Syrah is a black grape that, unlike Pinot Noir, is relatively easy to grow and to make great wines from. Unfortunately, while it is a grape that is popular with winemakers, and there are many very well made and reasonably priced bottlings on the market, it has yet to gain much respect among U.S. consumers.

The standard joke in the wine business the past couple years has been, “What’s the difference between syphilis and Syrah? You can get rid of a case of syphilis.” I believe the lack of consumer acceptance in this country has a lot to do with the different styles of Syrah, and the fact that consumers here experienced mainly the jammy, high alcohol style before they got to try more profound, complex and savory versions. As a result, many seem to have tuned out on the grape entirely without giving other styles of Syrah-based wine a chance.

Syrah is the great grape of France’s Northern Rhone region, producing complex, powerful and long aging wines on the steep slopes of its Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Cornas appellations. It originated in this part of the world, probably centuries ago, as the result of a natural crossing between two obscure grapes—the black grape Dureza and the white grape Mondeuse Blanc.

Its success in the Northern Rhone and the fact that it is relatively easy to grow led to Syrah being widely planted in the Southern Rhone and other winegrowing regions of Southern France starting in the mid-‘70s. It has long been the most widely planted black grape in Australia, where it is known as “Shiraz.” It has also become a major black grape in Washington State, South Africa and Argentina. As a result, it is estimated that Syrah is now the world’s seventh most planted grape.

California was slow to get on the Syrah bandwagon, starting only in the early 1990s. The number of Syrah vines planted quickly skyrocketed after that, however, going from around 800 acres in 1992 to over 19,000 by 2010.

Syrah is practically Pinot Noir’s opposite. Where Pinot prefers cooler climates and is hard to grow, Syrah likes somewhat warmer conditions and is a hardy grape that is much less susceptible than Pinot to diseases and rot. Unlike Pinot’s relatively low amounts of coloring material and tannin, Syrah is full of anthocyanins, producing dark purple and tannic wines. Syrah also very much benefits from whole cluster pressing, or stem inclusion, whereas delicate Pinot fruit can often be obscured and overwhelmed by more than a little bit of stem inclusion. And while Pinot Noir is celebrated in an endless array of festivals and events, there is no event in this hemisphere solely devoted to Syrah.

Yes, Syrah grown in very warm climates and allowed to get quite ripe can produce jammy, chocolaty, blueberry and black fruit flavored, high alcohol wines. There’s a market for that, but very inexpensive Shirazes from Australia—we’re talking brands like Yellow Tail and Rosemount–have saturated the demand for that kind of wine. They’re also not at all food friendly.

Syrah grown in cooler locations–like Edna Valley, the Sonoma Coast and Mt. Veeder in California; the Margaret River and Adelaide Hills regions of Australia; and Washington State–reminds me a lot more of Syrah from the Northern Rhone. These wines show white and black pepper, savory flavors like olive and green herbs, along with tart black fruits, berries and good acidity. They also tend to age very well, eventually showing such delicious mature flavors as bacon fat and beef brisket.

I, for one, think it’s high time that Syrah got some love. Frankly, consumers would get a lot more value—wines of more interest and complexity—if they plunked down $25 or $35 for a Syrah than the average Cabernet. The wines tend to go with the same kinds of foods—grilled meats, game, beef stews, barbecue–and will satisfy those looking for big, serious, hearty wines.

The world’s greatest Syrahs—Chave’s Hermitage, Guigal’s Côte Rôtie bottlings—often run hundreds of dollars. One of the relative bargains among great Syrah from the Rhone are the complex and delicious wines made by Thierry Allemand in Cornas, which go for $60 to $80. Australia also makes some truly great Syrahs/Shirazes, such as Torbreck’s Run Rig and Penfold’s Grange, but these are hard to find and very pricey. Washington State’s best Syrahs are very much in demand in that state, with bottlings from Cayuse being sought after by collectors around the country.

For much less money, savvy shoppers can get world class Syrah from California producers. Among the best are wines from Arnot-Roberts, Bedrock, Cabot, Copain, Peay and Qupé. Syrahs from these producers range in price from $25 to $50. One of my favorites, year after year, is the great Mt. Veeder Syrah from Lagier-Meredith, which sells for less than $50.

Steve Lagier and Carole Meredith of Lagier Meredith

If you have never tried Syrah, you owe it to yourself. If you previously gave up on Syrah/Shiraz because it was jammy and high in alcohol, try some of the producers listed above. Syrah really is a world class grape and there are lots of outstanding versions of it around.

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I always look forward to the annual Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting, which kicks off the year for major tastings. It gives an unusually broad perspective on a major region, and is completely focused on the latest vintage to be bottled. I was particularly excited about sampling the much ballyhooed 2009s. Despite the major Occupy Wall Street West demonstration that tied up all of Market Street downtown, bringing traffic to a crawl and making it impossible to park where I’d originally planned, I made it to the event only a few minutes late. I then managed to taste through 92 wines from 82 producers, including retastes of several of my favorites. I tasted through all but one of the whites, all the Sauternes and my high priority reds, but many of the reds were all poured out within an hour or so. Most producers only had five or six bottles on hand. I therefore missed out on Chateaux Batailley, Canon, La Gaffeliere, Gazin, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, La Lagune, Lascombes, and a few other Margaux.

I am delighted to report that there are lots of supple and delicious wines in this vintage. Overall, it was the best showing of any UGC Bordeaux event I’ve attended since the 2000 vintage. Many of the wines were the best new vintages I’ve tasted from the represented producers. The showing overall was better than 2005 and at least as good as 2000, but with less in the way of hard tannins than either of those vintages. Tannin levels are supposed to be quite high in 2009, but they are ripe and sweet tannins which, together with the relatively high alcohol levels and overall ripeness, have yielded wines that are remarkably approachable now, and that should also age quite well. I thought the whites, from Graves and Pessac-Léognan, were remarkably good. The reds were good from all over, especially the Left Bank appellations St. Julien, Pauillac and Pessac-Léognan, and the Right Bank appellations St. Émilion and Pomerol. There are also some very good Sauternes from 2009 as well, although many are lacking the lively acidity one expects from the very best Sauternes.

Bottom line: much of the hype for this vintage is, in my opinion, justified. The ripe fruit absorbed the oak treatments much better than the prior few years, and the sheer deliciousness and appealing nature of the vintage, from top to bottom, is pretty self evident. I don’t think it’s quite a top vintage for Sauternes, due to lower than ideal acidities, but it’s a very good one. For white and red Bordeaux, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Below are my tasting notes for all 92 wines, organized by appellation. The most impressive wines, for me, at this event, which I rated 93 points or higher were:
Whites
2009 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – 93+ points
2009 Château de Fieuzal Blanc – 93 points
2009 Château Haut-Bergey Blanc – 93 points
2009 Château La Tour-Martillac Blanc – 93 points
2009 Château Olivier Blanc – 93+ points
2009 Château Pape Clément – 94 points

Graves/Pessac-Léognan

• 2009 Château Carbonnieux Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; smoky, lemon grass, lime nose; tasty, smoky, lemon grass, lime palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ points (60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Carbonnieux – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; tart currant, pencil lead nose; poised, tart currant, pencil lead palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Chantegrive Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves
  Light medium golden color; appealing, Semillon, light pepper, smoke nose; tart citron, grapefruit, smoke, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Chantegrive – France, Bordeaux, Graves
  Dark ruby color; oak, coffee, green olive nose; tasty, tart currant, olive palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; complex, tart citron, mineral, tart orange nose; tasty, oily textured, tart citron, mineral, tart orange palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 93+ points (93 pts.)
• 2009 Domaine de Chevalier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark maroon color; appealing, berry, roasted berry, roast coffee nose; soft, roasted berry, coffee, pencil lead, cassis palate; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Fieuzal Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light golden yellow color; appealing, lightly smoky, lemon grass nose; tasty, concentrated, tart citrus, smoke, mineral palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Fieuzal – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Very dark red violet color; violet, ripe currant nose; tart currant, violet palate; needs 5-plus years; medium-plus finish (55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Haut-Bailly – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; currant, violet, cedar, vanilla nose; tasty, tight, tart cassis, violet palate; needs 4 years; medium-plus finish (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Haut-Bergey Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; smoke, oak, tart citronella, light pepper nose; tasty, complex, smoke, tart citron, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Haut-Bergey – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark red violet color; violet, cassis, tart currant, camphor nose; tasty, violet, cassis, tart currant, camphor palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light lemon yellow color; oak, smoky nose; silky textured, tart citron, oak, tart pineapple palate; medium finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; redolent, tart currant, olive, tart plum nose; tart currant, cedar, olive, tart plum palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Tour-Martillac Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; smoke, tart citron nose; tasty, poised, oily textured, tart citron, smoke, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Tour-Martillac – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; tart cassis, bacon fat, gravel nose; tart currant, tart raspberry, gravel palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; tart citron, lemon nose; lemon, tart citron, lime palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Malartic-Lagravière – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; redolent, tart currant, cedar nose; tart currant, cedar palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 90+ points (59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Olivier Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light yellow color; smoke, lemon grass nose; tasty, smoke, lemon grass, lime, mineral palate; long finish 93+ points (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Olivier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; gravel, roasted plum, raspberry nose; tasty, raspberry, tart cassis, gravel, roasted plum, cedar palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Pape Clément Blanc – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Light lemon yellow color; focused, intriguing, citron, mineral nose; tasty, focused, oily textured, tart citron, mineral palate; long finish (48% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, 6% Sauvignon Gris, 6% Muscadelle) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Pape Clément – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; appealing, violet, cedar, cassis, plum nose; tasty, tight, tart plum, cassis, cedar palate; long finish 95+ points (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc) (95 pts.)
• 2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  Dark ruby color; raspberry, cassis nose; tasty, tight, cassis, tart cherry, cedar palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)

St. Émilion

• 2009 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Very dark red violet color; focused cassis, tart currant nose; tasty, ripe currant, cedar palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Berliquet – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; tart currant, olive nose; tart currant, olive palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 88+ points (73% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon) (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; very appealing, cassis, cherry, cedar nose; tight, cedar, tart cassis, tart plum palate; needs 7-plus years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Figeac – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; appealing, tart currant, pencil lead, cedar nose; plush but elegant, ripe currant, cassis, cedar, pencil lead palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish (94 pts.)
• 2009 Clos Fourtet – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; poised, elegant, plum, roasted plum nose; tart plum, violet, tar, cedar palate; needs 5-plus years; long finish 93+ points (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Grand Mayne – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Very dark red violet color; ripe currant, plum nose; tart currant, cedar palate; needs 5-plus years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Couspaude – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Very dark red violet color; ripe currant, cedar nose; tasty, ripe currant, cedar, tart cherry palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Dominique – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Very dark ruby color; cedar, ripe currant, herbaceous nose; tasty, tart currant, cedar, herbaceous, oak palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Larcis Ducasse – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; cassis nose; tasty, cassis, light menthol palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Larmande – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; cedar, tart currant nose; tight, tart currant, tart red plum, cedar, oak palate; needs 4 years; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Pavie Macquin – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; violet, berry, cassis nose; hedonistic, berry, vanilla, cassis palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Soutard – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Dark ruby color; focused cassis nose; tasty, tart cassis, tart cherry palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Troplong Mondot – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Very dark red violet color; aromatic, pencil lead, cassis nose; plush, cassis, pencil lead, plum palate; needs 3-4 years; medium-plus finish 94+ points (90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 % Cabernet Franc) (94 pts.)

Pomerol

• 2009 Château Beauregard – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Dark red violet color; appealing, ripe cassis, plum, cedar nose; focused, ripe cassis, plum, cedar palate; needs 3-plus years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Clinet – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Very dark red violet color; appealing, tart cassis, menthol, black fruit nose; plush, tasty, tart black fruit, plum, menthol palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Cabanne – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Dark ruby color; oak, ripe currant nose; oak, ripe currant, cassis, plum palate; for early drinking; medium finish (92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc) (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Conseillante – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Dark ruby color; elegant, cassis, menthol, cedar nose; tasty, elegant, tart cassis, cedar palate; needs 5-6 years; medium-plus finish (81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Pointe – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Very dark red violet color; pencil lead, currant nose; pencil lead, tart currant palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Petit Village – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  Dark red violet color; tart currant, olive nose; olive, tart currant palate; for early drinking; medium finish (75% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc) (88 pts.)

Listrac-Médoc and Moulis en Médoc

• 2009 Château Clarke – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Listrac-Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; pencil lead, tart plum nose; tart plum, pencil lead palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Chasse-Spleen – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; tart currant, menthol nose; tasty, tart currant, menthol palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Maucaillou – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; tart currant, roasted plum nose; tart currant, roasted plum palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Poujeaux – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; currant, plum, oak nose; ripe currant, oak palate; medium finish (88 pts.)

