February 6, 2006 - Tasting Notes - Jack


2nd Annual Pinot on the River
October 30, 2005
Retreat Resort & Spa, Guerneville, CA

(The 3rd Annual Pinot on the River event is October 27-29, 2006)



The Pinot on the River tasting was great and I'll return in 2006.
Excellent wines and many small producers. The many highlights included wines
from Arcadian, Windward, Skewis, Kosta Browne and Porter Creek.

2004 Alcina Cellars Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Good finish. $30
2+?
2004 Alcina Cellars   Russian River Valley $48
3+
2003 Domaine Alfred Estate – Chamisal Vyd Edna Valley $28
2+
2003 Domaine Alfred Califa Edna Valley Appealing. Long finish. $48
3+
2004 A.P. Vin Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands $45
3
2004 A.P. Vin Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Lots of taste. $45
3+
2001 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Vyd Monterey Smooth with a touch of tartness. $40
 
2001 Arcadian Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands There’s alot going on here. Good acids. Still darn young. $50
 
2001 Arcadian Pisoni Vyd Santa Lucia Highlands Dark. Tart. Hmmm. $75
 
2002 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Vyd Monterey Good acids. I like better than the 2001s. Wow!$45
 
2002 Arcadian Dierberg Vyd Santa Maria Valley Best nose! Wow! $50
 
2002 Arcadian Pisoni Vyd Santa Lucia Highlands Very nice too. $80 – All of the Arcadian wines are so young. Serious agers. Must buy some!
 
2003 Arista Harper’s Rest Russian River Valley $35. 200-250 cases
3-4+
2004 Arista Toboni Vyd Russian River Valley $50. 200-250 cases. Has a lot to it.
?
2004 Brogan Summa Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Young wine. Fun! Great acids with just enough fruit. $40
3!
2003 Brogan Buena Tierra Vineyard -Helio Doro Block Russian River Valley Lots of acids. Tart. $75
2
2003 Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley Very appealing. Medium Long finish.
3-4
2003 Chasseur   Russian River Valley  
3?
2003 Chasseur   Sonoma Coast  
2
2002 Copeland Creek   Sonoma Coast Good nose. $25
2?
2003 Copeland Creek   Sonoma Really like! Very pinot.
4
2004 Copeland Creek Clone 828  (Barrel Sample) Sonoma Great!
4+
2003 D’Argenzio   Russian River Valley $36
2-3+
2002 D’Argenzio   Russian River Valley $36
3?
2001 D’Argenzio   Russian River Valley $36
 
