We have been tasting Pinots for several months now. There were so many good ones that it has taken until now to put together the summary of winners. Like we have seen in the past, the best Pinot Noirs are not inexpensive so open your wallet and get ready to enjoy some terrific Pinots. Our Top 13 Pinots all scored 91 points or more. However, you also should not ignore the 90 pointers and the Very Good Pinots that scored 89 to 87 points. These are all Very Good options and may appeal to your palate. You will also find that some of the best deals are in these ranges. As readers know, Pinot styles vary more than any other grape so I encourage you to read the reviews closely and choose the options that most appeal to your palate and start exploring.
So what wine was our winning Pinot this year? It was the 2007 Goldeneye “Gowen Creek” Pinot Noir for $75. This Excellent wine scored 95 pointsand is a Pinot for readers who like a substantial and big-styled Pinot. It is full-bodied, well balanced, very concentrated, and rich. Our mini tasting group really enjoyed its fruit forward and extracted black raspberry flavors with notes of black pepper and oak in the background. We thought this Pinot paired very well with the beef shank tortellini at the Herb Lyceumin Groton, Massachusetts.
Our runner up is another Excellent Pinot. There are only 72 cases of this gem so it is either gone or you will have to call the winery and beg Tom for a bottle or two. It is the 2007 Tom Eddy “Manchester Ridge Vineyard” Pinot Noir which is a steal for $55. I rated this wine 94 points. It was a very big hit at the Tom Eddy wine dinner at the Boston Wine Festival. Everyone at the table wanted more. It was medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, and quite elegant. We were especially enamored by its delicious red raspberry flavors with a dash of white pepper, spice, and mild oak mixed in. Its very refined tannins drift along nicely which made it a perfect match to pair with our duck breast.
The next two winners were produced by one of the most consistent producers in the Pinot world. Merry Edwardscontinues to produce top notch Pinots. These two were our favorites from the 2007 vintage. The 2007 Merry Edwards “Coopersmith” Pinot Noir for $54 scored 93 pointsfrom our mini tasting group. As a matter of fact, it received some top grades from a couple of tasters who preferred it over the Gowen. Like I mentioned above there are many styles of Pinot and this offering is very different than the Gowan. It opens with a musty Old World bouquet with a hint of blueberry in the background. It is full-bodied, well balanced, and very smooth with spicy black raspberry flavors with hints of oak and black pepper. Its moderate tannins made it a crowd pleaser and is very food-friendly. It was a perfect match for our Arctic Char. The next Merry Edwards offering was a bit of a surprise for me. The 2007 “Klopp Ranch” Pinot Noir for $57is the best Klopp Ranch that I have tasted to date. I scored it 92 points. It was medium-bodied, very well balanced, and extremely elegant. These are all qualities that I find very important in a high quality, food-friendly Pinot. The flavor profile was a delicious blend of black raspberry and black cherry with a hint of black licorice and mild oak in the background. With its fine tannins it would be a perfect match for salmon or the aforementioned Arctic Char.
The next producer makes lots of high quality Pinots. This was our favorite from Siduri this year. The 2008 “Pisoni Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $55 scored 92 points. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and very concentrated with ripe raspberry and black cherry flavors. It is the first of many 2008 Siduri Pinots we are going to recommend.
Next up is a relatively new producer for us. We first discovered one his Chardonnays last year. Greg went 3 for 3 with us this year with 2 of his Chards and a single Pinot entry. That entry was the 2007 Bjornstad “Hellenthal Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $40. It scored 92 pointsfrom our mini tasting group. This Pinot was medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, and smooth as silk. I just love the silky ones. It also displayed delicious mild black cherry and red currant flavors with a touch of 5 spices in the background. This is another food-friendly offering that you could consider pairing with grilled salmon.
