To corrupt one my favorite song lyrics, “my teeth hurt, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus.” I’m still recovering from Pinot Days. I know I’ve been tasting a lot of wine when brushing my teeth at night ends up being an exercise in delicacy not unlike that old kid’s game “Operation.”
Yes, dear reader, I braved the crowds for nearly five hours to taste through almost two hundred current release Pinot Noirs for our mutual education and enjoyment. It’s a hard job, but as they say, someone has to do it. I receive no pity for this self imposed burden of mine.
The Pinot Days festival is turning into one of San Francisco’s signature wine events, and one of the best ways to experience the breadth of depth and quality in California’s Pinot Noir, plus some nice wines from further afield.
The festival is also a great way to get a handle on the Pinot Noir vintage as a whole for California, as well as the market for this increasingly popular grape. On the whole, 2005 is a solid year, though there were many producers, especially from Anderson Valley and Mendocino, whose wines showed the effects of the devastating late Spring rains that resulted in near total crop loss for some.
Pinot Noir continues to rise in price, with the average cost of a bottle that I reviewed ending up slightly north of $44 and the average price among my top rated (9/9.5 and above) wines, was $49. It seems clear, more than ever, that really good Pinot Noir is out of the reach of the average wine consumer who considers $25 a splurge. This fact is fairly depressing, so I try not to dwell on it. Instead, I like to consider that it seems many producers are backing off the super-ripeness that has characterized the past few vintages of Pinot Noir in California. A key indicator of this for me is that I found quite a few of the Santa Lucia Highlands producers making what I feel are the best wines I have ever tasted from that region.
Ok, enough of my rambling. Let’s get on with the wines. Here are my scores from this year’s tasting. Enjoy.
GOOD PINK AND WHITE STUFF:
2006 Mary Elke Rosé of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. 9/9.5. $18
2006 Fort Ross Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. 9/9.5. $16
2006 Hitching Post Wines Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. 9/9.5. $18
2006 Clos Saron “Tickled Noir” Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sierra Foothills. 9. $18
2006 Shaky Bridge Pinot Gris, Central Otago, NZ. 9. $19
2005 Eno Wines “Fairview Road Ranch” Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. 8.5/9. $??
2006 Inman Family Wines “Endless Crush” Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. 8.5/9.$20
2005 J. Wilkes Pinot Blanc, Santa Barbara. 8.5/9. $??
2006 Shaky Bridge Rosé of Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. 8.5/9. $17
2006 Handley Cellars Rosé of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. 8.5. $18
2006 Hartford Family Winery Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. 8.5. $22
BEST VALUES:
2003 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, Sonoma Coast. 9.5. $32
2005 Melville “Verna’s Vineyard – Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. 9. $24.
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards “Cuvee de Trois” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. 9. $27.
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. 9. $28.
2005 Elke “Donnelly Creek”Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. 9. $30.
2003 Fort Ross Vineyard “Symposium” Red Blend, Sonoma Coast. 9/9.5 . $32.
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery “Estate Vineyards” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. 9. $33.
WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
1998 Calera Wine Company “Selleck” Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan. $60
1998 Calera Wine Company “Reed” Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan . $50
2005 Chasseur Wines “Freestone Station” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast . $60
2005 Chasseur Wines “Sylvia’s” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $60
2003 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, Sonoma Coast. $32
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards “Trenton Estate” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $45
2005 Peay Vineyards “Scallop Shelf Estate” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $50
2005 ROAR “Garys’ Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $50
WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 and 9.5
2005 Anthill Farms Winery “Demuth Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $38
2005 Breggo Cellars “Ferrington Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $??
1998 Calera Wine Company “Jensen” Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan . $55
2003 Calera Wine Company “Mills” Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan . $45
2004 Calera Wine Company “Ryan” Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan . $40
2005 Chasseur Wines “Blank Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $??
2005 Eric Kent Wine Cellars “Stiling Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $38
2004 Etude “Heirloom” Pinot Noir, Carneros. $80
2003 Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve, Sonoma Coast. $49
2004 Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve, Sonoma Coast. $49
2003 Fort Ross Vineyard “Symposium” Red Blend, Sonoma Coast. $32
2005 Freeman “Keefer Ranch” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $45
2004 Handley Cellars “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $52
2005 Hitching Post “St. Rita’s Earth” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $34
2005 Hitching Post “Highliner” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $42
2004 J. Wilkes “Bien Nacido Vineyards – Block Q” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $60
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards “Trenton View” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $32
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards “Giant Oak” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $32