Médoc and Haut-Médoc

• 2009 Château Beaumont – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; menthol, olive, herbaceous nose; menthol, olive, herbaceous palate; medium finish (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot) (86 pts.)
• 2009 Château Belgrave – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; violet, cassis nose; ripe cassis,, plum, violet, oak palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Cantemerle – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Opaque red violet color; roasted coffee, currant nose; tasty, plush, tart currant, coffee palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Citran – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; big, tart plum, cassis nose; tart plum, cassis palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Camensac – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; lifted, tart currant nose; tasty, tart currant, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château Coufran – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Dark ruby color; olive, tart currant nose; green olive, tart currant, Cab Franc palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Greysac – France, Bordeaux, Médoc
  Very dark red violet color; green olive, currant nose; green olive, currant palate; for early drinking; medium finish (58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot) (87 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Tour Carnet – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Dark ruby color; focused, cassis nose; tasty, cassis, plum, oak palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Tour de By – France, Bordeaux, Médoc
  Dark ruby color; oak, olive, currant nose; oak, olive, currant palate; for early drinking; medium finish (86 pts.)

Margaux

• 2009 Château Brane-Cantenac – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Very dark red violet color; lovely cassis, cedar, olive nose; cassis, cedar, olive palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Desmirail – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Dark ruby color; roasted coffee, currant nose; tasty, roast coffee, tart currant palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château du Tertre – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Dark red violet color; tart currant, olive nose; olive, herbaceous, tart currant palate; for early drinking; medium finish (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot) (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château Giscours – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Very dark red violet color; herbaceous, tart currant nose; tasty, tart currant, herbaceous, olive palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 91+ points (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Kirwan – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Dark ruby color; appealing, tart currant nose; plush, tart currant palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Labégorce – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Dark ruby color; tart currant, olive nose; tart currant, olive palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Rauzan-Gassies – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Very dark red violet color; cedar, tart currant, herbaceous nose; tasty, focused, elegant, tart currant, olive palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot) (92 pts.)

St. Julien

• 2009 Château Beychevelle – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark red violet color; appealing, violet, pencil lead, tart currant nose; tasty, elegant, tart currant, pencil lead palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Gloria – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Very dark red violet color; oak, roast coffee, tart black fruit nose; tart currant, tart black fruit, roast coffee palate; medium finish (61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Gruaud Larose – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark red violet color; very appealing, lifted, tart currant, cedar, herbaceous, pencil lead nose; classic, tasty, plush, pencil lead, tart currant palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Lagrange St. Julien – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Very dark red violet color; focused, ripe currant nose; tasty, ripe currant, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish; appealing, for early drinking; medium-plus finish (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Langoa Barton – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Opaque red violet color; appealing, tart cassis, cedar nose; tasty, focused, tart cassis, raspberry, cedar palate with lift; medium-plus finish (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Léoville Barton – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark ruby color; poised, elegant, cedar, tart currant nose; tasty, elegant, poised, tart currant, cedar palate; needs 5-plus years; long finish (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22.5% Merlot, .5% Cabernet Franc) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Léoville Poyferré – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark red violet color; focused, tart cassis, currant, pencil lead nose; tight, pencil lead, tart currant, tart cassis palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Saint-Pierre – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Very dark red violet color; redolent, tart currant, pencil lead nose; tasty, tart currant, pencil lead palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Talbot – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark red violet color; aromatic, pencil lead, tart currant, herbaceous nose; classic, tasty, tart currant, pencil lead, cedar palate; needs 2 years; long finish (95 pts.)

Pauillac

• 2009 Château Croizet-Bages – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Very dark red violet color; tart currant, olive nose; olive, tart currant palate; for early drinking; medium finish (86 pts.)
• 2009 Château d’Armailhac – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Very dark red violet color; tart currant, light olive nose; tasty, ripe currant, olive palate; medium-plus finish (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Haut-Bages Libéral – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Very dark red violet color; focused, tart currant nose; tasty, tart currant, herbaceous palate with green notes; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Château Lynch-Bages – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Dark ruby color; lovely pencil lead, tart currant, cassis nose; tasty, tight, elegant, tart currant, pencil lead palate; needs 6-7 years; medium-plus finish (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Dark ruby color; aromatic, tobacco, green herbs, tart currant nose; focused, tart currant, green herbs, camphor palate; needs 3-plus years; long finish (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Dark ruby color; appealing, focused, elegant, tart cassis, cedar nose; tight but plush, cedar, cassis, currant palate; needs 7-plus years; long finish (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot) (94 pts.)

St. Estèphe

• 2009 Château Cos Labory – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  Dark ruby color; pencil lead, ripe currant nose; tasty, ripe currant, pencil lead palate; for early drinking; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Pez – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  Dark ruby color; redolent currant nose; tart currant palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish 88+ points (47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot) (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Lafon-Rochet – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  Dark red violet color; tart currant, menthol nose; tart currant, menthol palate; for early drinking; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Les Ormes de Pez – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  Dark ruby color; appealing, tart currant, herbaceous nose; tasty, tart currant, cedar, tart cherry palate; needs 3-plus years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (a relatively good value) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Phélan Ségur – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  Dark ruby color; appealing, tart currant, lifted nose; tasty, tart currant, tart plum palate; for early drinking; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Barsac and Sauternes

• 2009 Château Bastor-Lamontagne – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light golden color; appealing, apricot, botrytis nose; ripe apricot, sugared apricot, coconut palate with good acidity; long finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Climens – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
  Light golden color; ravishing, floral, baked apricot nose; delicious, youthful, baked apricot palate with good balance; long finish (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Coutet – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
  Light medium golden color; botrytis, baked pear, apricot nose; rich, tasty, pear, baked pear, light apricot palate; long finish 93+ points (75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Fargues – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light golden color; botrytis, powdered sugar, apricot tart nose; sugary, apricot tart palate with lowish acidity; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château de Rayne-Vigneau – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light medium golden color; baked orange, botrytis, honeyed nose; tasty, honey, baked orange, orange peel palate; long finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Château Doisy-Daëne – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light golden color; light footed, delicate, ripe pear nose; delicate, ripe pear, botrytis, powdered sugar, golden raisin palate; long finish 92+ points (87% Semillon, 13% Sauvignon Blanc) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Château Guiraud – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light golden color; focused, baked pear, pineapple nose; tasty, complex, pineapple, ripe pear, light herbs palate; long finish (65% Semillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc) (94 pts.)
• 2009 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light medium golden color; poached pear, apricot, baked apple nose; sweet, baked apple, poached pear palate with low acidity; long finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light medium golden color; appealing, apricot, baked apricot nose; baked apricot, botrytis, powdered sugar palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2009 Château Suduiraut – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Light medium golden color; appealing, rich, ripe apricot, baked apricot nose; lush, concentrated, apricot, baked apricot, poached pear palate; long finish (93% Semillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc) (94 pts.)

The greatest, most pleasurable aspect of wine tends to be hidden from most consumers. You can buy wine from the store, purchase a glass or bottle at a restaurant, or attend a tasting at most wine stores or consumer tasting events and be totally oblivious of the phenomenon that is the holy grail for fine wine lovers. That is the incredible, often jaw-droppingly complex aromas, flavors and sublime beauty of a great wine that has been aged to maturity.

Not all wines are made for aging. Over 90% of wines in the marketplace are produced to be enjoyed soon after release, so I am not talking about aging a $15 California Chardonnay or the average Zinfandel. Wines made for aging typically have more phenolics than the average wine—more tannins, and compounds known as flavonoids and flavor precursors.

Wines that contain high amounts of these phenolics include top California Cabernet, Bordeaux, Italian wines made from the Nebbiolo grape, traditionally made Tempranillo blends from Rioja, and Syrahs from the Northern Rhone. For the compounds in wines like these to undergo the chemical processes and structural changes needed to fully express the potential range of flavors embodied in these wines takes time—from several years to two or three decades–under proper storage conditions. The result, though, is utterly worth it: wines with profound and entrancing perfume, complex and ethereal flavors, velvety texture, and soft, fully integrated tannins.

I had enjoyed wine, casually, for most of my life without being privy to the peak experience of drinking fabulous aged wine. On the rare occasions when I had a really expensive wine—typically a Napa Cabernet—it was at a restaurant when someone else was paying, like the client for whom I’d just closed a deal as a lawyer, and it was still a relatively recent vintage. A wine like that shows its power and one can tell it has purity of fruit, but there is little or no nuance or complexity to it.

My first opportunity to taste great aged wine—mature Bordeaux and a couple of old Italian wines—didn’t come until I was already in my mid-40s. A friend invited me to a tasting at a wine store in Southern California that regularly offered “library tastings”–tastings of bottles of older wines that they had set aside in their cellar and aged for some years to put into tastings like this for potential consumers. I was so captivated by the complex and nuanced flavors of these wines, and how much more interesting they were than any wine I’d ever tried before, that I just had to learn more about wine from that point on.

RJ at Red Carpet Wines in Glendale, home of my first experiences with aged wines

Last night, I had another such wine, an older Barolo, that reminded me of the huge difference between very good young wines and a great aged wine.

I was at a pasta making party with a group of wine friends. Virtually all the wines were very good and interesting in some way, especially the wines from a young friend of ours whose business is importing wine from selected French producers. The wine that stood out for the whole evening though, for me and my friends, was an older Barolo, a 1993 Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste, that I’d brought. It had a gorgeous nose of dried berry, roasted black fruit and fig, and a complex palate showing a variety of flavors, including anise, blackberry, ginger cake and dried berries.

Eighteen years is not particularly old for a Barolo. Barolo is made from Nebbiolo, the king of Italian grapes, which is very powerful and tannic. The traditional winemaking methods used to extract all that power out of the grape– long maceration periods and aging in neutral large oak casks—yield wines that usually don’t start to show their great complexity and beauty until they are 20 to 25 years old. Even then, they typically require a significant amount of decanting—exposure to air in a decanter or wine glass—to help soften the tannins further and allow the wine to open up and show what’s hidden inside.

So how can the average consumer who hasn’t been buying and storing great wines for years experience a fine aged wine? A number of restaurants, of course, have older vintages on their menus, but they usually run hundreds of dollars. In the local area, Vin Vino Wine in Palo Alto often features library wines in its daily tastings. The schedule for those tastings can be found on their website. K&L in San Francisco and Redwood City often features an older Bordeaux or two in their monthly Saturday Bordeaux tastings. And there’s an unusual group in the Palo Alto area that has met twice a week for blindtastings for over 30 years, often of older wines that have been stored for years by the group’s organizer. If you’re interested in getting on the mailing list for that group’s tastings, send me a message with your email address.

tasting of older Burgundies at Vin Vino

Another way to access the experience of tasting fully mature wines is to ask around and find someone among your friends or acquaintances who collects wine. Ask them to invite you sometime when they are opening an older bottle. I promise the experience will be well worth the effort.

So far in discussing different styles of wine, we’ve explored two of the most widely planted grapes in the world—Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Now it’s time to talk about what may be the world’s most beloved grape, Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir from its region of origin, France’s Burgundy appellation, has an almost fanatic following among wine geeks and collectors. The top vineyards of Burgundy—its “grand crus” and “premier crus”—are, on the whole, very small, and usually divided up among many producers. There’s a relatively tiny quantity of red Burgundy, which is what Pinot Noir is called in Burgundy, compared to the vast amounts of Bordeaux produced, and the increasing demand for it by collectors worldwide has led to enormous prices and scarcity.

Pinot Noir has also become wildly popular in the United States, with its acreage having grown dramatically over the past 15 years. California and Oregon both produce large quantities of Pinot Noir these days, and the demand appears to still be growing. The number of festivals and events devoted to Pinot Noir–like the Pinot on the River event focused on Sonoma County Pinots I wrote about in the last post on my blog–also dwarf those devoted to any other grape.

It certainly helps that Pinot is one of the most versatile varieties when it comes to food pairings. Its delicate flavors and usually good acidity match up ideally with salmon, duck and lamb, but also go well generally with poultry, lighter meats, vegetables and heavier types of fish. It also tends to be lower in alcohol than some of the bigger, heavier red varieties, thus meeting the current interest in wines with less alcohol.

The grape, one of the oldest varieties of vitis vinifera currently cultivated, has a thin skin, which makes it highly susceptible to a variety of diseases and rot. Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, which derives so much of its coloring matter, or anthocyanins, and tannins from its thick skins, Pinot’s thin skin results in red wines that are lighter in color and lower in tannin. Compared to most popular wine grapes, Pinot is also very sensitive to wind, temperature extremes, the types of soil in which it is grown and how it is pruned.

