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by Tom Hill

A self-admitted wine geek, Tom lives in Northern New Mexico and works as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory doing numerical neutron transport & large scale code development. He has been tasting wines since 1971, participates locally with a couple of large tasting groups in his area, and is practically a fixture at most California wine festivals, such as the Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and ZAP. Other interests: Tom is heavily into competitive sport fencing (foil & epee), biking, cooking, basketball, skiing, backpacking, mountain climbing.

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs - February 9, 2015

Tasted this week (2/9/15) w/ my SantaFe Wine Group: SFWG Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs:

  1. Ryme PinotNoir WeeksVnyd/SonomaCoast/SonomaCnty (13.3%) 2013: Med.light color; light cherry/cherry pie/earthy/mineral/PN light pencilly/oak attractive nose; quite tart bright/cherry/PN/ earthy/dusty light pencilly/smokey flavor w/ light tannins; bit lean/tight/austere quite tart bright/cherry bit earthy/dusty finish w/ light/stiff tannins; a kinda pretty PN for the AFWE; may get better w/ age. $42.00
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  2. Dehlinger PinotNoir GoldRidge/RRV (OldVines; EB; 14.8%) 2012: Med.color; strong black cherry/PN classic Dehlinger/oak/smokey lovely nose; softer slightly tart balanced strong black cherry/black cherry cola/PN strong Dehlinger/smokey/oak flavor w/ modest/smooth tannins; very long black cherry/black cherry cola/PN slight earthy strong Dehlinger/oak finish w/ modest/graceful tannins; pretty classic example of Dehlinger PN. $58.50 (vBS)
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  3. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir LaNeblina/SonomaCoast (1968 cs; U/U; 13.4%) 2012: Med.dark color; some pencilly/oak/smokey classic black cherry/black cherry/cola/spicy slight gamey/earthy rather fragrant nose; bit tart smokey/pencilly/oak strong perfumed/black cherry/black cherry cola/PN/spicy balanced fairly rich flavor w/ modest/gentle tannins; very long lightly tart perfumed/black cherry/black cherry cola/PN light pencilly/smokey/oak finish w/ some smooth/graceful tannins; more expressive of PN and less oak than the Dehlinger; quite a lovely/fragrant PN that can use another few yrs of age. $45.00
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  4. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir LaNeblina/SonomaCoast (1338 cs; U/U; 14.4%) 2008: Med.dark color w/ no bricking; rather complex strong pencilly/cedary/cigar box lighter black cherry/PN bit more earthy/dusty lightly perfumed bit pungent/licorice nose; rather softer/smoother some pencilly/cedary/oak/smoke strong black cherry/PN/cough syrup/spicy bit earthy/dusty/peppery some complex/aged flavor w/ light/gentle/ smooth tannins; very long cedary/pencilly/smokey/oak some black cherry/PN/pungent/peppery smooth lighter fairly complex finish w/light/velvety tannins; good complexity and maturity but probably headed downhill from here. $42.00
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  5. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir DierkeVnyd/RRV (48 cs; U/U; 14.1%; www.RadioCoteau.com) 2008: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; rather pencilly/cedary/smokey/oak/toasty strong black cherry/PN/black cherry cola/spicy/peppery light earthy/dusty complex lovely perfumed nose; slightly tart strong black cherry/PN/black cherry cola/peppery/spicy light earthy/dusty some cedary/pencilly/smokey/oak fairly complex w/ modest/velvety tannins; very long/lingering some smokey/pencilly/oak/cedary strong black cherry/cola/PN/peppery rather complex finish w/ modest/gentle tannins; more intense & more alive than #4; probably near its peak and should go another few yrs. $50.00
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  6. Castelli PinotNoir Estate/GreenVlly/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 13.3%; U/U; 150 cs; Hrvstd: 9/8; SaH: 23 Brix, pH: 3.2) 2010: Med.dark color, lovely very perfumey/fragrant strong black cherry/black cherry cola/PN/boysenberry/ripe some earthy/dusty somewhat complex nose; bit tart classic RRV/black cherry/PN/black cherry cola some earthy/dusty quite perfumed/aromatic nose w/ light/angular tannins; very long/lingering strong black cherry/RRV Pinot/black cherry cola some earthy/dusty finish w/ light/sharp tannins; still needs a bit of age; nicely balanced and no obvious oak; my favorite of all these Pinots; very fairly priced at $30.00
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  7. Castelli PinotNoir TwoDogVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 14.4%; U/U; www.CastelliVineyards.com; 100 cs; Hrvstd: 9/25; SaH: 24.5 Brix, pH: 3.35) Emilio&Laura Castelli/Sebastapol 2010: Med.color w/ some bricking; rather musty/TCA/cardboardy nose; pretty much shot thru by the TCA. $26.00
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  8. Castelli PinotNoir RioVidaVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (DryFarmed; 13.6%; U/U; 100 cs; Hrvstd: 9/24; SaH: 23.5 Brix, pH: 3.25) 2010: Med.color w/ slight bricking; rather low-key earthy/dusty light PN/black cherry rather fragrant quite attractive nose; rather tart/lean/bit hard attractive black cherry/PN/floral somewhat earthy/dusty bit complex flavor w/ some light/bitey tannins and no obvious oak; long bit tart/hard/angular strong black cherry/PN somewhat earthy/dusty/forest floor bit complex finish w/ light tannic grip; less fruit and more earthy than the Estate w/ less resolved tannins; pretty classic RRV PN at a very good price. $26.00
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  9. Siduri PinotNoir SomomaCoast (14.1%; 92% Sonatera/8% Hirsch; 486 cs) 2007: Screw top popped loudly when opened from some sort of pressure (?); med.dark color w/ some bricking; bit funky/earthy/ pungent/metallic strong smokey/classic Siduri oak bit black cherry/PN/cola/cough syrup somewhat strange/ complex nose; slightly funky/mousey/reduced/pungent some classic Siduri/oak light black cherry/PN/cola bit strange/complex flavor w/ light/bitey/tangy tannins; med.long bit reduced/funky/ pungent some black cherry/PN/cola Siduri/pencilly/oak complex finish w/ light/bitey tannins; a rather interesting/strange Siduri Pinot that's still holding on but evolved in a rather unusual way than expected; a great price at $23.50
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  10. Siduri PinotNoir SonateraVnyd/SonomaCoast (13.2%) 2011: Med.dark color w/ light bricking; beautiful smokey/pencilly/oak some earthy/dusty slight ozone/pungent fairly strong/perfumed/black cherry/PN/black cherry cola fairly complex nose; strong soft/smooth pencilly/smokey/oak/toasty bit pungent/dusty/earthy strong black cherry/PN/cola/spicy quite complex flavor w/ modest/smooth tannins; very long bit pungent/dusty strong pencilly/smokey/Siduri oak strong black cherry/cola/PN/cough syrup/licorice complex finish w/ light/gentle tannins; in great shape & probably at or beyond its peak; a lovely Calif PN. $39.00


Stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:

1. Dehlinger: I've followed Dehlinger from the very start. I've a friend who signed up early on and I always order my Dehlingers thru Blair. Dehlinger was one of the first to plant Syrah way back when. At the time, it was probably the coldest Syrah vnyd in Calif and taught us Rhone fans that you can grow Syrah in Pinot country. Their Pinots always show impeccable balance. Like Siduri, their Pinots have a very distinctive oak signature. Maybe too much so. The oak, I find, tends to sublimate the vnyd characteristics. Only if you taste several side by side can you pull out the terroir.
Anymore, I pretty much only order their Syrahs and Zins. Which also have that Dehlinger distinguishing oak. But you can't go wrong w/ any of the Dehlinger wines and their price increases over the yrs have been pretty modest.
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2. Ryme: Wine of Ryan & Megan Glaab. Ryan is AsstWinemaker at WindGapWnry/PaxMahle. Megan is Somm at FarmhouseInn/Healdsburg. They both make some very interesting wines under the Ryme label, including an Amphorae-aged RibollaGialla.
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3. Radio-Coteau: Wnry of EricSussman, who used to be asst winemaker for TomDehlinger. Specialist in Pinot & Syrah made in a more restrained/elegant style. Also make a vonWeidlichVnyd Zin that's terrific.
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4. Castelli: Winemaker is EmilioCastelli in GreenVlly AVA just east of Occidental. Makes maybe the best Nebbiolo in Calif. Farms by Fukuoka method (farming by neglect). These three 2010 Pinots are Emilio's current release. He tends to give his wines some age afore he releases them. This is the first time I've had his Pinots together. I was favorable impressed. Lots of purity of fruit and a very restrained use of oak. I somewhat preferred his Estate Pinot for its greater fruit and very good balance.
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5. Siduri: Pinot specialist Adam & Dianna Lee, in SantaRosa. Own no vnyds but takes Pinot from Oregon and SantaRitaHills and everywhere between. They also make Syrah under the Novy label, one of the greatest Syrah values in Caalif. Recently sold to JacksonFamilyWines but still run by Adam & Dianna.

TomHill

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