{"id":52,"date":"2009-06-09T17:34:33","date_gmt":"2009-06-09T17:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=52"},"modified":"2011-02-02T16:03:40","modified_gmt":"2011-02-02T16:03:40","slug":"thirty-five-very-good-pinot-noirs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=52","title":{"rendered":"35 Very Good Pinot Noirs"},"content":{"rendered":"

In\u00c2\u00a0the last 2 months we have reviewed over 65 Pinot Noirs<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The results of our large blind tasting were posted last month.\u00c2\u00a0 In this post we will highlight the Pinots that were recommended from our mini tastings and blind flights.\u00c2\u00a0 There are 35 recommendations <\/strong>below.\u00c2\u00a0 We will showcase the Pinots that scored 90+ points.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"PatzThe envelope please<\/strong>\u201d\u00a6\u201d\u00a6And the best Pinot we found in this tasting, and overall the best so far, was the Patz & Hall 2006 \u201cChenoweth Ranch\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> from the Russian River Valley.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 93 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It costs $55<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It was the clear winner among many high end wines that we reviewed.\u00c2\u00a0 It opened with an attractive blueberry and cherry-like bouquet.\u00c2\u00a0 It is very nicely balanced and has harmonious acidity throughout.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a delicious black cherry and blueberry blend.\u00c2\u00a0 It was quite impressive and would be a perfect complement to a filet mignon.<\/p>\n

\"MerryOur second place wine took the early lead as we tried this wine early on.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2006 Merry Edwards \u201cCoopersmith\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir $54<\/a><\/strong> from the Russian River Valley was the best offering from her portfolio this year.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 This offering is medium-bodied, really well balanced, smooth, and elegant.\u00c2\u00a0 Everyone that tried this wine was quite impressed. It was probably its delicious light black raspberry flavors with a hint of licorice.\u00c2\u00a0 The consensus was it was a very food-friendly wine that would pair perfectly with salmon.<\/p>\n

\"GoldeneyeIn third place was an old standby.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2006 Goldeneye<\/a><\/strong> from the Anderson Valley in California was again impressive this year.\u00c2\u00a0 This wine costs $55<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We awarded it 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Goldeneye always seems to be a top performing Pinot.\u00c2\u00a0 This year's version is a quite substantial.\u00c2\u00a0 It is big enough to pair with prime rib.\u00c2\u00a0 This bottle did not last long as the group quickly asked for another pour.<\/p>\n

\"LaOur 4th place finisher also comes from the Russian River Valley.\u00c2\u00a0 That makes 3 out of the top 4 Pinots coming from this valley.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 La Crema \u201cRussian River\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> also scored 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 This Pinot is La Crema's best option from the 2007 vintage and its costs $40<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 On the palate, this wine really comes alive.\u00c2\u00a0 Its flavor profile is a very tasty blend of strawberries and raspberries.\u00c2\u00a0 We also felt this was a very cellar worthy Pinot.<\/p>\n

\"ChehalemIn fifth place we head north to Oregon.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2006 Chehalem\u00c2\u00a0\u201cReserve\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> from the Willamette Valley is very impressive.\u00c2\u00a0 This wines cost $60<\/strong> and we scored it Very Good+ and gave it 91 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 What we liked best about this Pinot is that it was very nicely balanced, silky, and suave.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile it displayed was a\u00c2\u00a0delicious blend of light raspberry, and syrupy red cherry.\u00c2\u00a0 It is elegant and would pair perfectly with raspberry chicken.\u00c2\u00a0 In sixth place was the 2006 Fess Parker \u201cBien Nacido\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> for $48<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 This like the Chahalem was balanced, smooth, and very easy to drink.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this elegant Pinot 91 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Our group agreed that this wine would pair quite nicely with prime rib.<\/p>\n

\"DuttonIn 7th place was the Dutton Goldfield 2006 \u201cFreestone Hill Vineyard\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Dutton Goldfield performed consistently well with its 2006 Pinots.\u00c2\u00a0 This offering scored 90 points<\/strong> and was one of my favorites from their portfolio.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0This wine stood out in its small sampling flight.\u00c2\u00a0 It costs $58<\/strong>. \u00c2\u00a0Its medium-bodied, balanced, and gentle with spicy raspberry flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 We found this wine very easy to drink.\u00c2\u00a0Our group found this wine to be food-friendly and we would pair it with grilled salmon.\u00c2\u00a0 In 8th place we return to\u00c2\u00a0Merry Edwards.\u00c2\u00a0 Her 2006 \u201cTobias Glen\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> for $54<\/strong> scored 90 points<\/strong>from its group of tasters.\u00c2\u00a0 Like the Dutton Goldfield, this wine was medium-bodied, balanced, smooth, and very easy to drink.\u00c2\u00a0 What made this wine stand out were its juicy strawberry flavors with hints of light raspberry and licorice mixed in.<\/p>\n