2002 De La Montanya Tina’s Vyd Russian River Valley $28
2-3
2003 De La Montanya Tina’s Vyd Russian River Valley Very Nice. $30
3
2004 De La Montanya Tina’s Vyd Russian River Valley $32
2-3
2004 De La Montanya Christine’s Vineyard Sonoma Coast  
4
2004 De La Montanya Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier Blend Russian River Valley  
?
2003 DeLoach OFS Russian River Valley $30
2
2002 DuNah Sangiacomo Sonoma Coast Lean but I like. $45
1+
2003 DuNah DuNah Vineyard Sonoma Coast $45
2-3
2000 Merry Edwards   Russian River Valley  
2-3
2002 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Sonoma Coast  
4?
2003 TR Elliot Queste Russian River Valley $30
1+
2002 Fort Ross Coastal Ridges Sonoma Coast Young, acidic. Hmmm. $24
?
2003 Fort Ross Fort Ross Vyd Sonoma Coast $34
2?
2003 Fort Ross Fort Ross Vyd Reserve Sonoma Coast Hmmm. $44
3?
2004 Green Truck Cellars   Napa $35
1+?
2004 Halleck Vineyards Three Sons Cuvèe Russian River Valley Serious pinot noir. $58
3-4+
2003 Halleck Vineyards Estate Sonoma Coast $30
1+
2002 Robert Hunter Estate Sonoma Valley $35
2+
2003 Robert Hunter Estate Sonoma Valley $35
1-2
2003 Inman Olivet Grange Vyd Russian River Valley $40
1
2003 Kosta Browne Koplen Russian River Valley Very together. Long Finish. $48
4-6+
2004 Loring Wine Company Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Very tart. Not sure…$48
1+?
2003 Lynmar Quail Hill Vyd Russian River Valley Pinot-like. Great new ’03 label!
2-3+
2002 Lynmar Quail Hill Vyd Russian River Valley Good.
2
2003 Martinelli 7 Mules Vineyard Russian River Valley $50
2-3
2003 Moshin Vineyards Barrel Select Russian River Valley Great value. $22
2-3
2003 Moshin Vineyards Lot 4 Russian River Valley Great. $30
4
2002 Old World Winery Powerhouse Potter Valley I Like. Tasty. $21
1-3
2002 Old World Winery Windsor Garden Vineyards Russian River Valley $27
3
2002 Old World Winery Laughlin Vineyard Russian River Valley Not big style. Food friendly. $25
1
2001 Orsi Papale   Russian River Valley Maybe best nose of the day. Delicious. Long finish. $30
4+
2004 Patz & Hall   Sonoma Coast Very enjoyable now. $36
2-3
2003 Peay   Sonoma Coast  
1-2?
1998 Porter Creek Creekside Russian River Valley Still young.
4+
2003 Porter Creek Fiona Hill Russian River Valley Very dry.
3+
2003 Porter Creek Reserve Russian River Valley Young.
?
2003 Porter Creek Hillside Russian River Valley  
5+
2001 Roessler Savoy Vyd Anderson Valley Very nice. $42
2-3
2003 Roessler Sangiacomo Los Carneros Very spicy. Interesting. $34
2+
2003 Roessler La Brisa Sonoma Coast Great nose. Very nice. $28
2?
2001 Skewis Cellars Montgomery Russian River Valley Needs more time. Long finish. "Awesome pairing with Cracked crab." $45
3
2002 Skewis Cellars Bush Vineyard Russian River Valley Really appealing. $42
3
2003 Skewis Cellars Salzgeber-Chan Vyd Russian River Valley $40
3-4
2002 Robert Stemmler Nugent Vyd Russian River Valley Tart acids. Very Russian River Valleyish. $32
2-3
2003 Tandem Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Good value. Lots of acids.
2
2002 Tandem Sangiacomo Sonoma County Lots of acids. Not enjoyable now.
?
2003 Tandem Auction Block Sonoma Coast
4+
2004 Tandem Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Big! Beasty right now. Long finish.
2-4+
2003 Testarossa Palazzio Central Coast $32
3?
2002 Testarossa Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Very smooth. Medium long finish. $54
4
2003 Vergari Van der Kamp Vyd Sonoma Mountain Need to try again. Appealing. $39
2-3+
2003 Vision Cellars Rosella’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Great but finish a little short.
3
2003 Vision Cellars   Sonoma County I like the style of Vision Cellars!
3+
2003 Vision Cellars Chileno Valley Marin Tart.
1+
2004 Williamson Wines Van Noy Russian River Valley Pinot-ish. $40
2-3
2003 Windward Monopole Paso Robles Good acids. Lighter style. Great for food. $30
3-4+
2001 Windward Monopole Paso Robles Wow! Great wine. $30
5-6
2002 Windward Premiere Decade Paso Robles Will age a long time.$30
2?
2003 Woodenhead Buena Tierra Vyd Russian River Valley $46
1-2
2003 Woodenhead Wiley Vyd Anderson Valley Very balanced. $45
2-3+
2003 Woodenhead   Russian River Valley $32
2
2003 Woodenhead Elk Prairie Vyd Humboldt County $30
3!


Other Varietals (non-Pinot Noir) that I tasted

2004 Halleck Vineyards Piner Creek Ranch – Dry Gewürztraminer Russian River Valley $30
1+
2004 Halleck Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley Very nice. Long finish. Perfumey nose. $23
3
2003 Peay Syrah Sonoma Coast Not syrah-like. I would drink.
?
2003 Williamson Wines Cuvee Dry Creek Valley A blend of Merlot/Cab
1?



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