2007 Kosta Browne – Russian River Valley – Pinot Noir – California

This wine is flat out fantastic!

Blackberry and black cherry on the nose. Dark fruits in general with an earthiness as well. Dark fruits again on the taste with more noticeable blackberry and a velvety smooth texture. Hints of spice and licorice as well. Long long finish. Very balanced.

Simply put this is one of the best California Pinot Noirs I have ever had. These wines might be hard to come by and at $50+ a bottle (if you’re on the list), its pushing the limits of my affordability but WOW, this wine is worth seeking out.

2004 Loring Pinot Noir – Clos Pepe Vineyard - Santa Rita Hills – California

Cerry red color with some slight browning at the edges. Cherry color compliments a similar cherry tinged aroma. This is a one dimentional wine in that respect…

There are cola aspects as well, not something unseen with Central Coast Pinot Noir. Medium bodied with a medium long finish.

Noticable heat at the end giving away its 15% alcohol level.

In a way, this is a typical California Pinot Noir style but the elements don’t really work in this wine.

'05 Stolpman Estate Syrah - Central Coast - California

The 2005 Stolpman Estate Syrah was savored this holiday season at Dante’s Restaurant in Syracuse.

It shows dark berry fruit on the nose including noticeable blackberry and cassis. Overall strong aromatics. This fruit forward wine is also full bodied with a thick, rich texture and a very long finish.

This was a really lovely wine that pairs easily with food even with its full bodied presence. It was the best wine of the holidays and at approximately $30 retail, I would look for again. I even thought that it was a fair price at $46 on Dante’s wine list.

Yum!

2006 August West – Rosella’s Vineyard – Pinot Noir – Santa Lucia Highlands - California

Brick red with a somewhat rustic and rough essence to it. Slightly vegetal on the nose but this is overshadowed by the nice dark fruit, noticeably blueberry. There are also nice black cherry notes here too.

Smooth, well balanced and with a medium long finish. Surprisingly, at 14.7% alcohol, you don’t really notice it on the taste (but do so after helping finish off a bottle!)

Very nice overall. $45 from the August West website.

2004 Loring Pinot Noir – Gary’s Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands – California

Overall, this wine actually comes across as more cocktail than wine. It’s a candied colored red with a nice black cherry and spice aroma along with hints of oak and a general all over earthiness.

Cherry cola also comes across on the taste.

The texture is surprisingly smooth at first for a 15% alcohol wine but then the heats hits you at the end.

I fell that you really have to like this “high-octane” style to enjoy this wine and generally I do but the alcohol is too exposed here.

This is an ok wine overall. B-.

2005 Alma Rosa – Pinot Gris – Santa Barbara County – California

Straw colored with honey suckle floral notes and evident minerality. Soft texture with peach as the dominate flavor. Accented by a touch of acidity.

Very nice and a very food friendly white for the remainder of the summer months.

Bought at the winery on vacation last year so look for the 2006 version if buying now. It can be had for $16.

2006 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir - Santa Barbara County

According to the Au Bon Climat website, the 2006 Pinot Noir – Santa Barbara County is “… just easy to drink. There is nothing pretentious here, just well balanced, nicely textured, brightly fruity wine that seems to go with everything.” This is the winery’s entry level Pinot Noir that sells for a reasonable $20 or so and I wouldn’t argue too much with their statement. This is an average wine as they also attest but there are a couple of characteristic that make is a little less easy to drink in my opinion.

It’s cherry red in color with a very strong cherry cola taste, too much so in my opinion. That’s the first thing that stands out. It also has a bit of a tart edge to it and the combo between to two moves it from “easy to drink” and “goes with everything” to something that stands out and not always for the right reason.

I don’t want to be too harsh on the wine because it is drinkable but I would be more pleased with it if it kind of “faded into the background” as their website notes tend to suggest.

I think it’s a C- wine. It was purchased at T.B. Ackerson Wines in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn for $24.

2005 Beckman – Le Bec Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley)

Beckman Vineyards is in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County and this wine is a Rhone blend of Rousanne, Marsanne & Grenache Blanc.

It’s light golden colored with lovely aromatics of cloves and apricots along with lighter hints of citrus, nutmeg and caramel. The nutmeg, clove and caramel also come on in the taste with a dash of lemon peel. It’s a medium to full bodied wine with a long finish.

Overall a food solid B wine what’s a great example of some of the Rhone blends currently being made in Central California. This bottle was $20 from Chelsea Wine Vault and worth picking up a bottle.

2005 Qupe - Bien Nacido Cuvee (Santa Maria Valley)

This is from Santa Barbara County's Qupe Vineyards who are known for their Central Coast Rhone Varietals. This is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Viognay from a rather well know vineyard in Santa Barbara County called Bien Nacido.

The wine is a vibrant yellow color with nice aromas of citrus, hey, and a floral element. Very pleasant. Citrus on the taste. Some orange. Medium bodied that leads to a lasting finish. The only real knock on this wine is that it’s a bit too acidic and that puts it slightly off balance for me. Slightly too much acidity for its weight.

A decent effort but really a B- wine for my tastes. $20 from T.B. Atkerson Wine in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.