprecedented amount of marine air and accompanying fog is pulled...
Saintsbury Pinot Noir Carneros 2005
Pinot Noir from the Carneros region ranks among the finest in California. Sainsbury knows they’ve been making it, growing it and experimenting with Carneros Pinot for more than 25 years. What they’ve discovered is that if they let the character of Carneros guide their Pinot winemaking effort, there still remains plenty...
Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir 2004
Sensitive pinot noir can be a challenge for winemakers. The delicate, thin-skinned grapes grow best in cool, consistent climates where the fruit can ripen slowly. We are fortunate: The long growing season and cooling maritime breezes of the Carneros Region are ideal, producing wines of distinction virtually ever year. The ’04 is right up there with the last several vintages. It’s dry and silky, with cherry cola flavors grounded with an earthy edge of tea, herbs and balsamic-splashed Portobello. Comes down in favor of elegance rather than heavy opulence, a balanced wine made for a wide selection of food. — S.H. (5/1/2007) -...
Bouchaine Pinot Noir Carneros 2006
The Carneros Pinot Noir is a saturated deep ruby in color. Berry and dark Bing cherry fill the nose, followed by a touch of cola, aromatic cedar, and a hint of nutmeg. Medium in weight, the crisp structure fills the mouth with ultra berry, ultra cherry and a little sweet tobacco,...
Pinot Noir yields were down in 2007 by 20% as compared to historic averages. As with many low-yielding vintages, the grapes were healthy and the flavors very good. Due to cool weather, this 2007 Estate Pinot Noir has slightly higher acidity. In a true test of the vintage’s merit, this wine...
Cambria Pinot Noir Bench Break 2005
The 2005 Bench Break Vineyard Pinot Noir displays deep aromas of black cherries, red raspberries, cola and cinnamon, accented by sweet vanilla and nutmeg. A silky textured mid-palate finishes with bright plum and toasty oak flavors and balanced acidity. Smooth, challey tannins lead to a clean, lingering finish.
Estancia Pinot Noir Reserve 2006
Stonewall Vineyard is nestled in the heart of the acclaimed Monterey appellation of the Santa Lucia Highlands. This 80 acre vineyard is planted specifically to Pinot Noir and is just feet away from some of the most famous Pinot Noir vineyards in California, Gary’s Vineyard, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard and Rosella’s Vineyard....
Acacia Pinot Noir Winery Lake 2006
The 2006 Acacia Winery Lake Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir’s aromas are filled with ripe blackberry, rose petal, mineral and spicy oak. Layers of Satsuma plum, cassis and blueberry mingle with smoky oak in the expansive, lingering flavors. This complex blend includes nine different wines made from sections of the renowned Winery...
Cuvaison’s Carneros Pinot Noir comes from the winery's 400-acre estate in the southern part of Napa Valley. This cool climate vineyard allows near perfect conditions year after year to produce world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah. Controlling all farming aspects within their own vineyard gives Cuvaison an advantage in...
Deep ruby-red in color, Clos Du Val’s 2006 Pinot Noir has an intense, complex nose of raspberry, strawberry, black cherry and spice, with a hint a vanillin. Flavors of ripe red berries, warm cinnamon and a touch of ginger linger on the palate, and oak is well-integrated and subtle. Soft, silky...
Martin Ray Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley 2006
The 2006 harvest was an excellent vintage for the Russian River Valley. After a slow, wet spring, the vintage moved along quite smoothly with yields pretty close to the estimated projections. The vines produced mature, ripe and intense fruit without high sugars. Martin Ray's Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir is...
Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir 2006
Destined to be a classic, Domaine Chandon's 2006 Carneros Pinot Noir exhibits aromas of dried cherries, cedar and traces of dried tobacco. As the wine opens in the glass, underlying notes of vanilla bean and the fresh scent of a strawberry patch on a warm spring afternoon become evident. With a...
Davis Bynum Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2005
This wine handcrafted by Davis Bynum's winemaking team, is fashioned from grapes grown in carefully selected vineyards in the Russian River Valley. With its warm days and cool nights, this appellation is recognized as one of the premier growing regions in the world for Pinot Noir. This easy to drink wine...
Bouchaine Pinot Noir Estate 2004
Bouchaine’s estate-grown Pinot Noir comes from new plantings on their rolling hills in the foggy and cool Carneros, Napa Valley appellation. The Bouchaine Estate Vineyard is among the southernmost plantings in Napa Carneros and encompasses the highest landmark terraces in this region, so celebrated for its Pinot Noirs. This limited release...
Carmel Road Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco 2005
Carmel Road Winery is located in the heart of Monterey County where the air is crisp and the tempo is relaxed and measured. Most mornings their vineyards are shrouded in fog. Most afternoons a brisk Pacific Ocean wind blows southward along the ridge tops and benchlands of the Salinas Valley delivering...
Taz Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard 2006
Luscious flavors of strawberry and red fruits get topped off by a subtle whiff of caramel.
Orogeny Green Valley Pinot Noir shows bright Bing cherry, pomegranate and toffee notes on the nose, with a hint of spicy oak layered with ginger, nutmeg and coriander. On the palate, the bright cherry flavors dominate, supported by lively notes of blackberry and blueberry that linger on the candied-cherry finish. The...
Kendall Jackson Pinot Noir Highland Estate 2005
Black cherry and ripe strawberry fruit with soft, velvety tannins. Integrated oak imparts a hint of smoke on top of the fruit and earth in the nose. This lush, sensuous wine is unfiltered.
Broadley Pinot Noir Reserve 2006
Broadley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir (known in previous vintages as their Reserve wine) represents the character of their grapes, soil, and climate—these are the wines that reflect the unique terroir of their vineyard as a whole. Only their own estate grapes go into the final Estate blend. They destem this fruit...
Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River 2006
This wine opens with alluring ripe cherry, raspberry and strawberry aromas and has plush, succulent dark berry flavors, complimented by lavish, spicy oak elements. It is deeply colored with layered complexity and a silky, sensual, long finish. The 2006 Russian River Selection Pinot Noir shows wonderful balanced acidity and generous fruit...