In 9th place we return to the Anderson Valley and the La Crema winery.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0costs $50<\/strong> and scored 90 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 After trying this wine I told winemaker, Melissa Stackhouse that I thought this was her perfect Pinot to pair with salmon.\u00c2\u00a0 It displayed savory raspberry flavors with notes of blueberry detected as well.\u00c2\u00a0 \"SpyIt was a very easy wine to consume and a second glass is not far behind the first.\u00c2\u00a0 Next up was our first qualifier from New Zealand.\u00c2\u00a0 Typically we do not describe New Zealand Pinot Noir as smooth and elegant, but 2007 Spy Valley<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>has seemed to capture that magic formula with this vintage.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 90 point and at $29 it is a steal when compared to some of the wines listed above.\u00c2\u00a0 It is nicely balanced and silky with tasty raspberry flavors with notes of spice mixed in.\u00c2\u00a0 Like the La Crema, this wine would pair very nicely with grilled salmon.<\/p>\n

In 11th place was the 2006 Dutton Goldfield \u201cDevil's Gulch Vineyard\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> for $55<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 A couple of cool things struck me about this wine other than its name.\u00c2\u00a0 First of all it comes from Marin County in CA, which does not get a lot of press.\u00c2\u00a0 So I was impressed to find a wine perform so well from this region.\u00c2\u00a0 I also found the wine to be well balanced and show impeccably integrated acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 Those features plus its savory and very tasty light raspberry flavors make it an excellent choice to serve with duck.\u00c2\u00a0 We awarded this wine 90 points.<\/p>\n

\"DuttonIn 12th place was a wine from the Dutton Estate<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Their 2007 \u201cKarmen Isabella\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> for $38 <\/strong>was well received.\u00c2\u00a0 This is another impressive Russian River Pinot.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 90 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 This Pinot had a different feel to it.\u00c2\u00a0 It was full-bodied, very well balanced, and has quite a smooth texture.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a restrained strawberry and plum blend that is quite luscious.\u00c2\u00a0 This was a graceful wine that would really pair well and enhance pork tenderloin.<\/p>\n

\"SiduriOur 13th Pinot is another bargain.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Siduri \u201cSta Rita Hills\u201d\u009d Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> only costs $29<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 For a 90 point wine, that makes it quite a deal.\u00c2\u00a0 This Pinot opens with an attractive spicy black cherry bouquet. This wine is light to medium-bodied and balanced with juicy black raspberry flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 It is quite dry and its moderate tannins stick around for quite some time.\u00c2\u00a0 This impressive value Pinot would be a fine complement to prime rib.<\/p>\n

Other recommended Pinot Noirs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

14. Merry Edwards 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cFlax Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (RRV) $54<\/strong> (89.5<\/strong>)
\n15. Willamette Valley Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cSignature Cuvee\u201d\u009d<\/strong> <\/a>(Willamette Valley, OR) $45<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n16. Landmark 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cGrand Detour\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma Coast, CA ) $40<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n17. Siduri 2007 PN \u201cSonoma County\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $20<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n18. Navarro 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cDeep End Blend\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Anderson Valley, CA) $49<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n19. Fog Dog 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cSonoma Coast\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $40<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n20. Lionheart Wines 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cSonoma Coast\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $40<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n21. Dutton Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cDutton Thomas Road Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (RRV) $48<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n22. Patz & Hall 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cPisoni Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Santa Lucia Highlands) $80<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n23. Merry Edwards 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cKlopp Ranch\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (RRV) $57<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n24. Napa Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cNapa Valley\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $26<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n25. Siduri 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cSonoma Coast\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma Coast, CA) $30<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n26. Truchard 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cCarneros\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $35<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n27. Adobe Road 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cSonoma Coast\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $39<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n28. Robert Stemmler 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cCarneros\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $36<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n29. Dutton Goldfield 2006 Pinot Noir \u201cSanchietti Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (RRV) $58<\/strong> (87.5<\/strong>)
\n30. Dutton Goldfield 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cDutton Ranch\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (RRV) $38<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n31. La Crema 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cLos Carneros\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $38<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n32. Tom Eddy 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cElodian\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>(Yamhill Carlton, OR) $35<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n33. Amity 2007 Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong> (Willamette Valley, OR) $20<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n34. Cambria 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cJulia's Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Santa Maria Valley, CA) $21<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n35. Atwater 2007 Pinot Noir \u201cFinger Lakes\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $18<\/strong> (86.5<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

As you can see, there are lots of Very Good Pinots to choose from.\u00c2\u00a0 We found you the best ones.\u00c2\u00a0 Now go find them and enjoy.\u00c2\u00a0 Cheers – Ken<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In\u00c2\u00a0the last 2 months we have reviewed over 65 Pinot Noirs.\u00c2\u00a0 The results of our large blind tasting were posted last month.\u00c2\u00a0 In this post we will highlight the Pinots that were recommended from our mini tastings and blind flights.\u00c2\u00a0 There are 35 recommendations below.\u00c2\u00a0 We will showcase the Pinots that scored 90+ points.\u00c2\u00a0 The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,102,8,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pinot-noir","category-russian-river-valley","category-wine-recommendations","category-wine-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=52"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=52"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=52"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=52"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}