A few months in the past, I set the date for my Seventh Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir for November ninth. That may give me sufficient time to wash up my notes and publish them in time for Thanksgiving, basically the Tremendous Bowl for Pinot Noir (Pinot is probably essentially the most versatile of wines for Thanksgiving, capable of deal with all of these loopy flavors on the Turkey Day desk).
November ninth needed to be the day since I used to be as soon as once more to be a choose for the Houston Livestock Present and Rodeo, which was scheduled to happen over the second weekend in November. And since Thanksgiving would quickly observe, it had to be that second Saturday in November.
However.
With out getting too far into it right here, as a few of you realize, I’m the JV and Assistant Varsity coach at my son’s faculty the place he’s the place to begin guard. Properly, there’s a new head varsity coach this yr (an excellent factor; the earlier coach was a catastrophe) and he’s, effectively, zealous, and scheduled a observe for that Saturday. Fortunately, I used to be capable of persuade him to have the observe a bit earlier in order that I may get my Pinot on within the early afternoon.
Phew.
This yr, there have been 51 wines to undergo, which took simply over three hours. Pour. Swirl. Sniff. Sip. Slurp. Spit. Scribble. Repeat.
All 51, able to be popped after which poured.
As with every respected tasting, we began with a little bit of bubbles, to get the juices flowing, so to talk.
Listed below are the primary 12 wines, within the order we tasted them:
2022 Brooks Pinot Noir Cahiers, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $60. Pretty clear with a medium coloration within the glass. Nice cherry and a little bit of earth on the nostril. Fruity and recent on the palate with brilliant fruit and acidity. A good way to begin the tasting. Excellent. 94 Factors.
2022 Stephen Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir La Encantada, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $68. Accountable Bottle (594g; 20.9oz). Darker in each coloration and aromas with darker fruit and a few clove. A bit heavy on the palate however lightens up with a wholesome dose of acidity on the mid-palate. Prolonged end. An even bigger model, however very effectively achieved. Excellent. 93 Factors.
2021 Stephen Ross Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, CA: Retail $38. A contact of cinnamon and cardamom mix with pretty crimson fruit on the nostril. Delicate, initially however with pretty steadiness and weight. A beautiful wine. Excellent. 95 Factors.
2023 Stoller Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $25. Very Accountable Bottle (470g; 16.5oz). Screw Cap. A little bit of natural on the nostril with shy however darker fruit and only a contact of earth. Beautiful. A bit stemmy on the palate with a drying element on the mid-palate. Wonderful. 90 Factors.
2022 Brooks Pinot Noir Janus, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $55. Medfium coloration and fairly shy on the nostril, actually closed. Very good on the palate if a bit muted with good black cherry and reasonable acidity. This would possibly want a little bit of time within the bottle and/or a wholesome decant to open up a bit extra, however it’s fairly good now. Wonderful. 92 Factors.
2022 Copain Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, CA: Retail $55. Medium coloration however nonetheless translucent with a little bit of cranberry and delicate cherry. Good fruit and a few good acidity, incredible steadiness in that regard, however the end is a bit brief regardless of the noticeable tannins. Very Good. 89 Factors.
Blind tastings usually are not all that glamorous at my home–they contain a bunch of brown paper luggage.
2022 Stoller Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $40. Fairly stemmy and soiled on the nostril, very stemmy, even, exhausting to choose up the darkish fruity behind all these stems. Good tartness and stable fruit on the palate, however that stemmy nature comes by means of right here as effectively. Very Good. 88 Factors.
2022 Brooks Pinot Noir Previous Vine Pommard, Eola – Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. A fruity and perfumed nostril with hints of fruit. The palate is delicate and demure with intense acidity and a bit scorching on the end. Extra of an earthy model, which works. Wonderful. 90 Factors.
2022 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Putnam Winery, West Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $75. Heavy Bottle (630g; 22.2oz). Beautiful nostril of candied cherry and a contact of orange rind. Fruity and wealthy, a traditional American (CA?) Pinot with oodles of fruit, nice acidity, and a wealthy, pretty end. Excellent. 95 Factors.
2022 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir Property, Carneros, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $47. Accountable Bottle (586g; 20.6oz). A bit richer and darker cherry with some cranberry. Beautiful. All this carries by means of on the palate with an intense black cherry and a perceived sweetness from all that fruit. Improbable. Excellent. 95 Factors.
2021 Stephen Ross Pinot Noir Stone Corral Winery, Edna Valley, CA: Retail $68. Accountable Bottle (543g; 19.1oz). One other actually wealthy nostril of Bing and black cherry. Whoa. The palate is gorgeous however a bit muted, with shy fruit initially, however the tartness and the wealthy fruit come roaring in on the mid-palate. Very good end. Excellent. 93 Factors.
2022 Tongue Dancer Rambling Fox, Anderson Valley, CA: Retail $45. Initially, fairly a shy nostril with some darkish fruit and only a bit stemmy. The palate is a bit daring, nevertheless it works, for positive. Darker once more with some stemminess, however fantastic steadiness and good fruit on the mid-palate. Excellent. 93 Factors.
Capsules are such a waste, I want wineries would cease utilizing them!
