Patty's Pinot Closet Newsletter


Volume 1, Issue 1
September 2003
Circulation 2,457

Monterey County Pinot Noir's

pat@pinotnoirs.com
www.pinotnoirs.com



Patty's Pinot Closet publishes this newsletter on the enjoyment and appreciation of Pinot Noir. I welcome you to enjoy the newsletters and to share them with others. I live in Pebble Beach, CA in the heart of the Monterey County Pinot Noir growing area. My credentials as a reviewer can be found at Patty's Pinot Closet.


Why Monterey County First
I've chosen Monterey County as the first area to review as that’s where we live and so many wonderful pinot noir's come from this area. The ratings are absolutely mine – I’ve tasted each and every one of these wines myself. My list contained 112 pinot noir's and 68 are reviewed in this newsletter – I managed to get to half. Not all of the wineries are located in Monterey County but they made their pinot noir from Monterey County grapes. Some reportedly wonderful pinot noir's that I didn’t get to are: Roar, Siduri, and Ojai. Hopefully, next year I’ll get to those. If anyone does taste these pinot noir's, please let me know how you liked them. Click here to learn more about Monterey County appellations.


Duck Goes With Pinot Noir
Pairing wine and food can result in especially wonderful dining experiences. Finding those special pairings is one of my particular quests. Braised Duck Legs with Pinot Noir Sauce and Pinot Noir constitutes one of those great pairings.Patty's Pinot Closet - Braised Duck Legs With Pinot Noir Sauce


New Concept In Wine Shops
A new wine shop, "Wine Styles", with a new concept, has opened in the Country Club Shopping Center, Pacific Grove, CA. Wines are organized by food types rather than by varietal or winery. Stop in and tell Charm Edwards what you are having for dinner and he will help you pick a wine. You can also send him an e-mail: charm@wine-styles.com


KOV Pinot Noir Blending with Steve Pessagno
Earlier this month, our chapter of the Knight's of the Vine (KOV) held a wine blending and picnic. Steve Pessagno of Pessagno Wines led the 11 teams through the process of blending Pinot Noir. Each team had a bottle of Pessagno Pinot Noir 2002, Special Selection and a bottle of each of the 5 wines that went into that blend of wine. Many teams did very well, but our team got a perfect score, in other words we matched the Pessagno blend exactly. Our team was made up of Greg Byers, Mike Benner, Don and Joyce Sherer, Pat Landee, and Jud Grubbs. For this perfect score we were each awarded a magnum of Pessagno 1999 Central Avenue Vineyard Pinot Noir. Our many thanks to Steve Pessagno for making such a memorable day and to Kaye Benner for all of her planning.

Team One
Steve Pessagno, Greg Byers, Mike Benner, Don Sherer, Joyce Sherer, Pat Landee, Jud Grubbs, Terry McCleery (KOV Commander)

A Day At Pisoni Vineyards
Back in July our KOV group bused out to the Pisoni Vineyards and were hosted by Gary Pisoni and his sons, Jeff and Mark, who have joined the family operation. Jeff earned a B.S. in Enology at California State University, Fresno, and got hands-on experience at premium wineries before becoming the Pisoni Estate winemaker. Mark specialized in the business side, completing a B.S. in Agricultural Economics at the University of California, Davis, and then a Masters Degree in Farm Business Management at Cornell University. Grandmother Pisoni was also there helping and socializing with everyone.

Along with the 2001 Lucia Pinot Noir and the 2001 Pisoni Pinot Noir they served Grandmother Pisoni’s Venison sausage. Absolutely delicious – best sausage I’ve ever had. See below for my ratings of these wonderful wines. The sausage and pinot noir was followed by a fabulous lunch in the caves to candlelight and music. After lunch, chocolate dipped strawberries accompanied dancing and cigars. As if that wasn’t enough, many of us took a dip in the old swimming hole. Thank You Gary, Jeff, Mark and Grandmother for a fabulous day. Also, thanks to Jeri Crittenden for arranging this day.

I've just learned that the October 2003 issue of Food & Wine has named Gary Pisoni a wine renegade and one of the 125 things we love about wine.

