2004 Turner & Cole Reserve Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, Australia $19.99 on sale; $12.99 by the case
14% alcohol Comes with screwcap.
Deep purple-red color; almost opaque. Shows viscosity.
Nose of violets and dark fruits. Flavor connotes purple or black berries. Lots of rich flavor. Good mouthfeel with a slight chewiness. Elegance and depth. My favorite Australian Pinot Noir (although I haven't had many others, I think this would still stand out as the best or one of the best if I had sampled more.)
Very tasty with baked lemon chicken tenders with mushroom and onion sauce.
I would rate at 89 points.
2002 Kuleto Estate Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Napa Valley, CA
14.1% alcohol
Kuleto is a designer who has designed many impressive restaurant interiors including one named for him, Kuleto's near Union Square, San Francisco.
Back label says from 2 estate Pinot Noir plantings, "Pino di Noce," and "Palomar."
Hennessy Basin soil components. Hillside vineyards cooled nightly by air inversion from nearby Clear Creek. Multiple field selections, low natural yields, small lot fermentations, and basket pressing to produce a truly distinctive wine.
Viscous in the glass. Dark crimson color--denser than the Turner & Cole Pinot Noir from Australia. Dark berries on both nose and palate. Higher acidity than the Turner & Cole.
Quite fragrant with some dark plum and blueberries. Like flavors. I prefer the Australian wine in this comparison but see a certain attractiveness to the Kuleto also. If I were giving points to the wine I would probably rate it 84 or 85.