This next Pinot was the winner of our first Big Blind Pinot tasting. The 2008 Siduri “Cargasacchi Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $54 was very well received by the tasting panel. The panel rewarded this wine with 91 points. Several panelists noted that it was very French styled. They appreciated its gentle tart red raspberry flavors with wonderfully integrated oak. It closes with elegant fine tannins and the panel suggested pairing it with beef bourguignon. There is not much of this wine left as only 146 cases were made so call the winery soon if you want to try some.
The next Pinot always seems to finish near the top of the pack every year. The 2007 Hartford Court “Lands Edge Vineyards” Pinot Noir for $50 scored 91 pointsthis year. It is medium-bodied, well balanced, smooth, and has a uniform mouthfeel. The panel enjoyed its tasty plum and mild red raspberry flavors with a touch of black cherry. Its finish is gentle with mild tannins that make it very food-friendly.
Next up is our highest scoring Pinot from Oregon. The 2008 Sineann “Schindler Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $42 scored 91 points. This producer was new for me. I met winemaker Peter Rosback at a tasting in Boston. He makes very impressive wines. You should definitely check out his entire portfolio. This offering was medium-bodied, nicely balanced, very smooth, and approachable. I really enjoyed its tasty mild strawberry and oak blended flavors. Like many of the others mentioned before this offering is food-friendly. I would pair it with a herb encrusted pork tenderloin.
The next producer is no stranger to our top Pinot list. One of their offerings always seems to be right at the top. This year the 2007 Robert Stemmler “Estate Grown” Pinot Noirfrom Carneros was our favorite. We awarded this gem with 91 points. At $35it is the best deal of the top tier Pinots. This wine opens with a very fragrant black raspberry and strawberry rhubarb bouquet with hints of black pepper and black tea. It then displays forward and fruity black raspberry flavors that are quite tasty. It is also very smooth on the palate. We thought it would pair nicely with veal marsala.
The next two Pinots were made by the Dutton Goldfieldwinery. They consistently produce top notch Pinot every year. The 2008 “Freestone Hill” and the 2008 “Sanchietti Vineyard” Pinot Noir both scored 91 points. They both cost $58. The Freestone Hillis very nicely balanced and savory with very tasty red raspberry jam flavors with delicate oak nicely blended in. It would be a perfect match for veal marsala. The Sanchiettiwas even more well balanced, elegant, and silky. Its flavor profile was a delicious blend of mild black raspberry and black cherry with a touch of spice. This offering was very refined and super food-friendly. I would pair it with a butterflied filet mignon.
Our final 91 point Pinot is from J Vineyards. Their 2007 “Nicole’s Vineyard” Pinot for $50is is full-bodied, well balanced, and rich. On the palate, it displays black raspberry flavors with hints of anise, vanilla, and black pepper. This substantial Pinot would appeal to readers who like a bigger style. You could also pair it with veal marsala.
With each of these, I will give you a one line tease and then I suggest you go read the entire review for more details.
Forchini 2007 Pinot Noir “Proprietor’s Reserve” (Russian River Valley, CA) $32.
Medium-bodied, balanced, and displays very tasty black cherry flavors with a hint of menthol.
C. Donatiello 2008 Pinot Noir “Middle Reach” (CA) $34.
Full-bodied, balanced, very smooth, and rich. Dusty oak influenced black raspberry and black cherry flavors.
J Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (CA) $35.
Full-bodied, balanced and rich for a Pinot. Unique, with tasty black raspberry and blueberry. Hints of mint and coconut.
Dutton Estate 2008 Pinot Noir “Karmen Isabella” (Russian River Valley, CA) $39.
Medium-bodied and very nicely balanced. Very tasty strawberry flavors with spice and dried cranberry.
Benovia 2008 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $45.
Medium-bodied, well balanced, smooth, and savory. Tasty red raspberry with mild oak and dried cranberry flavors.
Paul Hobbs 2008 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (CA) $45.
Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant. Fruit-forward plum and mild raspberry with a hint of Dr. Pepper.