Gary Pisoni
Gary Pisoni


Monterey County Pinot Noir's

Winery Year Price Rate Description
Morgan Winery, Double L Vineyard 2000 42.00 98 Dense ruby/garnet color with a spicy blueberry and toasty oak aromas. Medium bodied well-balanced wine with a long finish.
Arcadian, Pisoni Vineyard 2000 75.00 98 Dark intense blueberry, earthy aromas. Well-balanced velvety flavors and a long lovely finish.
Pessagno, San Benito County, Spring Grove Vineyard 2000 25.00 98 Raspberry/black cherry, vanilla and smoke aromas come together in this complex and elegant wine. Well-balanced with enough oak to age and a wonderful velvet flavor followed by a long finish.
Baywood Cellars, Reserve 2000 28.00 97 Medium intensity black raspberry aroma. Well balanced and full flavored with a long intense finish.
Pessagno, Santa Lucia Highlands, Central Avenue Vineyard 2000 18.00 96 Medium intensity raspberry/black cherry aromas. Well balanced with a long finish
Pessagno, Santa Lucia Highlands, Garys' Vineyard 2000 55.00 96 Medium intensity with black cherry and subtle smoke aromas. Well balanced with a velvety feel in the mouth and a long long aftertaste.
Bernardus, Bien Nacido Vineyard 1999 46.00 95 Dark intensity color with wonderful dark red fruit and earthy aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced with a long finish.
Pisoni, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pisoni Vineyard 2001 60.00 95 Dense purple very Burgundian pinot noir with blueberry, earthy aromas. Well balanced with enough tannin to age well. A very long finish
Morgan Winery, Rosella's Vineyard 2000 38.00 95 Medium bodied purple color with black cherry and rose in the aroma. Well balanced velvety with a long finish.
Pelerin/Sheppard Wines 2002 33.00 93 Medium intensity with raspberry and cherry aromas and a silky feel in the mouth.
Jekel Vineyards, Sanctuary Estate 2000 16.00 93 Medium intensity with a garnet color. Raspberry, cherry and earthy aromas. Medium body and great balance and flavor followed by a long finish.
Paraiso Vineyards, West Terrace Vineyard, Reserve 2000 32.00 93 Medium intensity black raspberry aroma. Well balanced and full flavored with a long intense finish.
San Saba Vineyards 1999 22.00 92 Intense wine with black cherry and mushroom aromas. Medium body with fruit and spice in the mouth.
Calera, Mount Harlan, Jensen 1999 50.00 92 Red garnet color, with ripe, mature red plum, cherry, earth and a touch of limestone. It exhibits a firm core of tannins that gives it a tight, rich backbone, and the finish lingers, with subtle flavor nuances.
Chateau Christina, Franscioni Vineyard 2000 29.00 92 Medium intensity with a garnet color. Black currant, mushroom and earthy aromas. Medium body with good balance and a medium long finish.
Calera, Mount Harlan, Jensen Vineyard 1998 75.00 92 Intense, complex, with blueberry, earthy, and mushroom aromas and flavors.
Arcadian, Santa Lucia Highlands, Sleepy Hollow 2000 35.00 92 Intense color with blueberry and black cherry aromas and a silky wonderful mouthful.
Scheid Vineyard, Riverview Vineyard 2001 20.00 91 Medium intensity with a lovely garnet color. Black currant, mushroom and earthy aromas. Beautifully balanced with good body and a long finish.
Arcadian, Monterey, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard 1999   91 Intense lovely wine with blueberry aromas. Well balanced acids and tannins with a long finish.
Arcadian, Jill's Cuvee 2000 45.00 91 Dense with spicy dark red fruit aromas. Well balanced with enough oak accompanied by a long finish.
Arcadian, Monterey, Pisoni Vineyard 1999 80.00 91 Dense color with the Pisoni blueberries in the aroma. Well balanced acid and tannin. Should age well.
Lucia Vineyards & Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands, Gary’s Vineyard 2001 39.95 90 Dense purple color with spicy blueberry flavors. Well-balanced tannins and acid with a very long finish. Should age well!
Morgan Winery, Garys' Vineyard 2000 38.00 90 Ruby/garnet color with raspberry, spice, mushroom and subtle oak. Nicely balanced with a long finish.
Calera, Mount Harlan, Reed 1999 45.00 90 Red fruit with chocolate earthy aromas. Soft and silky in the mouth with a long finish.
Robert Talbott Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Case 1999 35.00 90 Dark colors with the aromas of dark red fruits such as black cherry and blueberry with a long finish.
Arcadian, Garys' Vineyard 2000 45.00 90 Intense dark color with dark red fruits flavor and a silky taste in the mouth following with a long finish.
Pavona Wines 2000 20.00 90 Dense color with black cherry aromas and a long finish.
Miner Family Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Gary’s Vineyard 2000 50.00 90 Intense with blackberry flavors. Well balanced but with the stuff to age a while.