2005 Ladd Cellars Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $??
2005 Le Cadeau Vineyard “Cote Est” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Le Cadeau Vineyard “Rocheux” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Londer Vineyards “Estate Grown” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50
2005 Londer Vineyards “Paraboll” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $54
2005 Melville “Terraces – Small Lot Collection” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $52
2005 Patz & Hall Wine Company “Chenoweth Ranch” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $47
2005 Peay Vineyards “Pomarium Estate” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $50
2005 Pey-Marin Vineyards “Trois Filles” Pinot Noir, Marin County. $39
2005 Pisoni Vineyard & Winery “Pisoni Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $65
2005 Pisoni Vineyard & Winery “Garys’ Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Higlands. $50
2005 Roessler Cellars “Hein Family Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $45
2005 Row Eleven Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley. $36
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery “Leras Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery “Tara Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $44
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery “Meredith Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Saintsbury “Brown Ranch” Pinot Noir, Carneros. $60
2004 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $??
2004 Rippon Vineyards Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. $??
2005 Tantara Winery “Evelyn” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley. $80
2005 Tantara Winery “Brosseau Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Chalone AVA. $52
WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2005 Ancien Wines “Mink Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Napa Valley. $42
2005 Ancien Wines “Fiddlestix Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $??
2003 Anne Amie Vineyards “Deux Vert Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District, OR. $50
2005 Anthill Farms Winery “Tina Marie Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $43
2006 Auteur “Hyland Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $50
2006 Auteur “Sonoma Stage Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $50
2005 Baker Lane “Hurst Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $50
2006 Benovia Winery “Cohn Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $60
2005 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $??
2005 Chasseur Wines “Sexton” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $55
2005 Domaine Alfred “Chamisal Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande. $38
2005 Elke “Donnelly Creek”Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30
2003 Elke “Donnelly Creek” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $40
2004 Elke “Donnelly Creek” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30
2005 Eno Wines “Fairview Road Ranch” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $38
2004 Etude “Deer Camp” Pinot Noir, Carneros. $60
2004 Fort Ross Vineyard, Sonoma Coast. $39
2005 Freeman Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $38
2004 Freeman “Akiko’s Cuvee” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $48
2005 Gary Farrell Winery “Russian River Selection” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley . $42
2004 Gary Farrell Winery “Starr Ridge Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $50
2005 Halleck Vineyard “Three Sons Cuvee” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $35
2005 Halleck Vineyard “Farm Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $55
2005 Hirsch Vineyard and Winery “Hirsch Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $60
2005 Hitching Post “Rio Vista” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $42
2005 Inman Family Wines “Olivet Grange Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $45
2004 Inman Family Wines “Olivet Grange Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards “Cuvee de Trois” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $27
2005 Ladd Cellars “Gap’s Crown” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $??
2006 Ladd cellars Pinot Noir (barrel sample), Russian River Valley. $??
2003 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Le Cadeau Vineyard “Diversite” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Londer Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $33
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $28
2005 Melville “Carrie’s – Small Lot Collection” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $52
2005 Melville “Verna’s Vineyard – Estate” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $24
2005 Olson Ogden Wines “Milla’s Blend” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $39
2005 Papapietro Perry Winery Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Roessler Cellars “Brousseau” Pinot Noir, Chalone. $42
2005 Roessler Cellars “Peregrine” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $38
2005 Roessler Cellars “Sanford & Benedict” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $46
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery “Estate Vineyards” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $33
2005 Saintsbury “Stanly Ranch” Pinot Noir, Carneros. $45
2004 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir, Sonoma County. $??
2005 Segue Cellars Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2006 Segue Cellars Pinot Noir (barrel sample), Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Sojourn Cellars “Sangiacomo Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $48