So what are the different styles of Pinot Noir? Since so many growers and winemakers refer to it as a “fickle” grape, explaining that it is both hard to grow and often tricky to make wine out of, perhaps we should refer to the “moods” of Pinot rather than styles.

As an early ripening grape that needs lots of hang time to ripen fully, the most important contributor to style is the climate in which it is grown. It does not do well at all in very warm climates and tends to excel and produce more flavorful grapes when grown in cool climates like Burgundy, New Zealand, Oregon and cooler, more coastal portions of California, like the Sonoma Coast, Carneros and Santa Lucia Highlands.

Pinot Noir is more prone to mutation than most grape varieties, and there are a lot of available clones, including some that have been particularly selected by French authorities to excel in cool climates and be relatively disease free. These are known as the Dijon clones. Other clonal selections have developed in California itself, and seem to do better in warmer locations than the early ripening Dijon clones. Some of these clones tend to produce wines that feature red fruits, like raspberries and cherries, while others tend toward blue and black fruit characteristics, like black cherry and darker berries. Other contributors to the style of the finished wine are the decision whether to pick it earlier or later, whether stems are included in the fermentation, the length of time the juice is allowed to mix with the skins (maceration time), and how much new oak is used in barrel aging.

Some of the successful California producers who aim for a riper, fruitier style include David Bruce, Roar, Sojourn, Testarossa and Kistler. They will wait to pick at optimum ripeness and sugar levels, and often use extended cold macerations to extract as much color and flavor as possible from the skins. Excellent California producers that pick earlier, going for a higher acid and more minerally style, include Arcadian, Calera, Copain and Littorai. Producers whose vineyard locations and clonal selections tend to produce the most structured and ageworthy Pinots include Fort Ross, Mount Eden and Pisoni.

Since Pinot Noir is so sensitive to its environment, Pinot grown in particular areas takes on noticeable flavor characteristics. Russian River Pinot Noirs, for example, are known for a distinct cola flavor, while Anderson Valley Pinots have strong spice notes. In Burgundy as well, Pinot Noir grown in northern villages like Gevrey-Chambertin tends to show more blue and black fruit characteristics, while the great villages of Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle produce wine that has more red fruit characteristics and delicate, floral noses. Further south, in Nuits-St. George and Pommard, the fruit takes on an earthier and often more tannic character.

the result of destemming

The practice of fermenting some or a high percentage of whole grape clusters, i.e., stem inclusion, also has a profound effect on the style, flavors and amount of aging required of the wine. Unless the stems are fully ripe, and sometimes even when they are, they impart green notes and flavors to the wine, ranging from camphor and various mints, to green chili pepper, asparagus and green beans. Over time–five to ten years of bottle age–the tannins imparted by the stems can resolve some, and the green notes can evolve to “forest floor” and tobacco characteristics.

A couple of the most famous and highly priced Burgundy producers, Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Domaine Leroy, regularly include a high percentage of stems from their very low yielding grapes in fermentation, and the practice has become increasingly common in Burgundy, Oregon and among a number of California producers. The California producers that currently use the highest level of stem inclusion are Calera, Melville and Rhys. I am personally not a fan of Pinot with high stem inclusion, but there are many who prefer the results of this practice to the more fruit-dominated character of Pinot with low or no stem inclusion.

So what style, or mood, of Pinot Noir do you prefer? And which regions and producers are your favorites? Knowing what the stylistic differences are in wines made from a particular grape variety can help you find the one that most fits your taste preferences. Zeroing in on the region or winemaking techniques that go into producing that particular style of Pinot can also help you locate other producers whose wines you will likely enjoy.

This eighth annual edition of Pinot on the River was a very fun event, with lots of great wines. Most of the producers come from Sonoma County, but Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot was the focus of the event’s morning seminar. The location and weather proved ideal for the grand tasting portion of the event this year, with cool, sunny skies on the square in Healdsburg. I tasted a total of 147 wines from 65 producers, which was nearly everything on hand, including 91 from the supple and generally delicious 2009 vintage (and 17 from the, so far, underwhelming 2010 vintage).

Ten winemakers/owners, representing 11 producers, were on hand for the morning seminar devoted to Pinot Noir from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unfortunately the temperature at that hour of the morning in the outdoor location where the tasting was held was not ideal for tasting, as it was really too cold, hovering around 58 degrees, for the wines to be fully expressive. It was great to hear from the winemakers, however, especially regarding the challenges of growing wine in the relatively cool SCM climate. For more on that seminar, see below.

My average score for the day was 89.27 points, which is a high score for me on a large-scale tasting of this kind. I was very familiar with most of the producers, which include many that I taste and visit on a regular basis, but there were a few that were new to me: Bluxome Street, Bruliam, St. Rose and VML.

Pinots rated 89 points and higher below were very good and enjoyable. The very top producers at this tasting, for me, responsible for one or more wines I rated 92 points or higher, were Balletto, Benovia, Big Basin, Keefer Ranch, Littorai, Mount Eden, Small Vines, Sojourn and Windy Oaks. The following are the wines I rated 92 points or higher:

2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir Winery Block – 92 points
2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir BCD – 92 points
2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Cohn Vineyard – 92 points
2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una – 93 points
2009 Benovia Pinot Noir La Pommeraie – 93 points
2009 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyards – 92 points
2008 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyards – 92+ points
2009 Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard – 92 points
2009 Littorai Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard – 92 points
2009 Littorai Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard – 92+ points
2008 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate – 92+ points
2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir Russian River – 92+ points
2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir MK Vineyard – 93+ points
2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir Baranoff Vineyard – 93 points
2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Vineyard Sonoma Coast – 93 points
2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast – 92+ points
2008 Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir Proprietor’s Reserve Schultze Family Vineyard – 92 points

For the complete tasting notes, and additional comments on particular producers, see below.

Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir Morning Seminar

from left, Jeffrey Patterson of Mount Eden, Jim Schultze of Windy Oaks, Bradley Brown of Big Basin, and Prudy Foxx, President of the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticulture Association

As mentioned above, at 10 am when this seminar started, it was too chilly for these wines to show properly. My tasting notes for this seminar are really based on not only what I was able to get out of the icy glass, warming it as best I could, but also deciphering the wine underneath the ice, based on my prior experiences with the wine or winery.

Santa Cruz Mountains is my home wine country. It was officially designated an appellation in 1981, becoming the first appellation recognized for its mountainous terrain, with vineyards up to 2600 feet. The typical vineyard size, given the terrain, is also quite small compared to other appellations. About a quarter of the appellation is planted to Pinot Noir, another quarter to Chardonnay, a third quarter to Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest to other grapes. The climate is cool and often foggy and cloudy in spots, favoring Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which crave cool growing conditions.

Prudy Foxx summarized the 2011 SCM vintage as being “nature’s reaction against high alcohol wines.” At most, grapes got to 23-24 brix, versus the 25-27 range in warmer years. The Spring rains also washed off pollen, stopping grapes from setting in a lot of rows and vineyards. There was also a lot of “shatter,” i.e., flowers that never formed berries. Tonnage was about half as much as usual. On the other hand, Prudy claimed, it was an opportunity to pull flavors from SCM grapes that they haven’t seen for years.

• 2008 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Bottled – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; reticent cherry, black cherry, baking spice nose; baking spice, tart cherry, tart raspberry, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2008 Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir Proprietor’s Reserve Schultze Family Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium cherry red with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; rhubarb, light French oak, graham cracker nose; tight, tart cherry, rhubarb, graham cracker palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (30% whole cluster, 34-day fermentation; 70% new French oak; 24 mos. in barrel; oldest block, very steep) (92 pts.)
• 2008 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyards – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium dark ruby color; intense, tart cherry, black cherry, floral nose; creamy textured, tart cherry, black cherry, subtle spice palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2009 Martin Alfaro Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Dark ruby color; ripe black cherry, wild berry nose; tight, tart raspberry, tart black cherry, wild berry palate with good acidity; medium finish 90+ points (clones 667 & 777) (90 pts.)
• 2001 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Bottled Santa Cruz Mountains – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Slightly bricking medium ruby color with pale meniscus; mature, dried berry, sweet tobacco, tart cherry nose; mature, tart raspberry, tart red fruit palate with medium acidity; medium finish (86 pts.)
• 2008 Vine Hill Winery Pinot Noir Cumbre of Vine Hill Raffaelli Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Dark ruby color; baked cherry, baking spice, rhubarb nose; tight, baking spice, baked cherry palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish (667, 777 and Pommard) (90 pts.)
• 2008 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Dark ruby color; aromatic, baked raspberry, brown sugar, black cherry, nutmeg nose; tight, tart black cherry,k black raspberry, nutmeg palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (clones 114, 115, 667 and 777) (90 pts.)
• 2007 Burrell School Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Very dark ruby color; brett, tart berry nose; tight, tart berry, baked berry, brett palate; medium finish (planted in 1991; Pommard 05 & 3 Dijon clones) (88 pts.)
• 2008 Beauregard Vineyards Pinot Noir Bald Mountain Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium dark ruby color; spicy, baked cherry, baked berry, American oak nose; ripe raspberry, black raspberry, vanilla palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
• 2008 Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Estate Rapley Trail Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium cherry red color; sandalwood, black cherry nose; tight, black cherry, sandalwood, soy sauce palate; medium finish (Martini clone; 3 yr old air dried French oak) (89 pts.)
• 2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County
  Dark ruby color; stems, savory, green bean, green bean casserole nose; tight, stemmy, thin tart red fruit palate with firm tannins; needs 7 years; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)

Alysian

• 2008 Alysian Wines (Gary Farrell) Pinot Noir Floodgate Vineyards Rock Hill – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; ripe cherry, cinnamon nose; cinnamon, ripe cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2008 Alysian Wines (Gary Farrell) Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard, Allen-Rochioli Blocks – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; nice tart cherry, floral nose; tasty, poised, tart cherry, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Auteur

• 2009 Auteur Pinot Noir Sonoma Stage Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium cherry red color; nice cherry, baked cherry, red fruit nose; tasty, silky textured, baked cherry, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2009 Auteur Pinot Noir Back Block Shea Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Dark cherry red color; baked cherry, French oak nose; baked cherry, French oak palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Bailiwick

Bailiwick was launched in 2009 by brothers Bryan and Paul Vais. They’ve been making wine as hobbyists since the ’80s. Their inaugural 2009 releases are quite impressive.

• 2009 Bailiwick Wines Pinot Noir Borderline – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Marin County
  Light medium red color with pale meniscus; floral, hibiscus, tart cherry nose; soft, tart cherry, floral palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (inaugural release; Swan selection, Dijon and Pommard clones; 16 mos. in French oak, 50% new) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Bailiwick Wines Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Light medium red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; tart cherry, hibiscus nose; tasty, tart cherry, hibiscus palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Bailiwick Wines Pinot Noir Silver Pines Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
  Medium red color; tart cherry, light incense, herbal nose; tasty, herbal, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (100% clone 115) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Bailiwick Wines Pinot Noir Michaud – USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, sandalwood nose; tart cherry, tart red fruit palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Balletto

I was very impressed with this Balletto lineup. They’ve progressed a lot since I first tasted Balletto’s Pinots two years ago. The Ballettos own about 500 acres of vines in the cool, southern part of the Russian River AVA, planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. They sell most of their grapes to other wineries, selecting about 10% of what they grow for their own wines. Anthony Beckman, formerly with Peay, is the winemaker. There is clearly delicious fruit here, which is generally complimented by the winemaking.

• 2010 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Bottled – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; strawberry pie, raspberry nose; tasty, strawberry pie, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir Winery Block – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; graham cracker, cherry nose; ripe cherry, ripe raspberry, vanilla palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
• 2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir BCD – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; ripe cherry, raspberry, floral nose; tasty, poised, ripe cherry, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
• 2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir Burnside Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; nice cherry, baked cherry, cola nose; cola, cherry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Benovia

I’m a big fan of Benovia’s Pinots. Their Chardonnays are quite good too. The owners are Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane, along with co-owner and winemaker Mike Sullivan. They have 71 acres of estate vineyards, including the Cohn Vineyard. The Pommeraie Vineyard is owned by the Martinellis. The Bella Una is a blend of grapes from two Russian River vineyards, Martinelli and Dutton Manzana, consisting of Dijon clones 115 and 828.