Tantara Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pisoni Vineyard 2001 56.00 90 Dense color with the aromas of black cherry, blueberry and plums.
Bernardus, Santa Barbara 2000 30.00 90 Intense dark color with blueberry and black currant aromas and a well-balanced taste with lovely vanilla oak and a very long finish.
Chalone Vineyards, Soledad, Estate 2000 30.00 90 Dark intense with black cherries and blackberries balanced with vanilla oak and a very long finish.
Chalone Vineyards, Soledad, Estate 2001 30.00 90 Dark intense wine with dark red fruit aromas.
Calera, Mount Harlan, Selleck Vineyard 1999 55.00 89 Big intense wine with aromas of black currant and black raspberry culminating in a long finish.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands 2000 45.00 89 Intense spicy black cherry flavors accompanied by a long finish.
Kendall-Jackson 2001 12.00 89 Medium intensity ruby-garnet with black cherry flavors. Well-balanced with a nice aftertaste.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Sleepy Hollow 2001 50.00 89 Medium intensity black fruit and spice with a subtle oak flavor.
Boyer, Monterey 1999 24.00 88 Medium intensity with ruby/garnet color. Raspberry/cherry, spice, and toasty oak flavors. Velvety in mouth.
Calera, Mount Harlan, Mills Vineyard 1999 40.00 89 Deep intense color with red fruity aromas.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Garys' Vineyard 2000 45.00 88 Medium density with spicy black cherry and earthy aromas. Silky taste with a long aftertaste.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pisoni Vineyard 2000 55.00 88 Raspberry and cherry flavors with a subtle oak followed by a long finish.
Testarossa Vineyards, Chalone, Michaud Vineyard 2001 50.00 88 Dark red fruits such as black cherry and blackberry with earthy notes and a long finish.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Rosella's Vineyard 2001 50.00 88 Well balanced with red fruit flavors.
Calera, Central Coast 2000 20.00 88 Medium intensity with aromas of raspberries and a silky spicy taste.
Testarossa Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Cuvee Niclaire 2000 68.00 87 Intense wine with cherry aromas and a long lovely aftertaste.
Paraiso Vineyards 2000 16.00 87 Light and fruity.
David Bruce Winery, Central Coast 2001 22.00 87 Intense, ruby/garnet color. Well balanced with a big feel in the mouth and a very long finish.
Estancia Estates, Reserve 1999 25.00 87 Medium intensity with flavors of blackberry.
Calera, Mount Harlan Melange 1997 30.00 87 Medium intensity with aromas of raspberries with a silky taste and long finish.
J. Lohr 2001 12.00 86  
Calera, El Nino 2001 12.50 86 Lighter bodied pinot with a fresh raspberry aroma.
Anapamu Cellars, Monterey County 2001 16.00 86 Light bodied fruity wine with a lovely long finish.
McIntyre Vineyards 2000 18.00 86 Dense Ruby-garnet well-balanced wine with a long finish
Robert Talbott Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Logan 1999 18.00 86 Dark intense wine with black cheery and silky feel in the mouth.
Galante Vineyards & Winery 2001 30.00 86 Intense ruby colored with rich well-balanced taste and big tannins. Should age well.
Kendall-Jackson, Great Estates 2000 28.00 85 Light cherry-raspberry with mild tannins.
Arroyo Del Sol 2000 25.00 85 Light fruity wine with a nice aftertaste.
Kendall-Jackson, Great Estates 1999 30.00 85 Dense plum and blackberry and a smooth blending of fruit and oak.
Thomas Fogarty Winery 1999 23.00 85  
Jekel Vineyards 2000 19.00 85 Light and fruity
Clos LaChance 2001 28.00 85 Dark intense wine, very Santa Cruz Mountain characters.
Robert Talbott Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Kali-Hart 2001 12.00 85 Light bodied fruity wine with a silky feel in the mouth.
Estancia Estates 2001 12.00 85 Light and fruity
Morgan Winery 2000 22.00 85  
Robert Mondavi, Santa Lucia Highlands, Private Selection 2001 10.00 85 Light bodied strawberry-raspberry with a good feel in the mouth.
Morgan Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands 2001   85 Medium bodied, red cherry and strawberry with some mushroom characters. Well balanced with a nice aftertaste.
Bernardus, Arroyo Secco, Bien Nacido 2000 30.00 85 Light fruity wine


Subsequent Newsletters will cover New Zealand, Oregon, Sonoma, Napa, Santa Barbara County, Burgundy and other Pinot Noir growing areas.

Patty's Pinot Closet Web site contains information on Pinot Noir such as newsletters, Pinot Noir culture, wine making, serving, regions and wineries, storing, wine events, restaurants with good wine lists, gifts, and glossary. To access Patty's Pinot Closet Click Here

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