[wine] TN Pinots at Alma 11-9-2006

Pinot Noirs at Alma: 11-9-2006 A few arrogant and highly opinionated tasting notes from your humble servant: Whites: W1: white Burgundy nose, rich chardonnay and French oak; midpalate rich, weighty, smoky sweetness, plenty of oak but the wine is not out of balance, this is very good, trace of alcohol on transition, lovely honeyed length, excellent wine. 2003 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley (Kendall Jackson Wine Estates). (Very successful, but then one of my dirty little secrets is that I like California chardonnay. At least to me, it would have been no surprise if we had pulled a Meursault or Puligny out of the bag, perhaps from 2003 and/or one of the producers who favor new oak and ripe grapes.) W2: bad bottle. 1998 Chablis Premier Cru, Fourchaume, La Chablisienne. W3: corked or otherwise defective. 2004 Macon-Lugny "Les Charmes," Cave de Lugny. Reds: 1.1: light color; nose light, some alcohol, varietally characteristic; midpalate light weight, astringent, smoky flavor, unsweet, alcoholic heat; oak on transition and finish; fair bit of wood for the modest fruit level but this could be pleasant enough with food. 2002 Alsace, Reserve Pinot Noir, Barmes Buecher. 1.2: no detectable nose; nice midpalate weight, some tannin, fades very fast on finish, then the fruit returns, not bad but seems tired and/or small. 1998 Kramer Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. 1.3: artificially sweetened candy oaky nose, not tasted. 2005 Bourgogne, Bouchard Aine & Fils. 1.4: cloudy; sweet oak on nose, stems, musty smell; midpalate is better but this is way too oaky, finishes alcoholic and drying out. 2004 Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir, Yamhill County. 2.1: corked or otherwise defective. 1996 Hanzell Pinot Noir, Sonoma Valley. (Damn. Hypothetically, this could have been memorable.) 2.2: light to medium reddish purple; candyish oak and black cherry nose; rich and too soft mouthfeel, plenty of fruit but alcohol and excess wood too; alcoholic transition and finish with little aromatic force. 2001 Morey St Denis, Dujac. (Infanticide; would like to try this one again at age 8-9.) 2.3: artificially sweetened candy oak and Welch's grape juice nose, tastes as it smells. 2005 Torii Mor Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. 2.4: medium to dark purple; forceful nose, Burgundian sous bois suggestions, black cherry, spice, licorice; softer (less acid structure) than I'd prefer but reasonable fruit level, tasty; finishing power is mostly alcohol at first, then fair fruit intensity, some excess wood, black cherry, I like this, possibly still needs time but is there enough acidity to carry it further? 1998 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir, Carneros. 3.1: medium to light red; lovely intriguing nose, red cherry and forest floor; silky red cherry midpalate, minerals and smoke, sweet and unsweet at the same time, taste and mouthfeel suggest cranberry but less astringent than that; very long, outstandingly attractive finish, just a trace of medicinal aromatics, this is excellent. 1995 Calera Pinot Noir, Mills Vineyard, Mt. Harlan. (The Mt. Harlan appellation, unique to Calera, is in San Benito County not too far from Chalone.) 3.2: dark purple; smells strongly of some artificially flavored soft drink, not quite Dr. Pepper, not quite Diet Coke. Not tasted. Douhairet Porcheret, 2002 Monthelie, Clos du Meix Garnier. 3.3: light red; reticent nose, then candy oak on second sniff; in the mouth inadequate acid, otherwise reasonably accurate flavors, lacks force on finish and sweetness of wood (as opposed to fruit) is prominent; decent, but not stirring. 1996 St. Innocent Pinot Noir, Freedom Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley. (A minor vineyard for this producer. Would like to have tasted this a bit younger.) 4.1: clear medium purple; very reticent nose showing its alcohol a little; on second sniff, nose opening, a fruit salad of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry; midpalate big and rich, black cherry and smoky oak, some alcohol; forceful finish as it tastes, very fine length; overall, this strikes me as a touch closed and showing its alcohol, but lots to like here. 2003 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley. (Very Californian style; Burgundy purists may hate this one and will surely hate the next one.) 4.2: dark red-purple; massive nose, a whole tropical fruit salad and the floral centerpiece to go with it, I thought the nose stopped just short of overly sweet but if you thought it was totally over the top I'd understand; midpalate the whole fruit salad again, nice structure and balance, some tannin, forcefully aromatic finish emphasizing black cherry, extremely Californian but hard not to like, big hedonistic wine. 2003 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir, Klopp Ranch, Russian River Valley. 4.3: inky color for pinot; first sniff mostly alcohol, then smoky oak and shoe polish; tastes as it smells, little fruit, largely alcohol and smoky oak aromatics; could just be closed but seems to lack acid structure. 1999 Siduri Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. Dessert: light medium gold; attractive moscato with botrytis nose suggesting but not mimicking Sauternes; nice structure and acidity, very tasty, could perhaps use more weight in the mouth, nice transition to finish, decent length, not a big wine but very attractive overall. Domaine de Beaumalric, 2000 Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.