Don's Gillette's Weekly Wine Blog
Weekly musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Check back here each week for Don's latest thoughts on various wine-related topics. Read Don's full bio...
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Awash in Pinot
I know that I will soon grow tired of talking about Pinot Noir, if not of tasting it. As someone who tries between 40 and 200 wines per week I would hope and expect to have a diverse set of wine topics, yet this one keeps jumping into view.
I have said before that 2006 is going to be an important "reserve" vintage. By this, I meant that those who kept their best fruit separate would almost certainly be able to market some great wine. I am convinced that there is so much outstanding fruit available that 2006 must be seen as a great vintage, although it's up-and-down nature has proven worrisome to most winemakers.
That opinion has been primarily based on northern California releases, but in the last few weeks I have seen more clear evidence of the same pattern in the important southern Pinot appellations.
Some good ones
Laetitia both sells fruit and markets a variety of Pinots from their large property. Their two outstanding, if quite different, bottlings are labeled Les Galets and La Colline. The 2006s are brilliant, with the darker, plusher Les Galets a fruit-forward beauty, packed with Bing cherries and Oolong tea, and the tightly-wound and even more cellar-worthy La Colline a racy mix of red currant, pomegranate, red licorice and roasted grain.
Tantara, a small Santa Maria Valley Pinot specialist, also makes a Le Colline. Tantara's 2006 is brilliant, and is a near clone of the Laetitia. These folks have made wonderfully age-worthy Pisoni bottlings for years and their 2006 is impressive, if not quite as focused as their La Colline, or as fruit forward as their delicious cherry and red rose dominated Soloman Hills. These are just a tip of the Tantara iceberg, as this little winery will sometimes market more than twenty wines.
At Home in the Highlands
I won't go into detail about the myriad of fine Santa Lucia Highlands Pinots I have lately seen, but watch out for the just-released 2006s from Morgan and Loring and Siduri. I plan to try anything and everything made from Rosella's vineyard in '06, as it looks to have been generally even more successful than the Garys', although the Kosta-Browne versions may be close to even.
Not much has yet appeared from the Pisoni, so the jury is still out, although Gary Pisoni's Estate, scheduled for fall release, is certainly a killer. Belle Glos' Las Alturas 2006 is another fine effort, while the '06 Paraiso Estate and Summerland's Monterey are hot values. The Black Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains, is the first fine SCM I have seen, although it's early yet.
Next week, I promise to return to Cabs and Chardonnays, etc...
Posted by Don on April 21, 2008 11:13 PM | Permalink
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