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EP 856 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Tasting with Toby Hill of Phillips Hill Estates

Gary Vaynerchuk invites Toby Hill to talk about the effects of the forest fires on the grapes in Anderson Valley during the 2008 vintage. They taste through three different 2008 Pinots from his winery, Phillips Hill Estates.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2008 Phillips Hill Ring of Fire Pinot Noir
2008 Phillips Hill Beeson Tree Pinot Noir
2007 Phillips Hill Oppenlander Vineyard Pinot Noir

Links mentioned in todays episode.


Latest Comment:

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luca bercelli

90/100

The chalk and cheese episode!
It would be hard to find two people more different than GV and the guest but it does make for a fascinating show. And the wines sound delicious

Tags: Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir, red, review, wine, wines

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  • Weston3220

    qotd: recently been liking chardonnays which I find odd hah. Pinot like the veggie aspect more and more as long as it aint V8

  • DCaragher

    GV – Pumped to see a Pinot show, as I am getting back into the grape! Another great guest, 2010 is looking to be a banger of a year for guest spots! Great wine labels as well!

    QOTD: I love “different wines!” Gimme something unique and not everyday, all day!

    READ CORK'D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Mike in C-town

    I totally agree with your Oregon vs Cali Pinot riff. Spot on!

  • Mike in C-town

    Artist? The guy looks like he should have been a linebacker!
    I like the approach and the self-designed label are waaaaay cool.

    QOTD: Still bonded with my handful of Oregon producers for Pinot. I haven't found a Cali pinot that compares.

  • Randall

    That's basically because you haven't tried enough Cali Pinots!! Or maybe you suffer from my malady of having too good of a pallette and too poor of a wallet.

  • QOTD – Leaning more towards dry, earthy Reds lately. My palate is really digging some of the Italian varietals like Sangiovese & Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

  • teckdeck2008

    Cool guest. He's one of the few guys who seems to be a businessman at heart yet still has a passion for the wine.
    Qotd: I find myself liking to stinky and musty wines right now lol. Although I'm also developing more of a soft spot for the sweet AND clean wines. They definitely can't be goupy…that's something that has always been icky to me.

  • Hey, Gary, did you get any briny seaweed contributing to that stinkiness with the Oppenlander?

  • katdogchic

    Dyngus, keep in mind that the 08' Pinot has only been in the bottle a matter of weeks. These wines are becoming, not arrived so to discount them when they are still in a bit of bottle shock is short sighted. I speak from experience, am trying them week to week since I live and work in the Anderson Valley. It's quite shocking to find that the wine has gone from overbearing on the mid-palate to now a well rounded ripe cherry chocolate in 5 weeks time. Pinot Festival is May 14-16, next week-end, come up and see for yourself.

  • katdogchic

    Great job Toby & Gary! Love the honesty & willingness to try something new. Most reviews want to keep things in tidy little boxes. Toby Hill has adventure in each one of his wines, not just the 2008. However, all Anderson Valley Winemakers were taken to a new level of creativity in that year. Toby's innate artistic ability met the challenge with success! This is a great bottle of wine. Don't discount 2008 Anderson Valley Pinot due to another persons comments or a media spotlight that boxed them all together or you will miss some gems.

  • QOTD: I love Anderson Valley! But my pallet is going to Europe again. I'm starting to get tired of CA wines mainly because that's all I've been drinking for the last two years. Most vineyards (I said most, not all) just try too hard.

  • Dyngus

    Like I said, to each their own. I do not have the benefit of tasting these wines on a weekly basis but I will have to go back and revisit some of these wines down the road…I am hoping you are right but have a hard time believing that an unatural compound (smoke taint..I do not know the chemical formula) will integrate beneficially. In any case, this is what makes wine so fascinating and fun.

  • David

    Toulouse Vinyards and PH Beeson Tree 08 were both unacceptably smoke tainted, but the Ring of Fire was not, to my palate (just got back from a AV tour).

  • We reviewed the 2006 Oppenlander Vineyard Pinot on our vlog http://www.wineweirdos.com and had some definite opinions about it…

  • JayZee13

    Not the most exhuberant guest, but he's seems like a really nice guy. The wines sounded good, but you already convinced me to join the Loring mailing list and there is no more room in my cellar any way.

    July 10th for a party at WineLib? Crap! I'll be in Australia on business.

    Last week was up in Washington State – Visited Boudreaux Cellars – Rob Newsom says “hey, man” to you, GV.

    QOTD: I'm not quite sure where my palate is these days. I still like the same wines I always have, but I am constantly finding new wines to taste and enjoy so I think there is some evolution going on with my pal. I have been having more white wines lately and enjoying their crispness more than I used to.

  • JayZee13

    BTW, the SS Chris Spreadsheet on the website lists the wrong score for the Beeson Tree Pinot. It says 98+ when it should be 88+.

  • brendanmcguigan

    Great to see Toby on here. Love his wines, and I think he's weathered 08 better than most ? Ring of Fire is one of my favorites out of the valley that year.

  • veez

    I enjoyed your show on Anderson Valley (AVA), Totally agree there is more than Napa & Sonoma…. the area is very underrated in California's Wine Appelations. Was a local there and never want to smell 200+ wildfires again… especially in me Vino…. Sorry your cannot convince me to buy Smoke Taint… not even for 40 nickles. Gotta give kudos to Greenwood Ridge, Parducci, Husch, Brutocao Cellars, Graziano and my favorite Navarro Vineyards. Give them a look, before Cakebread and Ferrari Carrano take over Hwy 128 and if you need an alternative beverage in AVA…. try Boont Amber Ale… ?It?s bahl hornin?.?

  • Rawitham

    GV! Thanks for the good word on Anderson Valley wines. I'm relatively local (in SF) and love the area but have not given it the time it deserves. Have had several bottles of Toulouse Pinot and have really enjoyed them. Thanks for the profile on Toby Hill and his wines. The way you describe them had my mouth watering. Went straight to their website and grabbed two bottles of the Ring of Fire. Thanks for the new ideas. Keep 'em comin! Cheers!

  • Anonymous

    Don’t think I have tried his wines.. QOTD-same, enjoy Pinot’s, Cabs, all reads. http://www.winelx.com

  • I’m not surprised Gary was seduced by Phillips Hill, truth be told, Toby’s the Wine Harlots new crush!

  • luca bercelli

    90/100

    The chalk and cheese episode!
    It would be hard to find two people more different than GV and the guest but it does make for a fascinating show. And the wines sound delicious

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