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EP 906 Small Production California Pinot Noir Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 3 California Pinot Noirs with very small productions- all under 500 cases total- to find some new gems.

Wines tasted in this episode:

  • 2007 Kosuge Pinot Noir Manchester RidgeSonoma Pinot Noir
    • 2008 Bedrock Rebecca’s Pinot NoirSonoma Pinot Noir
    2007 Kosuge Pinot Noir The ShopSonoma Pinot Noir

    Links mentioned in todays episode.


    Latest Comment:

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    luca bercelli

    90/100

    line of the day – ‘It’s like when Bill Parcells said if you want me to cook the dish, let me buy the ingredients.’

    Gary was super-focused in this episode, concentrating hard on getting the tasting notes spot on. This is the type of episode to show someone who’s never seen WLTV before – shows what it’s all about.

    Tags: Pinot, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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    • Harvest Moon Winery and Estate or Joseph Swan. Unfortunately the 07s are too young to be drinking now, so you’d have to be patience.

    • yummy…the Bedrock made me hungry too…just by the description of unctuous fat.

      QOTD: 2008 de Lancellotti Vineyard Pinot Noir
      http://www.bergstromwines.com/home.html

    • waynooo daaa wino

      Ya Drink Nooo Noir, Ya Pinot Noir…… YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW !!!!!!!
      :oD

    • Anonymous

      Bedrock sounds interesting. Been searching for interesting domestic Pinot that’s more old world style. Chateau Grande La Roche (Ric Forman’s second label) makes an interesting bottle. We opened it last week and it was in a transition period in it’s life, seemed about 18 months away from being in a balanced stage.

      QOTD: Check out http://www.ayoubwines.com Memoirs is a second bottling and it’s killer stuff for the price. Sometimes I prefer it over the main label because it is more reserved. His proprietary wines are great, but need lots of time. Speculator just have his 08’s a 93. He was mentored by Josh Bergstrom and grows several Dijon clones in 4 acres behind his house. Very cool guy.

    • marcbelgium

      QOTD. I’m not a pinot noir drinker. That beeing said, I tried some but was never blown away.

    • Real men wear pink shirts!!!!!!!!

    • RobinC

      QOTD: Lately, Merry Edwards. I also like the Morgan Gary’s Vineyard and Double L Vineyard. Domaine Drouhin is very good too. Nothing wrong with Kosta Browne for me.

    • Anonymous

      QOTD: Porter Creek Vineyards in Russian River. The three I’ve had were all fantastic; hands down some of the best pinot in the region.

      http://www.portercreekvineyards.com

    • Anonymous

      I’ve always liked Harvest Moon, good wine and good people. Never fell in love with Joseph Swan.

    • Anonymous

      Nice show – I really enjoyed the tasting notes. BTW, I think the “yellow cherries” you were referring to are Rainer Cherries, GV.

      QOTD: I really liked the Emeritus William Wesley Vineyard Pinot Noir. More Old World to me than most California Pinots. http://www.emeritusvineyards.com/

      I also liked the Windward Vineyard Pinot Noirs from Paso Robles. http://www.windwardvineyard.com/

    • waynooo daaa wino

      qotd: The Shea Wine Cellars – East Hill – Shea Vyd. 2005 I had a couple weeks
      ago BLEW ME HEAD OOOOOOFFF ME SHOULDERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      A SIIILLLLKKY BLUEBERRY EXPLOSION tooo daa MAAAXIIIMUUUUUM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • KirkMHunter

      QOTD: Kosta Browne PN and Domaine Serene Jeruselum Hill PN

    • Alexandre-CF

      QOTD: AMAYNA – 2008 – Leyda Valley great stuff

    • Jason b carey

      I cannot say I am a fan of the Kosuge wines..

