Silvan Ridge, Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2006
The nose was immediately that chemical or alcohol sharpness. Ouch! Then later after that mellowed out, it was nectarine, oak, and maybe some rhubarb. Then later, underneath all that was marionberry. The vanilla was strong. And finally pepper.
This was a really full bodied Pinot. However, it was also quite sweet. This wasn't the sweetest Pinot I've ever had, but it was darn sweet. Past that sweetness was some of that spicy Pinot magic -- some sort of exotic spice.
The finish was black cherry and marionberry (again). This was a spicy and sweet wine.
A look at the back of the bottle: my god, it's 14.6% alcohol. I suppose that explains the initial burned nose. The sweetness was a little cloying for me, but likely not overly so for most. I would guess that this wine needs more cellaring to bring out something more elegant. So hold it if you have it.
Cost:
Rating:
8.5Sharecropper's (Owen Roe), Pinot Noir, 2008
This one has lots of wood on the nose, but not too much. Spice. Dust. Vanilla, nutmeg. Cinnamon. A sweetness (not too much). Dirt. And Blueberries.
The taste was spicy: pepper. In fact, it's super spicy! Black cherry and a little blueberry? Interesting fruit flavors.
But then it finishes a little darker with black cherry. That pepper returns and lingers. And a very slight nectarine (not in a bad way).
The body is on the lighter side; more Burgundian. But it had more body than I'd expect for the price. This is a really great deal for just over $20.
Cost:
Rating:
8.5
White Rose Wines, 'Nekaia', Dundee Hills, Pinot Noir, 2006
The nose on this was at first dusty. But it also had a really interesting smell, almost a mandarin mixed with something floral -- maybe honeysuckle. Yep, honeysuckle it is. But this smell was not sweet. Later there was a subtle pepper. The fruit was cherry.
The body was medium. The taste had a bit of vanilla hit for a second -- it was just sweet in a flash, and then it wasn't. Nice.
The finish was not sweet. It had almost a nectarine skin taste at the end -- not exactly bitter, and not sweet. The taste was a rich vanilla. There was cherry too. And that nectarine then turned to peach, and that lingered. Really nice.
The funny thing was: I tasted this back when I bought it -- after I bought it. And i didn't like it back then (like a year ago). But now, I really like this. Funny how wine evolves!
Cost:
Rating:
9.0