108, 2011
Wine Enthusiast Scores: August 2011
In the August 2011 Issue of the Wine Enthusiast several of Grapevine's wines earned excellent scores. Call you local independent retailer to order some of these wines: Amizetta 2007 [...]
-
Tannins, even at this stage of the games, are dense and give the wine a brooding sort of nature that belies the relative youth of the vines from which it comes. This bottling is going to have a serious sense of pizzazz. The fruit is wonderfully ripe without being out of balance at all. The tannins are large-scale in some instances but, again, they are perfectly within context of the fruit intensity and acidity of the wine. This is large-scale stuff but it is in no way any sort of fruit-bomb. - Deep red. Intense blackberry and cherry aromas are complicated by notes of anise, sassafras and smoky minerals. Plush, expansive dark berry flavors show an attractive pliancy and pick up a touch of bitter cherry with air. Fine-grained tannins add shape and grip to a long, mineral-accented finish. This drinks very well now but has the depth to suggest patience will be repaid.
- Earthy character and more a tannic structure than their other Pinot noirs. It has a wonderful mingling of pure red cherries, raspberries, that particular Dundee Hill spice along with an earthy undertone that fills in the wine giving it great dimension without adding to the mass of the wine. This is a bit of a sexy beast of wine that will have power and swagger in its youth and evolve into something exotic and complex with bottle age.
- Dark garnet. This needs a ton of air. Once open, it shows a complex & alluring nose with earthy/truffle & rhubarb aromatics. Loads of acidic structure. Some cherry & mushroom notes emerge as it breathes. Very clean & fresh mouthfeel accents the medium body.
- The wine is exceptionally dark in color, has intense aromatics that mingle the ripe fruit characteristics of the vintage, the darker, brooding qualities of the site and the wonderful traits that whole cluster fermentation brings both aromatically and texturally. This is a fun, jumpy, rich and muscular wine that should show well in its youth but has the balance to be an excellent cellaring Pinot Noir.
- Straw yellow and lite in the glass. Tropical fruit, honey, crème brûlée and citrus on the nose. Med-lite body and zesty with tropical fruit and bright, saline minerals on palate. Tropical fruit becomes mouthwatering mid-palate. Med-short finish. Delicious.
- This Pinot noir shows the alluring characteristics of cool-climate Pinot, with fruit and savory components playing off each other, all wrapped in an elegant package. Earth, spice, leather, tobacco, and coconut meld with red fruits to create a complex and exotic aromatic profile. In the mouth, this wine has more power than one might expect from a cooler vintage. Notes of earth, dark plum, and black pepper grace the palate. Sweet fruit and well integrated soft tannins create the backbone for this wine’s smooth and silky finish.
- Excellent nose and structure. Seeming lack of fruit, neither red nor black. A lot of dust, forest floor, dirt is what I noticed. Acid is there but not strong...firm tannins that coat your mouth.
- Lean and brightly red-fruited, this Pinot carries both herbal and spice pungency into a juicy, brisk but impressively sustained finish, with - as one often witnesses in this vintage - the marrowy meaty dimension supplying what sense of richness is present.
- Unique, excellent and never very much of them. Nuanced to a fault. Has a seamless nature to it while incorporating a wide-range of fruits and spices. Stronger finishing tannins than normal give it a gutsy gloss to the texture.
- Leading with boysenberry, cigar-box, smoke, rose petals, and plum, the nose is as rich and concentrated as you would expect from this classic blend. The dark aromatics in the nose are overtaken by mouthwatering, bright flavors of Bing cherry and zesty lemon. The back of the palate is textured by bright acidity and soft tannins that push out the long and lingering finish.