• 2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, cranberry nose; rich, tart cherry, cranberry, tart raspberry palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; spicy, tart cherry, tart raspberry, baking spice nose; tight, tart strawberry, tart raspberry palate with a touch of brett; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Cohn Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County
  Medium dark cherry red color; floral, hibiscus, tart strawberry nose; tasty, poised, tart cherry, tart red fruit palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (planted in 1970) (92 pts.)
• 2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; appealing, focused, rich cherry, black raspberry nose; tasty, rich but poised, tart cherry, black cherry palate with subtle spice and good acidity; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
• 2009 Benovia Pinot Noir La Pommeraie – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark ruby color; tart cherry, ripe raspberry, French oak nose; tasty, poised, tart cherry, raspberry palate with integrating oak; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)

Berridge

• 2009 Berridge Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma
  Dark cherry red color; baked cherry, graham cracker, oak nose; tart cherry, French oak palate; needs 2 years; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Berridge Wines Pinot Noir Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, oak, pie crust nose; tight, tart cherry, pie crust palate; medium-plus finish (mostly Londer fruit) (89 pts.)
• 2009 Berridge Wines Pinot Noir Mendocino – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  Medium dark red color; tart cherry, light floral nose; tart cherry, tart berry, floral palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)

Big Basin

• 2009 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County
  Medium dark cherry red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; tart berry, tart cherry nose; tart black cherry, berry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyards – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Floral, tart cherry, hibiscus nose; tart cherry, floral, hibiscus palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyards – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry nose; appealing, tart cherry, floral palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
• 2009 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Woodruff Family Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium cherry red color with 2 millimeter clear meniscus; focused, berry, black cherry nose; berry, black cherry, raspberry palate; medium finish (91 pts.)

Black Kite

• 2009 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite’s Rest – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, light brett nose; tart cherry, light brett palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Black Kite Pinot Noir River Turn – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Dark cherry red color; baked raspberry, cherry pie filling nose; soft, baked raspberry, cherry pie filling palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Bluxome Street

• 2009 Bluxome Street Winery Pinot Noir Thorn Ridge Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; brett, tart red fruit nose; soft, brett, tart raspberry palate; medium finish (86 pts.)
• 2008 Bluxome Street Winery Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Dark red color; reticent, cinnamon, light smoke nose; light smoke, tart baked cherry palate; medium finish (83 pts.)
• 2010 Bluxome Street Winery Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark red color; oak, tart cherry, baking spice nose; tart cherry, tart raspberry, baking spice palate; medium finish 87+ points (87 pts.)

Breggo

• 2009 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; pie crust, lightly spicy cherry nose; soft, spicy cherry, pie crust palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir Ferrington Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, baked rhubarb nose; soft, tart cherry, baked rhubarb palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir Donnelly Creek – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; baked cherry, cherry pie, graham cracker nose; tight, cherry pie filling, graham cracker palate; medium finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Bruliam

• 2009 Bruliam Pinot Noir Doctor’s Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, baked cherry, pie crust nose; tasty, baked cherry, pie crust palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2010 Bruliam Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  (Pre-release: Jan. 2012 release) Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, cherry pie filling, herbal nose; soft, cherry, pie filling, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2010 Bruliam Pinot Noir Deer Meadows Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium cherry red color; tart cherry, spicy nose; soft, spicy cherry palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Bruliam Zinfandel Rocky Ridge Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Rockpile
  Dark cherry red color; deep berry, violet nose; violet, berry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Burrell School

• 2006 Burrell School Vineyards Pinot Noir Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; maturing, tart red fruit, baked berry nose; tart black cherry, baked berry palate with firm tannins; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Calstar

• 2009 Calstar Cellars Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart berry nose; tasty, tart berry, black cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2008 Calstar Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; baked raspberry, cherry nose; tart cherry, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2007 Calstar Cellars Pinot Noir Londer Estate Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart black cherry nose; black cherry, cherry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Canihan Family

• 2007 Canihan Family Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; minty, chocolate nose; chocolate, cherry, mint palate; medium finish (French oak for 23 mos.) (90 pts.)
• 2008 Canihan Family Pinot Noir Exuberance Estate – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, raspberry nose; tight, ripe cherry, baked raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Canihan Family Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color; red fruit, light mint nose; light brett, red fruit, mint palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)

Cartograph

• 2009 Cartograph Pinot Noir Floodgate Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color; ripe cherry, French oak nose; tasty, tart cherry, French oak palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Cartograph Pinot Noir Perli Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino Ridge
  Medium dark cherry red color; tart cherry, vanilla, French oak nose; tart cherry, vanilla, French oak palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)

Claypool

• 2009 Claypool Cellars Pinot Noir Purple Pachyderm Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; smoke, tart cherry nose; odd, smoke, tart cherry palate with no acidity; medium finish (82 pts.)

Couloir

• 2010 Couloir Wines Pinot Noir Londer – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Pre-release – dark cherry red color; tart black cherry, tart berry nose; tasty, tart cherry, tart black cherry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Demuth Family

• 2006 Demuth Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Demuth Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Light medium orange red color with pale meniscus; nice, baked blood orange nose; tasty, mature, blood orange, caramel palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2007 Demuth Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Demuth Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium cherry red color with 2 millimeter clear meniscus; cherry, raspberry nose; tart cherry, oak, graham cracker palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

De Novo

• 2010 De Novo Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; intense, dried cherry nose; dried cherry, oak palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• 2008 De Novo Pinot Noir Destein Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Bennett Valley
  Light medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; odd, dried berry nose; dried berry, fig palate; medium-plus finish (86 pts.)
• 2007 De Novo Pinot Noir – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; dried fig nose; dried fig, orange palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)

Desmond

I like the floral quality and relative lightness of these Desmond Pinot Noirs. Bill and Danette Robbins’s five acres are planted to Dijon clones 115, 667, 777 and 828. I think they’re doing a terrific job.

• 2008 Desmond Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with 2 millimeter clear meniscus; ripe raspberry, subtle French oak, floral nose; raspberry, baked raspberry, floral palate; medium finish (clones 115, 667 & 777) (90 pts.)
• 2009 Desmond Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; hibiscus, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart cherry, hibiscus palate with good acidity; medium finish (clones 115, 667 & 777; 11 mos in 40% new French oak) (91 pts.)
• 2007 Desmond Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Light medium red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; light strawberry, floral nose; tasty, tart strawberry, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Donatiello

• 2009 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; spicy, tart cherry nose; ripe raspberry, spicy cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir Hervey Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; rich berry, cherry nose; rich cherry, berry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir Maddie’s Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, black fruit nose; tight, tart cherry, black fruit palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir Tina Marie – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart black cherry, black fruit nose; tight, tart black cherry, black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir Block 15 Floodgate Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; ripe raspberry, floral, tart cherry nose; ripe raspberry, floral, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Donum

• 2009 Donum Pinot Noir Estate Grown Carneros – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Pre-release – medium red color with pale meniscus; focused cherry, cherry pie filling nose; tasty, focused, tart cherry palate; needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Foursight

• 2009 Foursight Pinot Noir Zero Charles Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; tart cherry, rhubarb nose; tart cherry, rhubarb palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Foursight Pinot Noir Charles Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, raspberry nose; tasty, tart cherry, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (20% new oak) (89 pts.)
• 2009 Foursight Pinot Noir Clone 05 Charles Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; tart cherry, raspberry, savory nose; tart cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, savory palate; medium-plus finish (100% Pommard 05 clone; 50% new oak) (90 pts.)

Freestone

• 2008 Freestone Pinot Noir Fogdog Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color; tart cherry, raspberry, roses nose; tasty, tart cherry, roses, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Gundlach Bundschu

• 2008 Gundlach Bundschu Pinot Noir Pommard and Dijon Clones Estate Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, cinnamon nose; tart cherry, cinnamon palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Hahn/Lucienne/Chef’s Table

• 2009 Lucienne Pinot Noir Doctor’s Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Dark cherry red color; baked cherry, vanilla nose; baked cherry, vanilla palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2009 Chef’s Table (Hahn) Pinot Noir SLH – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, black cherry nose; spicy, black cherry, baking spice palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Handley

• 2009 Handley Pinot Noir RSM Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; tart cherry, spice nose; tart cherry, cinnamon, spice palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2007 Handley Pinot Noir Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color; vanilla, berry nose; vanilla, red berry, cinnamon palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Keefer Ranch

• 2009 Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Light medium cherry red color with 2 millimeter clear meniscus; ripe cherry, baked cherry nose; tasty, poised, ripe cherry, baked cherry, light pie crust palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)

Ketcham

• 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir Ketcham Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, light brett nose; tart cherry, light brett, sour cream palate; medium finish (86 pts.)
• 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, sour cream nose; tart cherry, sour cream palate; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Landmark

• 2009 Landmark Pinot Noir Grand Detour – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; appealing, tart cherry, smoke nose; smoke, tart cherry, blood orange palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

La Rochelle

• 2010 La Rochelle Pinot Noir – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Light orange pink color; tart cranberry nose; tasty, tart cranberry, tart cherry palate; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2010 La Rochelle Pinot Meunier Four Sisters Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Barrel sample – medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; intriguing, intense, baked raspberry, baked strawberry nose; tasty, baked strawberry, raspberry, apple, earthy palate; medium finish 90-91 points (100% Pinot Meunier) (90 pts.)
• 2008 La Rochelle Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; nice, strawberry pie nose; tasty, richly flavored but light-medium bodied, strawberry pie, graham cracker palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2008 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Block A Sleepy Hollow Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; rich, cherry pie filling nose; tasty, cherry pie filling, baked raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Landy Family

• 2009 Landy Family Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; French oak, tart cherry nose; baked cherry, French oak palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Littorai

Ted Lemon founded Littorai in ’93, and his Chards and Pinots are benchmarks for more Burgundian (for lack of a better term) Chards and Pinots in California. The Hirsch Vineyard bottling was particularly delicious in this lineup, although it could benefit from a few years of bottle age.

• 2009 Littorai Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, baked raspberry nose; tasty, focused, tart cherry, cinnamon, baked raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
• 2009 Littorai Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; brett, tart red fruit nose; brett, tart red fruit palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Littorai Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color; floral, ripe cherry, ripe raspberry nose; tasty, tight, ripe cherry, raspberry palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)

Lost Canyon

• 2009 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Morelli Lane Vineyard Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; herbal, tart cherry, black cherry nose; tart black cherry, light herb palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2009 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Saralee’s Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Very dark cherry red color; baked cherry, baked raspberry nose; baked cherry, baked raspberry palate; medium finish (88 pts.)

MacPhail

• 2009 MacPhail Pinot Noir Toulouse Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; baked cherry, floral nose; floral, baked cherry, forest floor palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 MacPhail Pinot Noir Wildcat Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; reduction, tart cherry nose; tart cherry, reduction palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

MacRostie

• 2009 MacRostie Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; nice tart cherry, floral, raspberry nose; tasty, tart cherry, floral, baked raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2008 MacRostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros
  Dark cherry red color; tart baked cherry, smoke nose; tart baked cherry, smoke palate; medium finish (87 pts.)

Mahoney

• 2007 Mahoney Vineyards Pinot Noir Carneros – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; intense, brown sugar, berry nose; soft, berry, brown sugar palate; medium-plus finish (good value at under $20) (90 pts.)
• 2008 Mahoney Vineyards Pinot Noir Las Brisas Vineyard – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; berry, ripe cherry nose; soft, tart berry, cherry palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)
• 2007 Mahoney Vineyards Pinot Noir Mahoney Ranch – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, floral nose; tasty, tart cherry, floral, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Martin Ray

• 2010 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Angeline – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tart berry, cherry nose; simple, tart berry palate; medium finish (84 pts.)
• 2010 Martin Ray Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, black cherry nose; tart cherry, black cherry palate; medium finish (86 pts.)
• 2010 Martin Ray Pinot Noir – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  Very dark cherry red color; pie crust, vanilla, black cherry nose; black cherry, vanilla palate; medium-plus finish (87 pts.)
• 2010 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Reserve Los Carneros – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Very dark cherry red color; oak, berry nose; tight, oak, berry palate; medium-plus finish (84 pts.)

Masút

• 2009 Masút Pinot Noir – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  Medium dark red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, sour cream nose; soft, tart cherry, sour cream palate; medium finish (87 pts.)