    • Anonymous

      QotD – most not only interesting, but flat out blow you away, fascinating, was an ’86 DR-C Richebourg, offered by an associate’s friend, while at the Ritz, during the 2010 Naples Int’l. Wine Festival and Auction. It was like, not only the game, as in the whole animal, but was the luxurious pelt, and the stately head, mounted majestically on the wall. He’d also, the evening before, shared a ’92 Chambolle-Musigny from I’m thinking Rion, but have a feeling it was another. (embarassed). That wine was so light, pretty, w/ a full velvety, cloudy haze, and was described repeatedly as ‘just a teenager’. And a beautiful one, at that.
      Also worth noting, as I hadn’t forgotten them, in the nearly year and a half (why would I? !!), since I’d finally met them, were the Bonaccorsi Wines poured for me, by Jenne Lee Bonaccorsi, at the Cutting Edge Trade show, Cleveland, last year, at Tarantino’s La Strada Ristorante. Those wines are everything that the press had been saying that they were in the years leading up to that moment. Best wishes, and continued success to the most elegant Ms. Bonaccorsi, and her world class enterprise.

    • sapdog

      QOTD: Spent last week in Santa Rosa tasting Sonoma Pinot Noirs. Stand outs were Roessler tasting room in Sonoma – Excellent Pinots – fav = 2007 Hein Family Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Also not to be missed Enkidu 2008 Kiamberell’s Pinot Noir – lovely little tasting spot in Kenwood. Didn’t get there this trip – but shout out to Porter Creek – for great Russian River Pinots – and a really great tasting room experience.

    • sapdog

      Agreed – Chilean Pinot waaay under the radar. The Sauv.Blanc is worth trying as well.

    • Like sapdog I spent two days this week tasting in sonoma/santa rosa. Roessler and Porter Creek are great, agreed. My fav from Roessler was the Ridges Estate 2006. The most distinctive from my tastings overall was the Sojourn Rodgers Creek 2008 pinot noir. Remarkable complexity on the nose (barnyard for lack of a better term), remarkable terroir!

      I prefer my pinots to be lighter but want them to sneak up and reveal a powerful backbone on the finish. That being said, if I question the “big” CA style pinot noirs I wonder if I’m stuck in the burgundy box too much. Variety is king!

    • Niagara is the closest thing to an old world style in the new world. These pinots are much more burgundian than Willamette pinots. Nice find, I’ll try to get some five rows even if its $50/bottle (I say that now!) I’ve enjoyed Lailey pinots in the past and the black paw vineyard from Coyote’s Run.

    • Who’d ‘ve thought the hottest wines coming out of the land down under would be Pinot noir? Not me! HaHa, if we keep it a secret maybe the prices will stay affordable. I have the cooralook but haven’t cracked it open yet, now I’m curious. I’ve enjoyed Coldstream Hills in the Yarra valley and Ashton Hills in the Adelaide Hills for pinot noir.

    • Not really digging the show with the descriptions of the wines, never been a huge Cali Pinot fan.

      QOTD: 2004 Cameron Pinot Noir Clos Electrique, good luck with getting on the list or even a reply http://www.cameronwines.com/index.html, just the way JP and crew are

    • Mestern

      For those with health on the mind, pinot noir is the varietal with some of the highest concentrations of resveratrol, the heart protective “stuff”. I tell many of my patients to enjoy a glass or two on a regular basis — it will keep them out of my ER!

    • Anonymous

      QOTD; Some of the most interesting Pinots were ones I tried at Rossler Cellars in Sonoma which I wrote about on my California Wine Tasting Adventures web site at:

      http://www.californiawinetastingadventures.com/2010/05/exploring-fine-pinot-noir-at-roessler.html

      BTW, I’ll be heading up to Napa tommorrow and will be psoting pics, videos etc. soon therafter!

      Erik Wait

    • Anonymous

      QOTD: Amayna Pinot Noir, I also really like their Sauv. Blanc.

    • Anonymous

      QOTD: Haven’t had any in a while.

    • rhonedrinker

      Qotd – Me – The Albert Bichot Mercurey 07. Also Pascal Marchand 2005 –

      Vs. Bearboat 2006 Russian River Valley. and Buena Vista Carneros 2005-

      I am going to have a taste off today with all four.. I will tell you the results if interested.

      Check out the band Fol Chen – good pop..