2005 Tandem Winery “Auction Block” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $54
2005 Tantara Winery “La Colline” Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley. $45
2006 Testarossa Vineyards “Palazzio” Pinot Noir (barrel sample), Central Coast. $37
2005 Woodenhead Buena “Tierra Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $46
2005 Woodenhead Pinot Noir, Humboldt County. $35
WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 and 9
2005 Ancien Wines Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42
2005 Ancien Wines “Toyon Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Carneros. $36
2005 Anthill Farms Winery “Peters Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $38
2006 Auteur “Shea Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $60
2006 Benovia Winery Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $42
2005 Breggo Cellars “Savoy Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $??
2005 Clos Saron “Home Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sierra Foothills. $45
2005 Clos Saron “Texas Hill Road Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sierra Foothills. $35
1999 Clos Saron “Home Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sierra Foothills. $??
2004 Jean Tardy Nuits St Georges “Au Bas de Combe”, Burgundy, France . $47
2005 Etude Estate Pinot Noir, Carneros. $42
2005 Freeman Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $38
2005 Gary Farrell Winery “Bien Nacido Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $50
2005 Hartford Family Winery “Fog Dance Vineyards” Pinot Noir, Green Valley. $45
2005 Hartford Family Winery “Land’s Edge Vineyards” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $45
2005 Hug Cellars “Rancho Ontiveros” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley. $48
2005 J. Wilkes “Bien Nacido Vineyards – Hillside” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $38
2004 Keller Estate “La Cruz Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $34
2004 Le Cadeau Vineyard “Diversite” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2003 Louis Latour Meursault Rouge, Burgundy, France. $29
2002 Louis Latour Volnay “En Chevret”, Volnay 1er Cru, Burgundy, France. $39
2005 Louis Latour Beaune “Vignes Franches”, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy, France. $49
2003 Louis Latour Santanay Rouge, Burgundy, France. $24
2005 Martinelli Winery “Bella Vigna” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $40
2005 Olson Ogden Wines Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $39
2005 Patz & Hall Wine Company Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $38
2005 Ridgeway Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $34
2005 Roessler Cellars “Las Brisas” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $32
2004 Row Eleven Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $36
2005 Russian Hill Estate Winery Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $28
2005 Saintsbury Pinot Noir, Carneros. $30
2006 Segue Cellars “DuNah Vineyard” Pinot Noir (barrel sample), Sonoma Coast. $47
2005 Siduri Wines “Hawk’s View Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $39
2005 Siduri Wines “Van der Kamp Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain. $42
2005 Sojourn Cellars Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $36
2004 Kawarau Estate “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. $30
2003 Shaky Bridge Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NZ. $32
2004 Tandem Winery “Van der Kamp” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $48
2005 Tandem Winery “Silver Pines” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $54
2005 Tantara Winery “Rio Vista” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $45
2005 Tayerle Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $30
2005 Testarossa Vineyards “La Cruz Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $54
2005 Testarossa Vineyards “Sanford & Benedict Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $56
2005 Vision Cellars “Rosella’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $50
2005 Woodenhead Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $38
2005 Woodenhead “Morning Dew Ranch” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50
WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2004 Ancien Wines “Red Dog” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain. $??
2006 Benovia Winery “Proprietary Blend” Pinot Noir, Sonoma County. $58
2005 Mary Elke Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $24
2000 Philippe Charlopin “Clos Vougeot” Grand Cru, Burgundy, France. $77
2005 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30
2005 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir, Mendocino County. $22
2005 Hartford Family Winery “Far Coast Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $60
2005 Hitching Post “Cork Dancer 5.1” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $22
2005 Hug Cellars “Cedar Lane Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco. $29
2005 Hug Cellars “Orchid Hill Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Paso Robles. $29
2004 J. Wilkes “Bien Nacido Vineyards – Block Q” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $55
2005 J. Wilkes “Solomon Hills Vineyards” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $38
2005 Kalinda Pinot Noir, California. $18
2005 Pali Wine Company “Shea Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. $45
2005 Pali Wine Company “Cargasacchi Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $45
2004 Row Eleven “Vinas 3” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $15
2005 Siduri Wines Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $32
2006 Siduri Wines Pinot Noir, Sonoma County. $20
2004 Tandem Winery “Sangiacomo” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $42
2005 Tantara Winery “Pisoni Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $60
2005 Tantara Winery “Gaia Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $45
2005 Testarossa Vineyards “Garys’ Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $59
2005 Thorne “Rio Vista Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $28
2005 Vision Cellars “Garys’ Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $48
2005 Vision Cellars “Las Alturas” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $48
WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 and 8.5
2005 Louis Latour “Le Pinot Noir Chanfleure de Louis Latour”, Bourgogne Rouge. $18
2005 Tantara Winery “Silacci Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $52
WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8 OR BELOW
2005 Millbrook Vineyards “Proprietor’s Special Reserve” Pinot Noir, New York State. $29
2004 Prince de Merode Ladoix “Les Chaillots” 1er Cru, Burgundy, France. $24
2005 Martinelli Winery “Moonshine Ranch” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $60
2004 Domaine Heresztyn Gevrey Chambertin “Clos Village” Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy, France. $37