Matrix

• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Buoncristiani – USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; intense, baked cherry, hibiscus nose; soft, baked cherry, hibiscus palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Bacigalupi – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; floral, tart cherry nose; unusual, focused, tart cherry, floral palate; medium-plus finish 89+ points (89 pts.)
• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Nûnes Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; oak, hibiscus, odd nose; odd, tart cherry, oak, hibiscus palate; medium finish (84 pts.)
• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Reserve Bacigalupi – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry oak nose; tart cherry, oak palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Reserve Nûnes Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; nice baked cherry nose; odd, tart cherry, oak, green herb palate; medium finish (84 pts.)
• 2009 Matrix Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; baked cherry, pie crust nose; soft, tart baked cherry, pie crust palate; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Merryvale

• 2009 Merryvale Pinot Noir Carneros – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; nice raspberry, baked raspberry, cherry nose; soft, raspberry, tart cherry palate; medium finish (87 pts.)
• 2009 Merryvale Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Estate – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Dark cherry red color; nice cherry, baked cherry nose; soft, poised, baked cherry, ripe cherry palate; medium finish (89 pts.)

Orsi Papale

• 2009 Orsi Papale Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark red color with pale meniscus; baked raspberry, oak nose; tight, baked raspberry, French oak palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Patz & Hall

• 2009 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Chenoweth Ranch – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark ruby color; ripe raspberry, spicy cherry nose; rich, ripe raspberry, spicy cherry palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Hyde Vineyard – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  Dark cherry red color; baked cherry nose; soft, baked cherry, tart black cherry palate; needs 1-2 years; medium finish (90 pts.)

Phillips Hill

• 2009 Phillips Hill Pinot Noir Hinterlands 50% Manchester Ridge, 50% Oppenlander – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; oak, tart cherry, baked cherry nose; oak, tart cherry, baked cherry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Phillips Hill Pinot Noir Wiley Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  Light-medium red color with 2 millimeter clear meniscus; light, tart red fruit nose; tart red fruit, lightly spicy cherry, French oak palate; medium finish (88 pts.)

Portalupi

• 2009 Portalupi Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark red color with pale meniscus; black cherry, berry, French oak nose; ripe black cherry, French oak palate; medium finish (from Rochioli East Block) (89 pts.)
• 2008 Portalupi Pinot Noir Russell Family Ranch – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Dark cherry red color; black cherry, berry, French oak nose; soft, tart black cherry, tart berry palate; medium-plus finish 87+ points (87 pts.)

Red Car

• 2010 Red Car Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; intense, cherry candy, berry nose; soft, tart cherry palate; medium finish (84 pts.)
• 2009 Red Car Pinot Noir The Aphorist Bartolomei Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; simple, red berry palate; short-medium finish (85 pts.)

Small Vines

My post from last year regarding this producer, and the winemaker/owner’s Burgundian approach to high density plantings, can be found here. Paul is making wonderfully complex and expressive wines, and these 2009s showed particularly well.

• 2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; appealing, black cherry, tart berry, raspberry nose; tasty, rich, tart berry, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir MK Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; raspberry, cherry pie filling, floral nose; tasty, silky textured, raspberry, tart cherry, lightly savory palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (93 pts.)
• 2009 Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir Baranoff Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; rich, aromatic, ripe berry, ripe cherry, berry liqueur nose; lush but poised, ripe raspberry, berry palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)

Sojourn

I’ve written a number of times here about Sojourn’s wines, both the Pinots and the very tasting Cabernets, and owners Craig Haserot and his partner/winemaker Erich Bradley are friends of mine. The wines are consistently good, and expressive of the vineyard sources. The 2009 Rodgers Creek showed particularly well.

• 2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; ripe cherry, cherry pie filling, pie crust nose; poised, juicy, tart cherry, pie crust, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Vineyard Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Light medium red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; nice, tart raspberry, tart cherry, pie crust nose; tasty, silky textured, tart cherry, tart raspberry plate; medium-plus finish (80% Pommard clone) (93 pts.)
• 2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Wohler Russian River Valley – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; baked cherry, dried cherry nose; baked cherry, cherry pie filling, pie crust palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Dark cherry red color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; ripe raspberry, spicy, berry nose; sexy, ripe berry, ripe raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)

St. Rose

• 2009 St. Rose Pinot Noir Nunes – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; roses, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart red fruit, blood orange, roses palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (clone 777, planted 1998) (90 pts.)
• 2009 St. Rose Pinot Noir Ten Block Nunes – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; black cherry, brown sugar nose; tasty, tart black cherry, brown sugar palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)

Taz

• 2007 Taz Pinot Noir Fiddlestix – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills – Sta. Rita Hills
  Medium dark cherry red color; oak, tart cherry, orange nose; oak, tart cherry, orange palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Terlato

• 2008 Terlato Vineyards Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Light medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, tart plum nose; tart cherry, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)

Thumbprint

• 2007 Thumbprint Cellars Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyards – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, berry, VA nose; tart cherry, tart berry palate; medium-plus finish (Martini clone) (86 pts.)
• 2008 Thumbprint Cellars Pinot Noir Schneider Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, lightly smoky nose; tart cherry, dried cherry palate; medium-plus finish (Pommard clone) (88 pts.)
• 2009 Thumbprint Cellars Pinot Noir Reserve Nugent Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, oak nose; oak, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

TR Elliott

• 2007 TR Elliott Pinot Noir Burgonet – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium dark red color with pale meniscus; oak, tart cherry nose; oak, baked cherry palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• 2008 TR Elliott Pinot Noir Queste – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; oak, tart cherry, raspberry nose; oak, tart cherry, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

VML

• 2010 VML Wines Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; black cherry, oak nose; black cherry, oak, smoke palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• 2010 VML Wines Pinot Noir ivywood – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, oak nose; tart cherry, oak, cinnamon palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2010 VML Wines Pinot Noir Winemaker’s Select – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Dark cherry red color; tart cherry, oak, black cherry nose; tart cherry, oak, black cherry palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Waits-Mast Family

• 2009 Waits-Mast Family Cellars Pinot Noir Amber Ridge – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; brett, tart red fruit nose; brett, tart red fruit palate; medium finish (84 pts.)
• 2009 Waits-Mast Family Cellars Pinot Noir Hayley Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; baked cherry, raspberry nose; baked cherry, raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2009 Waits-Mast Family Cellars Pinot Noir Deer Meadows Vineyard – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, baked cherry nose; tasty, tart cherry, baked cherry, dried cherry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Wind Gap

• 2010 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; stems, green bean nose; tart cherry, stems, light green bean palate; medium finish (60% whole cluster) (89 pts.)

Cabernet Sauvignon is a major “gateway drug” into the joys of drinking wine. Some styles emphasize the rich black currant, cassis, plum and/or berry fruit and de-emphasize the grape’s huge tannins. It’s those very tannins that can help a Cab age into something with even greater complexity and range of flavors but that often keep it from being something enjoyable to drink in the short term.

Cabernet Sauvignon was the result of a natural cross between a white grape, Sauvignon Blanc, and a red grape, Cabernet Franc. This cross must have occurred sometime in the 1600s in Bordeaux, as there was no mention of the grape in the literature prior to the 17th century, but it became widely planted in that region by the late 1700s. Cabernet Franc and Merlot were the dominant grapes in Bordeaux prior to the arrival of Cab Franc’s offspring. These grapes continue to be the major blending grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux, providing ripe and lush fruit (Merlot) and fragrance (Cabernet Franc) to complement Cabernet Sauvignon’s high levels of tannin and phenolics, i.e., the compounds that give the wine flavor.

Cabernet Sauvignon has smaller berries than most major black grapes, with thick skins, giving a higher ratio of skins to fruit, which imparts deeper color to wines made from those grapes and helps contribute to the grape’s exceptionally high level of phenolics. The grape also has larger than average pips, which are a source of its high tannin levels. The tannins and high phenolics are what make Cabernet-based wines spectacular for their aging ability, as the tannins soften with time and the phenolics develop, leading to an array of secondary and tertiary flavors, from mushroom and truffle to leather and cigar box.

Cabernet Sauvignon, like Chardonnay—the white grape I wrote about in my last post on styles of wine—is one of the world’s most widely planted grapes. Because it’s a late ripening variety—budding and ripening at least a week or two after Merlot and Cabernet Franc—it requires a fairly warm regions to excel. In France, it’s the second most widely planted red grape after Merlot; in California, it’s second to Chardonnay. It’s number one in Chile and China, where vast quantities of the grape have been planted in recent years. It’s also one of the top grapes of South Africa, Argentina and Lebanon, and Cabernet plantings have grown in Italy and Spain in recent years, where it is typically blended with indigenous red grapes, like Sangiovese in Italy and Tempranillo in Spain.

So what are the different styles of Cabernet Sauvignon? Much depends on the climate in which it is grown. Unripe Cabernet has a high level of pyrazines, which are the same compounds that give green bell pepper its distinctive odor. Those pyrazines decline as the fruit gets more ripe, but herbaceous, bell pepper and even weedy flavors tend to dominate in Cabernet grown in cooler climates, like Bordeaux in cooler years, or the Santa Cruz Mountains or Monterey County in California. In warm climates, like Napa, Paso Robles and South Africa, the distinctive cassis, or black currant, flavor shows up in ripe Cabernet Sauvignon, along with blackberry and ripe plum. Jammy or stewy black fruit flavors arise if the fruit gets overripe.

The elevation at which the grapes are grown also influences the style. I find Cabernet grown at high elevations, like Napa’s Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder, to have added complexity and depth compared to fruit grown on the Napa Valley floor. Mountain grown Cabernets also typically require longer aging periods for their tannins to soften and their flavors to fully develop. Other spots, like the famous Martha’s Vineyard in Napa and particular locations in Australia, yield Cabernet with distinctive mint and eucalyptus flavors.

Another major determinant of style in Cabernet is the type and level of new oak used. Cabernet’s high level of phenolics and tannins stand up well to new oak, and the black currant and plum flavors go well with the vanilla and spice notes that derive from oak. Oak aging for two to three years also helps gradually expose the wine to air, softening the fruit tannins and adding in softer oak tannins. Silver Oak is a well known example of a popular Cabernet that spends two years or more in American oak barrels, followed by a year or so further aging in bottle, to help further soften its tannins before release. Unfortunately many California Cabs, such as Rubicon and Spottswoode, have become excessively oaky.

Styles can change over time. Bordeaux used to be known for very ageworthy, tannic and high acid Cabernet-dominated blends that required decades of bottle age to fully develop. In recent years, however, many producers have waited longer to pick at maximum ripeness levels, and employed techniques like micro-oxygenation to help soften the tannins, to be able to release wines that are more voluptuous and drinkable soon after release. The typical Cabernet coming from most California producers has also changed very much from what was produced up through the 1970s. Those earlier Cabernets had higher acidities and lower alcohols than most California Cabernets do now, and were often tremendously ageworthy. A few developments, including a great deal of replanting with clones that ripened earlier and very high scores from a major critic (Robert Parker) who favors very ripe and rich Cabernets helped lead to the typical Napa-style Cab we see today, which tends to be plush and hedonistic, with ripe blackberry and black fruits.

Some of the best U.S. Cabernets in the ripe, rich, high octane style include Napa’s Araujo, Harlan and Shafer, and Washington State’s Quilceda Creek. California Cabs in the more traditional, lower alcohol, higher acid style are Mount Eden, Chateau Montelena and Ridge’s Monte Bello.

For good quality California Cabernet Sauvignon at affordable prices (i.e., $20 to $35), I highly recommend Scherrer, House and Rubus as producers worth seeking out.

This year I wrote 148 blog posts. The blog was nominated for best writing and best overall blog at the Wine Blog Awards. (This is likely the last year it gets nominated by that entity, however, as I’ve become a very vocal critic of the organizers of the American Wine Bloggers Conference, and they now own the awards.) Since late November, I started writing my Wednesday blogs also for Palo Alto Patch, where they’re known as “Wine Wednesday.” Those are being picked up by other local Patches, and one of my blogs was also picked up by the San Francisco edition of Huffington Post. And visits to RJonWine.com doubled this year according to Google Analytics, going from an average of 3500 visitors a month to 7,000 monthly visitors. WordPress stats show over 775,000 hits to the site for the year. I also became the most favorited tasting note writer on CellarTracker this year, with over 1100 members having favorited me there.

By the time I enter all my tasting notes for 2011 in CellarTracker, I will have over 6,750 tasting notes for the year—a new annual record for me. (Yes, that does work out to about 18.5 wines per day. And your point would be???)

I also really enjoyed participating in IntoWineTV’s panel, with Bartholomew Broadbent and Michael Cervin, this year. We taped 13 segments, on various wine topics, this past summer. Those segments, which appear monthly on IntoWineTV.com, can be accessed here.

I did experience a major distraction that got me behind on my writing for the last quarter of the year. I started looking for a house to buy in September, then found one, had to pack and move, and have spent the last several weeks doing a lot of painting and remodeling. I love the new place, though, and it’s much quieter and roomier than my previous digs, so significantly more conducive to future wine writing. I also have room to do regular focus tastings here, which I am looking forward to.