- Willamette Valley Pinot noir is seductively perfumed with aromas of boysenberry, violets, almond, lavender and vanilla pipe tobacco. The opulent nose transitions into a radiant palate of red fruit, with profound notes of raspberry, Bing cherry, pomegranate and cassis. Velvety tannins spread across the palate balanced by pleasing acidity with nutmeg, caraway, and Chinese five-spice lingering through the enduring finish. A bold wine on a delicate frame, you can enjoy this wine now or lay it down for several yea
- Patton Valley West Block Pinot Noir is a wine that will warm you up as we emerge from a wet Oregon winter! In the nose, hints of apple wood smoke, rose petals, and berry pie are balanced by notes of toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, and cacao. Upon entry, the palate is a symphony of blueberry, ripe cherry, and hints of chestnut. The West Block demonstrates its sense of place with big, structured tannins that broaden the mouthfeel and accentuate the fruit. Ample late summer sun gives this wine saturated structure that lends itself to long term age ability.
- This Pinot noir shows abundant aromatics, immediately woodsy but overwhelmingly fresh with lavender and red plum, sweet caramel and malt. The palate is lush and broad with sweet cherry, cigar box, and the faintest hint of peat smoke. Soft and very subtle tannins give this wine a solid backbone. A great acid profile makes this wine likely to offer boundless enjoyment when consumed in the short term, or if given some time to rest, the distinct potential of becoming something much more profound. Drink now or cellar 5-8 years.
- Leads with citrus aromas of tangerine, grapefruit, orange marmalade and lime, but builds with cantaloupe and pear. Flavors of nectarine and candied lemon grace the pleasingly broad palate. The wine finishes with the lightness of cream soda and orange oil. The hallmark of every great Patton Valley rosé is the acidity, and this wine does not disappoint.
- This wine is more voluptuous than in most, with a nose full of cherry and raspberry. A great mouthfeel leads to cassis, currant and blackberry flavors. The finish is long and earthy with a hint of spice. This is a great bargain.
- Deep garnet in color, the spice driven nose includes aromas of red cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of sweet tobacco leaf. Full flavored with a sweet, juicy, and deep center, surrounded by ripe red raspberry, a touch of gravel, bergamot, and strawberry compote. Nice firm structure. Finish is pure fruit with those briar-earth elements. A compact, complex and complete Pinot noir.
- Ruby red. Spiced black cherry nose with a bit of Havana’s finest cigar box and ripe fresh plum. Creamy textured in the mouth with flavors of black cherry and tobacco leaf and a hint of vanilla followed with white pepper, sweet dried plums and a pinch of clover. Chewy tannins that roll around the mouth with a splash of berry fruit leather. A nice long, juicy, cherry finish. This wine says, Dundee Hills in flavor components and texture.
- Spice rack is the theme of the 2012 ROCO Pinots and this Stalker is Spice City. Whiffs of spiced tobacco and a teensy bit of cassis and plum on the nose. Black pepper and tobacco leaf with wild black plum fruit on the front palate. Then, full on briar-patch in the mouth with a bit of raspberry and honey. Succulent plum concentrate balanced by a lively backbone of acid and tannin. The finish is juicy and ends with an earthy complexity of flavors and structure.
- Very dark crimson red color. Imagine late ripened blackberry juice with a pinch of boysenberry and spice in the aromatics. Elegance and power are balanced on a razor’s edge here. Ripe black cherry and boysenberry flavors dance on a bed of gravelly tannins and lively mineral acidity. Remembrances of tilled earth and feral black cherry fruit go on and on. Spice-driven center scattered with ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, cinnamon stick, and a touch of tea. Big beautiful mouth feel. This lady is strutting and shimmering her way across your taste buds. Refined and well adjusted she makes you sigh, “yes.”
- The nose of this wine makes one think of cool tropical breezes with gentle aromatics of passion fruit and Guava. Further investigation reveals the essence of subtle oak, cinnamon and green apples. The mouth texture is “oh so creamy” and almost soft, but has a definite crispness to its edges. We roll this Chardonnay around our palates and hear comments of, “nectarine, lemon, and apricot”. This is a beautifully balanced wine with just the right core of acidity and flavor. Its profile is broad and round with a finish of elegant oak. There’s a romantic quality to the wine with its sexy, brilliant flavors and soft, creamy texture.