    • QOTD: best pinot in a while…http://www.nctwinery.ca/Wine.aspx?WineID=152

    • Anonymous

      QOTD: Drinking Cameron’s Dundee Hills right now, and it’s pulling my out of the wine slump I’ve been in. I live and work in the Oregon wine industry, and I’ve never really liked most Oregon pinots because they’re usually not my style. However, this is NICE! Perfect amount of funkiness, beautiful sour red fruit, lovely light bodied, but round feel. Can’t wait to try the single vineyards.

      Apparently the mailing list is not very updated, but if you live in Oregon I can get you a discount on at least their single vineyard stuff and bring it to you when I have a chance.

    • Anonymous

      QOTD: Andrew Rich Pinot Noir – Cuvee B. I loved the pink peppercorn flavor I picked up in this wine.

    • Anonymous

      Interesting comment about the pinots. I’m not a big fan that style myself but some people love it.
      Qotd: toasted head pinot noir…2007 maybe (not sure); its half way between the big style and the tight style; can’t find a link to their site but there’s plenty of info about it out there

    • David M Roberts

      QOTD: 2006 Sea Smoke “Southing”. It was the first wine I tasted that had that venison aspect you made so famous; almost as if there was a minced up deer in the glass. Strange as that sounds, it worked with the fruit and created balance.

    • Tederf

      My favorite California Pinot area is the Santa Rita Hills – and the extended area. Lots of great stuff from there. Clos Pepe, Au Bon Climant, Pisoni, etc. There are lots of “small” production wines. My favorite though is Arcadian – winemaker is Joe Davis. http://www.arcadianwinery.com. Best to join their wine club (Grand Cru). Joe makes several great Pinots. He would also make a great guest on WLTV!

    • Franciscobosco

      TRy Montsecano 2008 Casablanca Chile, best pinot in Chile… Super limited production… 300 botlles fermented in old barrels, biodynamic…. the 2010 fermented in cement eggs… not irrigated,silex soils…. Vinified by aLasacian winemaker Ostertag…

    • Needing to get some pinot noir soon. Its been a varietal I havent had much of lastely.

    • lurker117

      those “white” cherries you referred to are know as Rainier cherries.

    • QOTD: Not PN, but a Bedrock wine got a very high score for me…
      2008 Bedrock Wine Co. The Bedrock Heirloom
      94 points: I was really Wowed by this wine. Opened the bottle, poured one glass and left them both out for 3+hours. Color is very dark almost black and blue. The nose was closed at first, then it smelled like licorice and concord grapes. Clean perfectly ripe fruit that sings with sharp acidity and balance. Finish that lasts for 1min+. Wonderful, much better than I expected. Should drink well over the next 5 years. Going to buy more. (611 views)

      Interesting for a “Value” PN…2007 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble
      90-91? Pts. This wine has a tight nose that hopefully will develop over time, but right now is not great. The flavors took 30mins of air to really start singing. Nice sour cherrys and raspberrys. Balance and acidity are refreshing. Light on the mouthfeel, but medium/full on the flavor, the way PN should me imo. Drink over the next 5 years…AMM

    • Was lucky enough to participate in a blind with the ’06 Kosta Browne facing off against the ’07 Sea Smoke Southing. It wasn’t even close – the Kosta Browne absolutely destroyed it. Easily one of the top ten bottles I have ever had. Paired with Beef Wellington – absolutely money.

    • Anonymous

      pinot is too pricey!!

    • Sonoma grows some amazing Pinot Noir grapes, and some of our 90+ wineries in the Sonoma Valley make killer Pinot wines. See http://SonomaValleyWineries.org/ for information on these wineries. You can find which wineries do Pinot Noir by doing a simple search by varietal.

    • luca bercelli

      90/100

      line of the day – ‘It’s like when Bill Parcells said if you want me to cook the dish, let me buy the ingredients.’

      Gary was super-focused in this episode, concentrating hard on getting the tasting notes spot on. This is the type of episode to show someone who’s never seen WLTV before – shows what it’s all about.

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