Wine wise, I made it to even more trade tasting events this year, which helped me blow past my record of almost 5,000 wines tasted last year, as well as some spectacular tastings of rare wines with significant age on them. I got to taste amazing older California wines (thank you Richard and Fred!), old Châteauneuf-du-Papes (many thanks to Harry Karis), old Riojas (thank you Mannie) and lots of old Barolos.

So what were my top wines of the year? Out of over 6,750 wines tasted, I rated 15 at 97 points or higher. (Last year I had a somewhat bloated “top 21” list, because I rated 21 wines at 97 points or higher. That was after participating in Roy Hersh’s fifth anniversary “best of the best” trip to some of the Douro and Madeira’s greatest producers, so it was a heavily Port and Madeira dominated list.) This year’s list is much more geographically spread out, but does reveal my continuing obsession with old Barolos, which comprise five of my top 15 wines. After Barolo comes Burgundy, with three wines—two whites and one red. The remaining seven wines are one each from Bordeaux, California, Champagne, the Rhone, Sauternes, Spain and Port. Mmmm, sounds like a delicious lineup for a dinner.

My highest rated wine of the year, at 99 points, is the amazing Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial that was released this year. It’s the multi-year blend of Unico vintages that are at least ten years old that Vega Sicilia releases in very small quantities. This year’s blend comes from the ’91, ’94 and ’98 vintages, and contains 85% Tempranillo, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. It’s quite spectacular—complex and hedonistic—and will benefit from four to five years of bottle age. I am indebted to Stewart for bringing it to Jeff Leve’s day-after-Thanksgiving wine and food potluck in Los Angeles, which is where I got to try it (and where it outshone a few 1989 First Growth Bordeaux).

My second favorite wine of the year, at 98 points, was the soul-satisfying, beautifully made 2001 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières at a wine dinner with my San Francisco gang on April Fool’s Day.

The next two wines on my list, which each rated 97+ points, are Barolos from two outstanding Barolo vintages—1958 and 1964—and from two of the greatest traditional producers: Giacomo Borgogno and Giacomo Conterno.

I actually tasted the 1958 Borgogno Riserva twice this year, but it was the second bottle that was really outstanding, probably because it received Mannie Berk’s recommended 3-4 hour decant whereas the first bottle was merely popped and poured (a criminal way to serve old Barolo, IMHO). With older wines, of course, bottle variation is a basic fact of life, leading to the common saying, “There are no great old wines, only great bottles.” There are just so many factors that can affect a delicate bottle of wine over the course of 30, 40 or more years, that it always seems like a gift when a very old wine turns out to be quite sound. I was fortunate that my second bottle of the ’58 Borgogno Riserva was one of those great bottles.

My list continues with the 2000 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, the 1983 Chateau Margaux (which I’ve had many times—the latest one happened to be another of those great bottles) and a 1978 Dom Pérignon. There is one repeat producer on my list–both the 1964 and 1967 Giacomo Conterno Barolos scored 97 points or more with me. And there is even a younger Barolo on the list–the stunning 2006 Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin–although it’s much too young for drinking now.

For my tasting notes on those and all of the rest of the wines, see below.

I am deeply indebted to those who brought these wines to tastings. Only one of these amazing wines did I purchase myself—the 1943 Eredi Virginia Ferrero Barolo Classico Extra Vechio. I bought it out of an unusual large collection of older Piedmont wines that was sold through WineGavel.com. I had no expectation that it would be as fabulous as it was. We had to pop and pour it, unfortunately, but since there were only four of us at dinner (and seven wines we ended up opening), it had a chance to open up and fully reveal itself over the course of our more than three-hour meal. I had expected a 1947 Giacomo Borgogno Cannubi Riserva to be the star that night, but the 1943 Ferrero left it in the dust. (The 1947 Borgogno, unfortunately, just wasn’t one of those great old bottles, even though other bottles of that wine can be phenomenal.)

Here’s wishing all my readers a delightful New Year, and a fabulous 2012! May all our old bottles be great ones.

My Top 15 Wines of 2011

Chardonnay most likely originated in France’s Burgundy region—it’s the result of a cross between Burgundy’s Pinot Noir and a white grape known to have been grown extensively in the Middle Ages in France, Gouais Blanc. Since Chardonnay also reaches its highest heights in Burgundy, let’s start with what Burgundian Chardonnay, known as “white Burgundy,” is like. Grown on chalk or limestone soils primarily in the southern part of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, Chardonnay in Burgundy tends to be rich and minerally, with relatively high acidity. When young, its flavors tend toward ripe lemon and apple, often with a heavy dose of new oak that adds vanilla tones. As the wines age—and white Burgundies tend to be among the most ageworthy of white wines—they take on a range of secondary flavors, including hazelnut, mushroom and truffle.

Chablis is another special region in northern Burgundy devoted to the Chardonnay grape. Thanks to cooler growing temperatures and the fact that many producers there avoid malolactic fermentations and the use of new oak, the Chablis version of Chardonnay tends to be even higher in acidity and minerality than the average white Burgundy. Chablis tends to pair beautifully with shellfish and oysters, while white Burgundy goes well with a variety of fish and seafood, especially crab and lobster, as well as chicken and dishes with rich white sauces. Great examples of Chablis are made by Raveneau, Dauvissat and William Fevre. Notable white Burgundies are made by many producers, including Coche Dury, Domaine Leflaive and Comtes Lafon. The greatest sources of white Burgundy are the Montrachet grand cru vineyards, and the premier cru vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. For excellent values in white Burgundy, try Chardonnay from Saint-Aubin or village-level Meursault.

Chardonnay is also one of the three principal grapes of the Champagne region, north of Burgundy, and the only one that is a white grape, so it’s responsible for all of Champagne’s blanc de blancs.

In the past decade, California managed to outplant even France with Chardonnay, so that by 2010 the state had over 95,000 acres of the grape. Some California producers try for a drier, more minerally “Burgundian” style by sourcing their grapes from cooler climates, like the Sonoma Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains or Santa Lucia Highlands, and by blocking or limiting malolactic fermentation. Some of the most successful California producers in this style are Hanzell, Mount Eden and Rhys. Rhys is a fairly new producer, but Hanzell and Mount Eden have been around for decades and both have a long track record for very ageworthy, complex Chardonnays. At the other extreme are Cali Chards grown in warmer climates, where the grapes get quite ripe and therefore ferment to high alcohol levels.

Some of the riper, richer, more fruit forward style California Chardonnays worth checking out come from producers like Kongsgaard, Kistler, Peter Michael, DuMOL and Aubert. Typical flavors range from pineapple, ripe pear, apple and tropical fruits to lemon chiffon and butter. Aubert and other producers, like Walter Hansel, also tend to use new oak with some toast on it, resulting in toast flavors in the wine as well as an accentuation of the buttery nature of ripe Chardonnay.

Other ripe, tropical fruit oriented Cali Chards abound. Chateau St. Jean, Testarossa, Merryvale and Rudd offer rich, tropical fruit wines with some sweetness, and often coconut notes. I find these to work more as quaffers rather than wines with food, but they could work with salads that include tropical fruits and Thai and other Asian dishes that feature coconut flavors.

There was a time ten and 15 years ago when oaky and sweet Chardonnays were particularly popular. The Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, for example, which was one of California’s biggest selling Chardonnays for some years, was intentionally made with close to 1% residual sugar. Wines with that sweetness level are virtually impossible to pair with most foods. Today the residual sugar level in Kendall-Jackson’s Chards has dropped to half that.

Bottom line: If you like higher acid, more minerally wines, try Chablis, white Burgundy or California Chardonnays from Hanzell, Mount Eden or Rhys. If you are fond of more fruit and sweetness in your wine, try California producers like Kistler, Peter Michael and DuMOL. And if it’s the buttery and toasty taste of oak and general richness you long for, your best bets are Chardonnays from the likes of Aubert and Walter Hansel.

2011 TERRY THEISE GROWER-PRODUCER CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE TASTING – Ame Restaurant, San Francisco, California (10/18/2011)

Nothing goes better with the mood, and the food, of the holiday season than sparkling wine. Most of us think Champagne when we think sparkling wine, and there are many fine and complex sparkling wines produced by large and small producers in Champagne, nearly all of which are exceptionally food friendly. Very good sparkling wines are made all over the winemaking world, however. Some of my favorite non-Champagne sparkling wines come from Spain, Italy and the Loire region of France.

I taste a lot of sparkling wines, as I think it’s a very important category of wine that deserves more recognition, and because they pair terrifically with a wide range of food. I recently wrote about this year’s somewhat disappointing crop of major house Champagnes, and many from grower producers as well, here. I also recently had an opportunity to taste through most of the greatest grower producer Champagnes, as well as tasty sparkling wines from Austria, Germany, Greece, Burgundy, the Loire and Spain, at the annual tasting of the lineup from an importer who is the man most responsible for promoting grower Champagnes (and Austrian and German wines) in this country–Terry Theise.

The great houses of Champagne–household names like Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon and Krug– produce huge volumes of wine. While they may own some vineyards, they purchase the bulk of the grapes they need from dozens of the Champagne region’s 19,000 growers. They typically blend wines from different vintages, and vineyards, to produce house style wines that consumers can be confident will be virtually the same from year to year. In contrast to these major brands are the much smaller grower producers who make Champagne exclusively, or almost exclusively, from their own estate vineyards. (French laws allow such grower-producers–who can be identified by the initials RM, for Récoltant-Manipulant, before the number on the wine label–to use up to 5% purchased grapes.)

Because of their much smaller production levels, based on the yield of their own vineyards, the Champagnes produced by growers tend to vary more dramatically from vintage to vintage, although many such producers do hold back a certain quantity of wine each year for blending, to minimize vintage distinctions in their non-vintage wines. They can also be quite distinctive, owing to the particular vineyards such growers are working with, and their unique terroirs. Until very recently, only a small portion of the more than 3500 grower Champagnes available in France were imported to the U.S., less than 5%. They still make up only a tiny percentage of the overall Champagne market–about 3% as of 2008.

Terry Theise is a very articulate proponent for terroir–wines that speak of a particular place. It is therefore natural that along with the great wines of Austria and Germany that have long gone relatively unappreciated in this country, Terry became a promoter and importer of grower Champagnes, as distinctive wines of place. Terry’s Estate Selections and the sparkling wines and Champagnes from the WineWise Portfolio that were presented at the tasting event I attended in mid-October include most of the great grower producers: Vilmart, Pierre Péters, H. Billiot, Chartogne-Taillet, Gaston Chiquet, Henri Goutorbe, Jean Milan, Marc Hébrart, A. Margaine and Pierre Gimonnet. These great Champagnes, represented in many cases by the winemaker or a member of the family that owns and runs the domaine, were poured alongside a variety of other sparkling wines. In all, I tasted 87 sparkling wines from 25 producers at this event. These were impressive wines across the board, and a very strong group of producers. Virtually all of the wines listed below would work well with a variety of foods–the flavor components that dominate in particular wines are identified in my tasting notes that follow.

My very top picks from this event for delicious sparkling wines not only for this holiday season, but for the special occasions and meals demanding food friendly wines in the months to come, sparkling wines that I rated 91 points or higher, are:

Non-Champagne
N.V. Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Réserve – 91+ points

Champagne
N.V. H. Billiot Brut Réserve – 91 points
N.V. H. Billiot Brut Rosé Grand Cru – 91+ points
N.V. H. Billiot Cuvée Laetitia – 91 points
N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Blanc de Blancs – 91 points
2004 Chartogne-Taillet Brut Millésimé – 91+ points
2004 Chartogne-Taillet Fiacre – 91+ points
N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Brut Rosé – 91 points
N.V. Gaston Chiquet Tradition Brut Premier Cru – 91 points
N.V. Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d’Aÿ – 91+ points
2003 Gaston Chiquet Millésime Or – 92+ points
2004 Gaston Chiquet Spécial Club 1er Cru – 91+ points
N.V. Gaston Chiquet Cuvée de Réserve Brut – 91+ points
N.V. Gaston Chiquet Brut Rosé – 91+ points
N.V. Henri Goutorbe Rosé Grand Cru – 92+ points
2004 Henri Goutorbe Millésimé Brut – 91 points
2002 Henri Goutorbe Special Club – 91 points
N.V. Jean Milan Grand Cru Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru – 91+ points
2005 Jean Milan Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée Symphorine – 91+ points
N.V. Marc Hébrart Sélection Brut Premier Cru – 91 points
N.V. A. Margaine Extra Brut 1er cru – 91 points
2006 A. Margaine Blanc de Blancs Special Club – 91+ points
N.V. A. Margaine Brut Rosé – 91+ points
2006 Pierre Gimonnet Brut 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Gastronome – 91 points
2004 Pierre Gimonnet Extra-Brut Oenophile 1er cru – 91 points
2002 Pierre Gimonnet Special Club de Collection – 91 points
N.V. Pierre Péters Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve – 91+ points
2004 Pierre Péters Cuvée Spéciale Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chétillons Le Mesnil – 92 points
2002 René Geoffroy Extra Brut Millésime – 91 points
N.V. Varnier-Fanniere Cuvée Saint Denis Brut – 91 points
N.V. Vilmart Grand Cellier – 91+ points
2000 Vilmart Cuvée Creation – 92+ points
2002 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée – 93 points
2006 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or 1er Cru – 93+ points

Non-Champagne Sparkling Wines

Bernhard

• 2008 Bernhard Riesling Brut Sekt – Germany, Rheinhessen
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; lifted, creamy apple nose; tasty, tart apple, creamy textured palate; medium finish (88 pts.)

