WTN: Hirsch Bohan-Dillion Vnyd. PN, Sonoma Coast 2006

Okay, here's one for the YMMV-A LOT category:

Went to Willi's Wine Bar---the Santa Rosa, CA branch---for a business lunch and we joined in for a bottle of the Bohan-Dillion 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot from Hirsch Vineyards.

None of the four of us were at all impressed. I said it was a totally inconsequential wine, and a major disappointment.

Muddy/milky pinkish reddish color, shy nose, and diffuse, vague flavors; totally overwhelmed by the varied small plates such as porcini/potato gnocchi, Fra'Mani salumi and rabbit rillettes.

Hey, I thought these CA north coast Pinots were supposed to be big, whopping grass killers?!??! Whassup? Splash this one on the wallpaper and it would fade away.

Curious, I googled and the first one to pop up was the Napa Valley Winery Exchange (online retailer) and the write up was

"NVWE NOTES: Both elegant and impressively concentrated, the aromas of this fine Pinot are of Bing cherry, dry rose, dried orange, smoke and minerals, in a tightly wrapped package. It is youthful and racy on the palate, with similar flavors. The finish is focused and lingering, as the Bing cherry, strawberry, dried orange peel, coriander seed and mineral flavors hold their intensity to the end. The wine is is a terrific value and is beautifully balanced for dinner service and it will get better for twelve to eighteen months. 2,200 cases produced."

Hmph. None of us got any of that. We must have been in a dumb stage, I guess; all of us, simultaneously.

And what's that about getting better for 'twelve to eighteen months'? Sic transit in a hurry---eighteen months for a 2006???. Jeez. Blink and the wine's gone?

[Jenise]

Hoke, I looked around for notes on this wine just last week, so I went and dug out the one TN I found on cellar tracker for your amusement. This person's ("kdawg") description is about halfway between your reaction and the NVWE's:

overall: I like this. It's not in the normal california style, and it has that nice silky-elegant feel to it. It leaves a nice finish to it and brings some good flavors. It's fairly simple, but that is not neccessarily a bad thing. It's very easy drinking and it's at a good price for california pinot. A very good wine overall, not transcendent, but very good nonetheless

Even though he said "very good wine overall", for me "fairly simple" and "easy drinking" merited a pass.

I don't know what's worse the CA Pinot you described or the typical too much extract, too much oak, etc, CA Pinot. I prefer to gamble with Burgundy. I do get a good share of winners.