Kosta Browne is one of the elite producers of Pinot Noir. They make three Pinots from Sonoma Coast, Russian River and the Santa Lucia Highlands. Tonight I opened the 1 of 2 bottles of 2011 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that I was allocated as a first time wine list member (wait time - almost 4 years). The Sonoma Coast Pinot is sourced from three vineyards; Walala, Gap's Crown and Terra de Promissio.
The initial front palate is full of ripe Oregon fruit (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry). While fruit forward the front palate is balanced and complex. The fruit is carried to the mid palate with firm but soft tannin. The mid palate explodes with flavors of black cherry with the smallest hint of vanilla. The tannin carry the extremely long and complex finish. All the fruit notes become much more subtle as the long finish engages all the taste buds.
Burgundy snobs may stick up their nose at the "lack of finesse" but this wine expresses its terroir which includes abundant sun. A well balanced wine that carries fruit notes, well integrated tannin' complexity and a long finish.
Recommendation- A must have for any fan of California Pinot Noir. The price point is excellent for the quality. The only drawback is the wait time on the wait list
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
From My Cellar 07/28/2013
Hall Wines is one of the premier producers of Cabernet in the Napa Valley. Their offerings include many single vineyard sources from Stags Leap, St. Helena, Diamond Mountain, Mt. Veeder and famous blends such as Kathryn Hall and Jack's Masterpiece.
The 2009 HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% sourced from the Bergfeld vineyard which was originally planted in 1859 and now the home to one of Hall's tasting rooms.
The first trait of the wine is revealed when it is poured into the decanter. As with most other Hall Cabernet's the wine is a deep purple. The front palate has notes of red fruit and a subtle notes of Maui sugar cane. The red berry and slights hints of oak are joined by velvet tannin's at the mid palate. The soft and velvet tannin's carry the finish to an extended length that coats the entire mouth giving added layers of complexity.
The 2009 HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon retails for $100 and can be enjoyed now but has the structure to lay in the cellar for another decade. I recommend to buy two, one to drink and one to hold.
The 2009 HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% sourced from the Bergfeld vineyard which was originally planted in 1859 and now the home to one of Hall's tasting rooms.
The first trait of the wine is revealed when it is poured into the decanter. As with most other Hall Cabernet's the wine is a deep purple. The front palate has notes of red fruit and a subtle notes of Maui sugar cane. The red berry and slights hints of oak are joined by velvet tannin's at the mid palate. The soft and velvet tannin's carry the finish to an extended length that coats the entire mouth giving added layers of complexity.
The 2009 HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon retails for $100 and can be enjoyed now but has the structure to lay in the cellar for another decade. I recommend to buy two, one to drink and one to hold.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
What I Drank 07/16/2013
RN74 is a Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner with a wine list as thick as an Atlas. RN74 is self described as "...San Francisco urban wine bar and restaurant by Michael Mina, Rajat Parr and Adam Sobel featuring modern interpretations of refined American and regional French cuisine with an extensive wine list highlighting the Burgundy region of France."
The wine list has the usual list of heavy hitters from Napa, Bordeaux and Burgundy. The group decided on a Pinot Noir and I was delegated the task of picking the bottle.
I settled on 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR. Costalina is sourced from two vineyards near Occidental which is western Sonoma Coast.
Sonoma Pinot Noir tends to fall into one of two categories, either fruit forward or 'nuanced'. The 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" has the best features of both categories. The wine is elegant, complex and long on the palate. The initial palate has subtle notes of Christmas spices and light raspberry flavors. What differentiates this wine from many others is the elegance and balance in which the spice notes and fruit hit the palate. With fears of being redundant this wine is the epitome of balanced. The mid palate has firm structure that holds the spice notes without over-powering the palate. The finish is long, complex and coats all parts of the tongue.
Recommendation- The 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR is truly perfectly made with fruit notes, earth notes, acidity and tannin all in perfect balance. The wine is truly unique is the fact that it straddles the fruit forward and balanced category without falling into either one. A must try!
$42 from the website, $102 at RN74.
The wine list has the usual list of heavy hitters from Napa, Bordeaux and Burgundy. The group decided on a Pinot Noir and I was delegated the task of picking the bottle.
I settled on 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR. Costalina is sourced from two vineyards near Occidental which is western Sonoma Coast.
Sonoma Pinot Noir tends to fall into one of two categories, either fruit forward or 'nuanced'. The 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" has the best features of both categories. The wine is elegant, complex and long on the palate. The initial palate has subtle notes of Christmas spices and light raspberry flavors. What differentiates this wine from many others is the elegance and balance in which the spice notes and fruit hit the palate. With fears of being redundant this wine is the epitome of balanced. The mid palate has firm structure that holds the spice notes without over-powering the palate. The finish is long, complex and coats all parts of the tongue.
Recommendation- The 2011 CERITAS "COSTALINA" SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR is truly perfectly made with fruit notes, earth notes, acidity and tannin all in perfect balance. The wine is truly unique is the fact that it straddles the fruit forward and balanced category without falling into either one. A must try!
$42 from the website, $102 at RN74.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)