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A Pinot Noir that will Make Your Head Spin!

Good Juice

by J.R. Guerra

Pinot Noir is a favorite red of mine to drink. Sure, it compliments plenty of meals, but I like it all on its own. It’s also a red wine I drink year round, no matter how hot it gets outside. This month I’ll be talking about two different Pinot Noirs that I have been enjoying as of late. Of course, I’m sure you grow tired of reading what my opinion is, so I’ll give you a little background on the winery, and then I’ll let the experts fill you in on the details!

The first one comes from Donum. Donum Ranch is a 200-acre property with 70 acres devoted to vines located on gently rolling hills that rise up from San Pablo Bay in Carneros. Less than a mile away is the venerable 20-acre Ferguson Block. And the 11 acres of Nugent Vineyards lie to the north in the Russian River Valley. They farm from all three vineyards, but I’ll be talking about the 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This wonderful number drinks good now, or you can lay it down for a few years as well (~2015). The depth on this wine definitely shows, with scents of ripe red fruit and a balance of spice. The texture is silky and consistent, offering up flavors of red fruit, with chocolate, spice and oak. The tannins are moderate, and offer up a long lasting, juicy finish, leaving you wanting more and more! Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast also enjoyed this little number, and have this to say about it:

“Shows fantastic depth and focus, with aromatic trufflelike earth notes that highlight the pure raspberry, floral, cherry, herb and spice notes. This has a supple texture, juicy acidity and an intense finish that sails on and on. Drink now through 2015. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 400 cases made.” –95 Points, Wine Spectator

“A lovely Pinot Noir, showing flamboyantly ripe cherry, raspberry and chocolate-cola fruit, spiced with cinnamon and anise and enhanced with smoky oak. Fortunately, all this richness is framed in a fine structure of acidity and tannins. Drink now through 2012.” –91 Points, Wine Enthusiast

Hanzell makes a Pinot Noir that will make your head spin. The Hanzell clone is characterized by a high incidence of millerendage, in which pollination fails and the grapes have no seeds. One ramification of a seedless grape is the restriction on the size to which the grape can grow. It is quite common on a cluster of Hanzell clone Pinot Noir to find the majority of grapes are less than the size of peas. Size matters with red grapes, as the skin, representing the surface area, is the main source of pigment, tannin and flavor. Smaller berries have a higher surface area to volume ratio and thus a proportionately greater reservoir of extractable compounds. The resulting wines are darker, more tannic, and intensely flavored. Of course, this translates to a Pinot Noir that isn’t cheap, but one of the few California Pinot’s that can easily lay down for 10 or more years. The 2005 Sonoma County Hanzell Pinot Noir is a beautiful example of a Pinot Noir that needs a few years in the bottle before it really shines. A perfect balance of fruit and earthiness on the nose, lead to cherry flavors with raspberry, spice and white pepper. The finish is amazing and lingers just long enough to warrant opening another bottle to enjoy. When Hanzell received their score ratings, it was reviewed in 2008. Everyone agrees that 2010 and on is the time to drink this, so get it now (if you can find it)! Of course, we have stock here at The Cellar Door.

“The ripeness of this wine stands out. The cherry flavors even have a slightly raisined edge. The wine is also fairly tannic. Additional flavor nuances include tangerine zest, wild raspberry, red currants and white pepper. This is a great Hanzell. Give it until 2010, and it should develop interesting bottle complexities for many years.” –93 Points, Wine Enthusiast

“Notably earthy in a pleasant way, with mineral, pebble, sage and dried currant flavors that are compact and focused, yet long and persistent on the finish. Best from 2009 through 2017. 1,273 cases made.” –90 Points, Wine Spectator

“Medium-deep red. Complex aromas of red plum, raspberry, incense and briary spices. Round, broad and seamless in texture; a bit youthfully tight but opened with air to show raspberry and smoke flavors and an attractive restrained sweetness. Finishes with sweet, dusty tannins and very good length. I like the combination of smoky earth tones and building raspberry sweetness.” –90 Points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

“The medium dark ruby-colored 2005 Pinot Noir exhibits scents of pomegranate, underbrush, earth, spice, and sweet cherries. Although there are some austere tannins as well as a bit of tightness, there is enough concentration to support the wine’s structure. Give this 2005 1-2 more years of bottle age, and consume it over the following 10-12+ years.” –89 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Cheers, and happy sipping!

The Big Brewski – A subtle lager, kicked up a notch

As we approach the sunny days of spring, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company brings us a new seasonal beer: Glissade Golden Bock. Glissade is Sierra Nevada’s mellow take on a traditional spring bock. Is it screaming of hops like most of Sierra Nevada’s beers? The answer is, no. It does have that classic Sierra Nevada flare to it, but it’s also amazingly delicate. If you like a subtle lager, kicked up a notch with some bold flavor, then this is the beer for you.
A rich, deep golden color, it pours with a white, two fingers worth of head that quickly fades into nice big bubbles on the top. On the nose, you can pick up bitter hops and a slight note of spice followed by delicate scents of bread and fresh baked biscuits. It is sweet and malty at first, but then a slight bitter earthiness comes through. This leads to subtle herbal malts with yeast and hops on the finish.
At 6.4% alcohol by volume, it drinks like a beer with much less alcohol. It’s just heavy enough to not discourage drinking too fast though, so you shouldn’t have too much to worry about. We’re pouring it on draft right now, here at The Cellar Door. I don’t know when the supply will run out though, so hurry in and try it for yourself!
Cheers and happy sipping.