Wine Asylum

The Wine Asylum, the leading Internet destination devoted to the enjoyment of wine.

Return to Wine Asylum


Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Pinot noir tasting for Thanksgiving and more...

67.188.166.191

Posted on November 18, 2016 at 11:12:16
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
...our wine tasting group of six tasted 6 pinot noirs, 5 from the Russian River or Sonoma County.

I had just returned from 8 days in New Zealand and had done some wine tasting there. The most popular wine there is sauvignon blanc and the most popular red is pinot noir.

But the wines are a little different than what we find here. Most of their pinot noirs tend to be more minerally and a little higher acid than the fruit forward California or Oregon pinots which means they tend to go better with food.

The pinots from the Marlborough region tend to be lighter and from Otago have a little more body.

I tasted over 20 pinots while I was there and picked out my favorite to bring home for the tasting.

Here are the results with the lower points being the more popular wine (ranked with 1 point for the one you like best and 6 points for the one you like least).

In past tastings there have been ties where two wines got the same number of points but this time the top 3 wines had the same score and the bottom 3 the same score - meaning everyone liked different ones.

6. 2015 Tuli - $15 - 25pts - no firsts, 3 lasts - this is a new wine from one of the people involved in Meoimi. It tasted different than the others but was fruity and velvety.

5. 2014 Olema - $15 - 25pts - no firsts, 2 lasts.

4. 2014 Papatiero Perry Peters $58 - 25 pts - no firsts, one last.

3. 2014 River Road - $16 - 17pts - 1 first.

2. 2014 River Road Stephanie's Vinyard - $23 - 17pts - 2 first, two 5ths (my first place).

1. 2015 Maude Otago New Zealand - $42 - 17pts - 2 firsts, one 5th (not available here and hard to find in NZ).

If you're looking for a nice pinot noir to go with your Thanksgiving dinner, I would suggest the River Road Stephanie. This is available at a new chain called Total Wine which has great prices.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
Unless I missed it you did not note the vintages. NT, posted on November 18, 2016 at 18:15:47
.

 

Thanks - I'll post an edit. NT, posted on November 18, 2016 at 20:40:50
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
(nt)

 

RE: Pinot noir tasting for Thanksgiving and more..., posted on December 6, 2016 at 11:40:55
triodesteve
Audiophile

Posts: 803
Location: Walla Walla Washington
Joined: September 4, 2001
On election night, I opened up an OR pinot from Colene Clemens. I don't remember which one or the vintage (maybe 2011?) It was a bottle that someone in the industry had brought from Oregon to trade.
What a beautiful wine, right in my wheelhouse. Highly recommended.

I saw a glimpse of WS top Oregon Pinots on the 100 list and most of them I find ghastly....
what do I know?

 

Page processed in 0.025 seconds.