Bründlmayer

• NV Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Sekt Extra Brut – Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; savory, yeasty, smoked salmon nose; smoked salmon, smoked salmon cream palate; medium finish 88+ points (30% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Gris, 10% Grüner Veltliner, 20% Pinot Blanc, 20% Chardonnay) (88 pts.)
• NV Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Sekt Rose – Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois
  Very light peach yellow color; light smoke salmon, light tart cherry nose; light smoked salmon, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish (blend of Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and St. Laurent) (89 pts.)

Fouet

• NV Domaine Fouet Crémant de Loire Rosé – France, Loire Valley, Crémant de Loire
  Light pink with very tiny bubbles; light tart currant, smoke nose; tart currant, very tart, mineral palate; medium finish 87+ points (87 pts.)
• NV Domaine Fouet Crémant de Loire Brut – France, Loire Valley, Crémant de Loire
  Very light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; appealing, tart pear, tart peach nose; tasty, tart peach, tart Cab Franc palate; medium-plus finish 87+ points (blend of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc) (87 pts.)

Pascal Bellier

• NV Pascal Bellier Rêveries Brut – France, Loire Valley
  Light medium pink color with small bubbles; tart apple, mineral, savory nose; tart currant palate; medium finish 87+ points (87 pts.)

Pere Ventura

• NV Pere Ventura Cava Tresor Brut Nature – Spain, Cava
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; lightly savory, tart apple, tart pear nose; tasty, tart pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (Xarel-lo, Parellada and Maccabeo) (88 pts.)
• NV Pere Ventura Cava Reserva Maria del Mar – Spain, Cava
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; tart pear, menthol nose; tasty, tart pear, mineral, menthol palate; medium-plus finish (Xarel-lo, Parellada, Maccabeo and Chardonnay) (89 pts.)
• NV Pere Ventura Cava Tresor Brut Rosé – Spain, Cava
  Light medium pink color; pine, green herb, juniper nose; tart cherry, juniper, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Roches

• NV Domaine des Roches Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc de Blancs – France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne
  Light yellow color with languorous small bubbles; tart apple, mineral nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral, tart peach palate; medium-plus finish (88 pts.)
• NV Domaine des Roches Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé – France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne
  Light pink color with tiny bubbles; creamy strawberry nose; tasty, creamy strawberry, tart cherry palate; medium finish (89 pts.)

Schloss Gobelsburg

• NV Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Réserve – Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois
  Light yellow color with lots of mousse; mineral, savory, yeasty nose; tasty, yeasty, savory, sauteed onion palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (blend of Gruner Veltliner, Riesling and Pinot Noir) (91 pts.)

Tselepos

• NV Tselepos Moschofilero Amalia Brut Methode Traditionelle – Greece, Peloponnisos, Mantinia
  Light yellow color; floral, tart pear, very tart peach nose; focused, tart peach, pear, lime palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Vincent Raimbault

• NV Vincent Raimbault Vouvray Brut – France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Light yellow with few, small bubbles; Chenin Blanc, tart pear, lightly savory nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral, light menthol palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Champagne Producers

Interesting small producer, currently run by two brothers, that owns 17 hectares in 60 different locations. They have gone back to the historical roots of Champagne to include three long forgotten Champagne grapes: Fromenteau (also known as Beurot, probably an ancestor of Pinot Gris), Arbanne and Petit Meslier. A lot of their vines are also planted “en foule,” i.e., the generation of new vines by laying out a branch from a “mother” plant, and covering it with soil and manure, as was the common practice prior to phylloxera, especially throughout Burgundy. Two cuvees they make from the old varieties are designated Campanae Veteres Vites, meaning “old vines of the countryside.”

• NV L. Aubry Fils Champagne Brut – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; tart apple, chalk nose; tight, tart apple, chalk palate with medium acidity; medium finish (88 pts.)
• 2005 L. Aubry Fils Champagne Ivoire et Ebene – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few bubbles; nice, tart pear, tart peach, floral nose; tart pear, tart peach palate with medium acidity; medium finish 88+ points (60% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir) (88 pts.)
• 2005 L. Aubry Fils Champagne Le Nombre d’Or Campanae Veteres Vites Brut – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color; rich pear, poached pear nose; tasty, tart pear, mineral palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• NV L. Aubry Fils Champagne Rosé Brut – France, Champagne
  Light salmon pink color with lots of tiny bubbles; tart strawberry, tart raspberry nose; tart strawberry, tart raspberry palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish (45% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 15% still red Pinot Meunier; all 2008 fruit) (89 pts.)
• 2006 L. Aubry Fils Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François Aubry Sablé Rosé – France, Champagne
  Light orange pink color; tart golden raspberry, tart yellow cherry nose; tasty, tart yellow cherry, mineral, chalk palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (35% co-fermented Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay, 20% Arbanne, 20% Petit Meslier and 10% still red Pinot Meunier) (88 pts.)

Billiot

Laetitia Billiot

I am usually a fan of H. Billiot, especially when the bottles have some age on them. Malolactic fermentation is not used, so the wines need some years in bottle. The Brut Réserve is generally 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay.

• NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Brut Réserve – France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; intense, poached pear nose; tasty, poached pear, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Brut Rosé Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  Light salmon pink color with steady tiny bubbles; light tart cherry, pink grapefruit nose; tasty, tart cherry, ripe pink grapefruit, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2004 H. Billiot Fils Champagne Millésimé Brut – France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; appealing, tart pear, tart peach nose; tasty, chalk, tart pear, tart peach palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Cuvée Laetitia – France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few, smallish bubbles; intense, tart peach, orange nose; tasty, complex, tart peach, tart orange, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Chartogne-Taillet

Alexandre Chartogne

This is a very old family-run grower/producer based in the village of Merfy. The Cuvée St. Anne is 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir; the Millésimé Brut is from one parcel, based on clay, 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay; the Fiacre vineyard is made up of red sand and silex; the Brut Rosé comes from a vineyard based largely on sandy soils.

• NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée St. Anne – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with lots of smallish bubbles; poised, tart pear, baked apple nose; tasty, very tart pear, tart apple palate; medium finish (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir) (89 pts.)
• NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with lots of smallish bubbles; pear, apple nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2004 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Brut Millésimé – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; intense, tart apple, light yeast nose; very tasty, tart apple, lightly yeasty, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (from 1 parcel; 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay) (91 pts.)
• 2004 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Fiacre – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; tart apple, mineral nose; tasty, tight, tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Brut Rosé – France, Champagne
  Light salmon color with very tiny bubbles; tart golden raspberry, tart peach nose; tasty, poised, tart golden raspberry, mineral, light yeast palate; medium-plus finish (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, from 2007 vintage) (91 pts.)

Forest-Marie

• NV Forest-Marie Champagne Brut Tradition – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; baked pear, lightly yeasty nose; baked pear, lightly yeasty palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• NV Forest-Marie Champagne Blanc de Blanc – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; intense, tart pear, yeasty nose; tasty, poached pear, lightly yeasty palate; medium-plus finish (a good value) (89 pts.)
• NV Forest-Marie Champagne Cuvée St. Crespin 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with very tiny bubbles; very yeasty nose; tasty, yeasty, poached pear palate; medium finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• NV Forest-Marie Champagne Rosé Brut – France, Champagne
  Light salmon pink color with lots of tiny bubbles; light, tart orange, yeasty nose; tasty, light tart orange, yeasty palate; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)

Gaston Chiquet

Nicolas Chiquet

This producer goes back eight generations, and currently controls over 22 hectares. The Blanc de Blancs bottling happens to be the only Blanc de Blancs made from the Pinot village of Aÿ.

• NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Tradition Brut Premier Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with lots of steady, small bubbles; focused, tart pear, mineral nose; tasty, very tart citrus, mineral palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (45% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir) (91 pts.)
• NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Blanc de Blancs d’Aÿ – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with steady, tiny bubbles; bright, light tart apple, tart pear nose; tart pear, tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (based largely on ’07 vintage) (91 pts.)
• 2003 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Millésime Or – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with smallish bubbles; complex, tart peach, tart pear nose; tasty, rich but balanced, tart peach, tart pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay) (92 pts.)
• 2004 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Spécial Club 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; baked apple, yeasty nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) (91 pts.)
• 2002 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Spécial Club 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; light pear, green apple nose; tasty, tight, tart green apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) (90 pts.)
• NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Cuvée de Réserve Brut – France, Champagne
  Light lemon yellow color with tiny bubbles; baked apple, yeasty nose; tasty, baked apple, pear, tart peach, mineral palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ points (45% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir) (91 pts.)
• NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Rosé – France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
  Very light peach pink color with steady, tiny bubbles; strawberry, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart strawberry, tart cherry, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)

Henri Goutorbe

Etienne Goutorbe

Henri Goutorbe owns 15 hectares, and the Cuvée Prestige is typically Pinot Noir dominated (65 to 70%), with Chardonnay and sometimes a small amount of Pinot Meunier. The 2002 Special Club is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay.

• NV Henri Goutorbe Champagne Cuvée Prestige – France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; rich, tart apple, baked apple nose; tasty, baked apple, light cinnamon, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• NV Henri Goutorbe Champagne Rosé Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
  Very light orange pink color; light tart cherry, tart raspberry nose; rich, tart raspberry, raspberry cream, mineral, very Pinot palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (92 pts.)
• 2004 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Millésimé Brut – France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with lots of tiny bubbles; tart apple, tart pear, lightly yeasty nose; tasty, tart apple, tart pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay) (91 pts.)
• 2002 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Special Club – France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; rich, baked apple, lightly yeasty nose; tasty, baked apple, poached pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Jean Lallement

This is a family operation that owns four and a half hectares in Verzy, Verzenay and Ludes. Eighty percent is planted to Pinot, and 20% to Chardonnay. They use native yeast and very little dosage.

• NV Jean Lallement Champagne Brut Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few small bubbles; yeasty, tart apple nose; yeasty, tart apple palate; medium finish (80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay) (89 pts.)
• NV Jean Lallement Champagne Cuvée Réserve Grand Cru – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; baked apple, baked peach nose; tasty, delicate, baked apple, poached pear, chalk palate; medium-plus finish 89+ points (89 pts.)
• NV Jean Lallement Champagne Reserve Rosé – France, Champagne
  Very light salmon pink color with tiny bubbles; light strawberry, pear nose; tart pear, light strawberry, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Jean Milan

Another small grower, with roots going back five generations, that owns five hectares of vineyards.

• NV Jean Milan Champagne Blanc de Blancs Spécial Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Oger, Champagne
  Light yellow color with small bubbles; lightly yeasty, lightly savory nose; tasty, tart apple, lightly yeasty, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• NV Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Blancs de Blancs Millénaire – France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
  Light yellow color with small bubbles; nice, tart pear, floral, yeasty nose; tasty, yeasty, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• NV Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Oger, Champagne
  Light yellow color with small bubbles; nice, tart pear, mineral nose; tasty, rich, creamy textured, tart pear, lightly yeasty, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• 2005 Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée Symphorine – France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few small bubbles; pear, nectarine, mineral nose; tasty, tart pear, mineral, chalk palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (91 pts.)
• NV Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Sec Tendresse – France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; tart apple, tart pear nose; ripe pear, apple, nectarine, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Marc Hébrart

This is a fairly new producer, distributed in the United States by Michael Skurnik.

• NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru “Cuvee de Reserve” – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with small bubbles; lightly yeasty, aple, peach nose; tart pear, tart peach palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Sélection Brut Premier Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; tart apple, light pear nose; tasty, tart pear, apple palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; honeyed, apple nose; tart apple, light honey, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• 2006 Marc Hébrart Champagne Spécial Club 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; baked apple, honeyed, poached pear nose; poached pear, light honey palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (55% old vine Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay) (90 pts.)
• NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Rosé Brut Reserve 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light pink color with tiny bubbles; creamy strawberry, apple nose; creamy strawberry, apple palate; medium finish (47% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir, with 7% still Pinot Noir) (88 pts.)