Fess Parker 2007 Pinot Noir “Ashley’s” (Santa Rita Hills, CA) $48.
Medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, elegant, and smooth. Tasty and food-friendly mild black raspberry flavors.
Siduri 2008 Pinot Noir “Rosella’s Vineyard” (Santa Lucia Highlands, CA) $50.
Medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, and smooth with gentle acidity. Very tasty red cherry flavors.
Merry Edwards 2007 Pinot Noir “Meredith” (Russian River Valley, CA) $54.
Medium-bodied, balanced, lush, and silky. Mild strawberry flavors with a good dose of integrated oak.
Merry Edwards 2007 Pinot Noir “Flax Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $54.
Medium-bodied with ripe black raspberry flavors. Finish shows very nice length for a Pinot.
Freestone 2007 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $55.
Full-bodied, nicely balanced, and rich with a blend of black cherry, cranberry, and strawberry flavors.
Donum 2007 Pinot Noir “Estate Grown”(Carneros, CA) $65.
Medium-bodied, balanced, and savory with tasty black cherry and slightly tart cranberry flavors.
Merryvale 2008 Pinot Noir “Stanly Ranch”(Carneros, CA) $65
Medium-bodied and balanced,with pleasant acidity. Flavor profile is a blend of black cherry and black raspberry.
Hanzell 2006 Pinot Noir(Sonoma Valley, CA) $95.
Medium-bodied, balanced, soft, and very approachable. Mild blend of black raspberry and strawberry flavors.
1. J. Christopher 2008 “Willamette Valley” (OR) $28 (89).
2. Navarro 2007 “Methode L’Ancienne” (Anderson Valley, CA) $29 (89).
3. Duckhorn 2007 “Migration” (Anderson Valley, CA) $34 (89).
4. Landmark 2008 “Grand Detour” (Sonoma Coast, CA) $37 (89).
5. Robert Stemmler 2007 “Nugent Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $40 (89).
6. Sineann 2008 “Wyeast Vineyard” (Columbia Gorge, OR) $42 (89).
7. Dutton Estate 2008 “Manzana Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $45 (89).
8. Navarro 2007 “Deep End Blend” (Anderson Valley) $49 (89).
9. Kendall Jackson 2008 “Vintners Reserve” (CA) $18 (88).
10. Navarro 2007 Pinot Noir “Mendocino” (CA) $19 (88).
11. La Crema 2008 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $24 (88).
12. Evening Land 2008 (Oregon) $25 (88).
13. Siduri 2008 “Chehalem Mountains” (Willamette Valley, OR) $30 (88).
14. Siduri 2008 “Sta Rita Hills” (CA) $30 (88).
15. Siduri 2008 “Santa Lucia Highlands” (CA) $30 (88).
16. Chehalem 2007 “3 Vineyards” (Willamette Valley, OR) $32 (88).
17. Luca 2008 (Uco Valley, Argentina) $32 (88).
18. Johan 2007 “Estate” (Willamette Valley, OR) $35 (88).
19. Merryvale 2008 “Carneros” (CA) $35 (88).
20. FogDog 2007 “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $35 (88).
21. Merry Edwards 2007 “Tobias Glen” (Russian River Valley, CA) $54 (88).
22. Byron 2008 “Santa Maria Valley” (CA) $26 (87).
23. Foppiano Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, CA) $25 (87).
24. Adelsheim 2008 “Willamette Valley” (OR) $30 (87).
25. Truchard 2007 “Carneros” (CA) $35 (87).
26. Dutton Goldfield 2008 “Devil’s Gulch” (Marin County, CA) $58 (87).
As you can see we have been very busy tasting lots of great Pinot Noirs. We hope our work leads you to some great options and plenty of enjoyment!
Cheers – Ken
We have been collecting the 2007 Pinot Noir’s as all publications and websites agree it was THE year for Pinot. How long should they age before attaining the peak flavor.