Margaine

Arnaud Margaine

This is a small grower with seven hectares, planted mostly to Chardonnay.

• NV A. Margaine Champagne Brut Cuvée Traditionelle – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with small bubbles; tart pear, light peach nose; intense, yeasty, baked apple, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir; 56% 2008 fruit, with ’07, ’05, ’04 and ’00) (90 pts.)
• NV A. Margaine Champagne Extra brut 1er cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; light apple, light pear nose; tasty, creamy textured, tart pear, tart apple palate; medium finish (batonnage for 4 mos.) (91 pts.)
• 2006 A. Margaine Champagne Blanc de Blancs Special Club – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with tiny bubbles; creamy, tart apple nose; tight, tasty, tart apple, mineral, yeasty palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (no malo) (91 pts.)
• NV A. Margaine Champagne Brut Rosé – France, Champagne
  Very light pink color with tiny bubbles; light tart cherry, golden raspberry nose; tasty, poised, tart cherry, golden raspberry palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ points (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir; 13% still red wine; based largely on ’08 vintage) (91 pts.)
• NV A. Margaine Champagne Demi-Sec 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with smallish bubbles; tart apple, yeast nose; tasty, tart apple, yeasty, creamy green apple, pear palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)

Pehu Simonet

David Pehu

• NV Pehu Simonet Champagne Brut Selection Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Light yellow color with slow, steady, tiny bubbles; tart apple nose; tart apple, tart peach palate with good acidity; medium finish (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay; no malo) (88 pts.)
• NV Pehu Simonet Champagne Transparence Extra Brut – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; chalk, tart green fruit, pear nose; tight, tart pear, lime, chalk palate; medium-plus finish (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) (89 pts.)
• NV Pehu Simonet Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few medium-sized bubbles; chalk, tart pear nose; chalk, tart pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 89+ points (89 pts.)
• NV Pehu Simonet Champagne Blanc de Noirs – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few, tiny bubbles; tart peach, mineral nose; tasty, tart peach, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• NV Pehu Simonet Champagne Brut Rosé Grand Cru – France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne
  Light salmon pink color with few tiny bubbles; tart strawberry, golden raspberry nose; tasty, tart golden raspberry, very tart strawberry palate; medium finish (with 10% red wine) (90 pts.)

Pierre Gimonnet

The Gimonnets have been growers in the village of Cuis since 1750, and started to produce and sell their own Champagne in 1935. They own 26 hectares in Cuis and the Grand Crus of Chouilly and Cramant, all planted to Chardonnay.

• 2006 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Brut 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Gastronome – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color; lightly floral, apple, poached pear nose; tart apple, pear palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• 2004 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Extra-Brut Oenophile 1er cru – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; focused, tart apple, pear nose; tasty, tart pear, tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (no dosage) (91 pts.)
• 2005 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Fleuron Brut 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few bubbles; tart apple nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2004 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Paradoxe Brut – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; tart apple, baked apple nose; nice, tart apple, tart pear palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier) (90 pts.)
• 2004 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Spécial Club 1er Cru Brut – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; baked apple, poached pear nose; tasty, baked apple, yeasty, poached pear palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)
• 2002 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Special Club de Collection – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; focused, baked apple, poached pear nose; tasty, poached pear, baked apple palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)

Pierre Péters

Rodolphe Peters

This small, but highly esteemed, grower producer controls 17.5 hectares, including 12 in the best parts of Le Mesnil.

• NV Pierre Péters Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve – France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
  Light yellow color; tart pear, mineral, lightly floral nose; tasty, floral, light tart apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (based on 2008 vintage) (91 pts.)
• 2004 Pierre Péters Champagne Cuvée Spéciale Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chétillons Le Mesnil – France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
  Light yellow color with languorous tiny bubbles; honeyed, rich, baked pear, baked apple nose; tasty, complex, honeyed, baked apple, poached pear palate; long finish (92 pts.)

René Geoffroy

Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy

Another small family owned grower that can trace their family ownership back to the 1600s. They harvest grapes in several passes (“tries”), use oak foudres and prevent malolactic.

• NV René Geoffroy Champagne Expression Brut Premier Cru – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; tart apple nose; tart apple palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 88+ points (88 pts.)
• 2006 René Geoffroy Champagne Empreinte Brut Premier Cru – France, Champagne, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne
  Very light yellow with few small bubbles; tart apple, baked apple, yeasty nose; tasty, tart apple, mineral, yeasty palate; medium-plus finish (76% Pinot Noir, 14% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier) (90 pts.)
• 2006 René Geoffroy Champagne Volupté – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; poached pear, baked apple, cinnamon nose; tasty, tart and ripe pear, poached pear palate; medium finish (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 94% in wooden vats, no malolactic) (90 pts.)
• 2002 René Geoffroy Champagne Extra Brut Millésime – France, Champagne, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; appealing, poached pear, light yeasty nose; tasty, tart poached pear, mineral, baked apple palate; medium-plus finish (60% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier) (91 pts.)
• NV René Geoffroy Champagne Rosé de Saignée Brut 1er Cru – France, Champagne, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne
  Light orange pink color with few, tiny bubbles; tart cherry, tart raspberry nose; tasty, tart cherry, mineral, tart raspberry palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (90 pts.)

Varnier-Fanniere

This is a tiny producer that owns four hectares of Grand Cru vineyards, entirely planted to Chardonnay. The wines undergo full malolactic. The Cuvée St. Denis is from 70-plus year old vines in the Clos de Grand Père in Avize.

• NV Varnier-Fanniere Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut – France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few tiny bubbles; tart pear, tart apple, light yeast nose; tart apple, tart peach palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
• NV Varnier-Fanniere Champagne Cuvée Saint Denis Brut – France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few, smallish bubbles; light baked apple, poached pear nose; tart pear, tart apple, poached pear palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
• NV Varnier-Fanniere Champagne Cuvée “Jean Fannière Origine” – France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
  Light yellow color with tiny bubbles; baked apple, poached pear nose; baked apple, honeyed, light caramel, poached pear palate; medium-plus finish (90 pts.)
• NV Varnier-Fanniere Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé – France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
  Light salmon color with smallish bubbles; baked apple, poached pear nose; baked apple, poached pear palate; medium finish (90% Chardonnay, 10% red Pinot Noir wine) (89 pts.)

Vilmart

Laurent Champs of Vilmart

Vilmart is a terrific grower Champagne. They practice organic viticulture, ferment in large oak foudres, and avoid malolactic. The Grand Cellier is generally about 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. The terrific 2002 Coeur de Cuvée is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from the oldest vines in Vilmart’s two best vineyards. It is fermented and raised in new barriques.

• NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Grand Cellier – France, Champagne
  Very light yellow color with smallish bubbles; delicate, tart pear, tart apple, light peach nose; tasty, with delicacy, tart pear, mineral, tart apple palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir) (91 pts.)
• 2000 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Cuvée Creation – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with small-to-medium bubbles; nice baked apple, yeasty nose; tasty, poised, youthful, tart apple, pear, baked apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir; 9 years on lees) (92 pts.)
• 2002 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Coeur de Cuvée – France, Champagne
  Light lemon yellow color with smallish bubbles; appealing, poached pear, baked apple, light caramel nose; tasty, tart poached pear, light caramel, baked apple palate; medium-plus finish (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir; from 50-year-old vines; 7 years on lees) (93 pts.)
• 2006 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Grand Cellier d’Or 1er Cru – France, Champagne
  Light yellow color with few smallish bubbles; rich pear, floral, honeysuckle nose; tasty, delicate, pear, peach, honeysuckle palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir) (93 pts.)

Rebecca, one of the very knowledgeable staff at Palo Alto’s Vin Vino Wine

1. Buy good stuff
By “good stuff,” I don’t mean expensive stuff. Sure, some very high priced wines can be amazing. Just because it’s an expensive bottle, though, doesn’t mean it’s going to be good, or ready to drink, and there’s a great deal of pleasure to be had from simple, well made, inexpensive wines. I mean wines made by people who produce wine because they have a passion for it. Stay away from the industrially produced, mass market, grocery store selections and head to your local wine store. They stock good, everyday drinking choices too—wines they’ve handpicked that will give you more complexity and enjoyment than what you’ll find at the grocery store, for as little as $10, $15 and $20. I guarantee you’ll be much happier with a real wine from a good wine store at that level than you would be with something for the equivalent price from a place that doesn’t specialize in wine. Just like a tasty, memorable meal starts with good quality ingredients, so does a tasty, memorable wine experience. Buying a well made, inexpensive wine (or even a costlier one, if you feel like a splurge), is the first step toward real wine enjoyment.

In the Palo Alto area, you can’t go wrong getting a staff person to help you find a good, inexpensive wine at places like Vin Vino Wine (on California Avenue), K&L (on El Camino Real in Redwood City or 4th Street in San Francisco), Beltramo’s (on El Camino Real in Menlo Park) or Artisan Wine Depot (Villa Street in Mountain View).

Glasses at a tasting at Beltramo’s

2. Use proper wine glasses
Again, good wine glasses don’t have to be expensive. I buy my stemware for $5 a glass, or less. The wine glass should be clear, not colored, so you can fully enjoy the color of the wine. Most importantly, it needs to have enough room in it so you can pour the wine to about a third of the volume and swirl it, without the wine ending up all over your hand or the floor.

A surprising number of good restaurants still provide patrons with only tiny wine glasses and then fill them up to nearly the top. This totally deprives the diner of the pleasures to be had from smelling the wine, which nearly always requires a bit of swirling of the glass to aerate the liquid. Often if one asks, though, the restaurant will provide better quality stemware for the wine knowledgeable diner. At places my wine buddies and I frequent that don’t have good stemware, but excellent food, we take the trouble to bring along our own wine glasses, to allow us to obtain all the pleasure that’s available in a good wine—from the smell, as well as the taste of wine that’s been properly aerated in the glass.

Winery representative chilling Champagne in an ice bucket at Artisan Wine Depot

3. Serve at the right temperature

At restaurants, I often find white wines are served too cold, while reds are served at room temperature, which in California is usually too warm. Wine that’s served a little on the cool side isn’t a problem, as with time in the glass it will eventually warm up and then show more of the complexity and depth that is usually concealed when poured from a bottle that’s been taken right out of the refrigerator. Wine that’s served too warm, however, is a real waste, as it’s not easily possible to cool it down once it’s been poured into the glass. When wine is too warm, the alcohol starts to vaporize and change the wine’s balance, making the alcohol smell and taste predominate. Under those conditions, the wine loses all the subtle flavors and nuances it will show at more ideal temperatures. Room temperatures typically run from 65 to 70 degrees. Red wine should be served more at the 54 to 60 degree range; whites should be served at the 48 to 52 degree range, and even cooler in the case of sparkling and very light white wines. Lighter red wines, like Pinot Noir and Tempranillo, benefit from being served even cooler than bigger, richer reds, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

The easiest way to quickly, yet gently, cool a bottle is to place it in an ice bucket with some ice and water for several minutes. If a restaurant brings you a warm bottle, which too frequently happens, ask them to bring an ice bucket for it and give it eight to 10 minutes in the ice bucket before pouring.

Red wine being decanted at Manresa Restaurant

There are a variety of ways to provide wine with some air—the easiest of which is to pour it into a glass and leave it for several minutes. Pouring wine into a decanter (which can simply be a glass pitcher) is also a great way to give the wine some air, both from the act of pouring it into another vessel and from the larger surface area of the wine in the decanter that comes in contact with the air. There are also a variety of oxygenating devices sold these days that can give some added airing to wine as it is being poured from the bottle into a glass.

I highly recommend testing this for yourself: try a young red wine when it is first poured into the glass, and then again 20 minutes or so later, so you get a sense of how exposure to air helps soften and “open up” the wine. Or take a taste of a wine when a bottle is first opened, and then pour it into a decanter and give it 15 to 20 minutes before tasting it again. Once you compare, I am sure you too will prefer giving your wine some air whenever time and circumstances allow.

Yours truly nosing a glass of Champagne

By following these five simple tips, I guarantee you will get more enjoyment out of your next glass of wine. And I, for one, believe that’s what wine is there for—to be enjoyed, as well as to add to our enjoyment of a meal or special moment. As Benjamin Franklin so wisely wrote in his 1779 letter to the Abbé Morellet, wine is “a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.” We owe it to this divine gift to make sure we do what we can to enjoy it to its full potential.