WTN - anybody else have this and not like it?

Took advantage of a store tasting while I was wine shopping this past weekend. No apparent theme to the three wines they were offering. My full notes are in Rogov's Place: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=17478

I was very dissappointed with this one:
MacMurray Ranch, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2005
The alcoholic nose made me wary from the start, and my first sip resulted in what I'm sure must have been a nasty face. Actually has pretty nice, albeit a bit light, dark red fruits, with some interesting ashy tones, but is completely overblanced by a pure alcohol character. Smells and tastes mostly of alcohol - but suprisingly it's only 13.5%. It turns out that this is my second tasting of this wine, the previous having been 2/26/07 - and although the character was similar, that bottle was more balance and fairly nice. Quite a suprising difference - perhaps the fruits have started to subside, but I find that quite suprising. Can't say I cared for it this time. Not a bad drink, but not worth its $16 price tag. Pleasant (80 - 83). [8/2/08]

I have edited this note after discovering that I had in fact tasted it before, which is noted father down in the thread.

Suprisingly, I seemed to be the only customer at the tasting bar that thought it was anything other than a nice PN. And, the salesmen said this is just typical Sonoma Coast character . . . . okay, but I know I've had other Sonoma Coast PN's that I liked quite a bit. So I'm curious to know if anybody else has tasted this, and if they had a similar experience.

If it isn't 16% abv, it isn't REAL, MANLY California Pinot. Arnold would be disappointed in you!

If it isn't 16% abv, it isn't REAL, MANLY California Pinot. Arnold would be disappointed in you!

I restrained myself from using this post as an excuse to start my typical rant against these senseless, high-alcohol Cali PN's. PN is not Zinfandel!!!!! One of the wine books I have at home, although excellent in many other respects, goes so far as to say that California is the most succesful region for PN outside of Burgundy . . . . if by success you mean you can get the grapes to ripen consistently, then sure . . . . but if you want something that actually tastes like PN . . . .

Actually has pretty nice, albeit a bit light, dark red fruits, with some interesting ashy tones..Not a bad drink, but not worth its $16 price tag..

From what I understand, $16 is rock-bottom pricing for CA pinot noir so you should be lucky it was even fit for swallowing

Actually has pretty nice, albeit a bit light, dark red fruits, with some interesting ashy tones..Not a bad drink, but not worth its $16 price tag..

From what I understand, $16 is rock-bottom pricing for CA pinot noir so you should be lucky it was even fit for swallowing

The Castle Rock (negociant brand) Mendocino might be a better deal-at about $14. At least it didn't burn my throat!

From what I understand, $16 is rock-bottom pricing for CA pinot noir so you should be lucky it was even fit for swallowing

I've had a lot of Cali Pinots for the same price or less that I liked a lot more. Sebastiani's Sonoma Coast is a great example.

At least it didn't burn my throat!

Here, here to that!!!

Well, here's a big suprise - I dug up my note for the 'other vintage' I thought I had before, and it turned out to be the very same wine:

MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2005
A fairly nice Pinot Noir, with cherry, raspberry, and violets, and a bit of alcoholic warmth toward the finish. Reasonably faithful to the Pinot Noir's character, but with some generous California influence. Drink now or in the next 2 - 3 years. 86+ [2/26/07]

In this case, a glass ordered at a Japanese restaurant. Strange, I remember thinking that althought the alcohol was a little prominent for my liking, it was a fairly decent wine, and certainly didn't have the excessive alcohol character. Hmmmmm . . . .

Strange, I remember thinking that althought the alcohol was a little prominent for my liking, it was a fairly decent wine, and certainly didn't have the excessive alcohol character. Hmmmmm . . . .

Aside from the fact that both tastes were not in the most analytical of settings, it sounds like this wine may have lost some of its young fruit over the past year and left the alcohol to stick out in an unpleasant way?

Strange, I remember thinking that althought the alcohol was a little prominent for my liking, it was a fairly decent wine, and certainly didn't have the excessive alcohol character. Hmmmmm . . . .

Aside from the fact that both tastes were not in the most analytical of settings, it sounds like this wine may have lost some of its young fruit over the past year and left the alcohol to stick out in an unpleasant way?

That could very well be the case . . . . it doesn't seem from my previous note that I sensed any precarity in its balance . . . . still a bit suprising, at least to me.

[Jenise]

Actually has pretty nice, albeit a bit light, dark red fruits, with some interesting ashy tones..Not a bad drink, but not worth its $16 price tag..

From what I understand, $16 is rock-bottom pricing for CA pinot noir so you should be lucky it was even fit for swallowing

Actually, I'm a fan of the MacMurray (trivia nuts: the MacMurray Ranch is the former home of actor Fred MacMurray) and was happy to buy half a dozen a little over a year ago. Probably drank the last one two-three months ago, and the bottles were consistently good throughout. It's not an A-list pinot, but at it's price I think it's a great value primarily for it's restraint, varietal typicity, and low alcohol. (And I am sensitive to high alcohol.) Can't explain what went wrong in Ryan's bottles, but it doesn't sound like what I enjoyed at all.

Ray,

Pinot Noir is effectively dead to me. The juice from Burgundy is too expensive and the juice from Cali has a horrible QPR for the most part. There are are few suppliers from Washington state that I look to for decent PN, but other than that I'm done with the stuff. (dammit!)

RE: There are are few suppliers from Washington state that I look to for decent PN


Washington makes Pinot, and a good Pinot at that? Can you tell me who?
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I would agree that it seems the fruit is fading fast when compared to prior drinking note. Something that should be expected at the price.

Wait a minute folks - what about Oregon? All the Oregon PN's I've had around $15 have been authentic, quality expressions of the grape.

On another note, just a few weeks ago, I had a PN from New York for the first time, and was quite pleased:

Dr. Konstantin Frank, Fleur de Pinot Noir, New York NV
My first taste of a wine from New York. Made from their young vines. Very light, clear ruby. Seemingly very light in body but with suprisingly rich cherry, raspberry, and notes of plum/blackberry, with a touch of pleasant vegetal/tea background, and spice on the finish. Very food friendly. An impressive effort, and a winery to watch in the future. Drink now. An excellent value at $12. Very Good (85 - 87), flirting with Excellent (87 - 90). [7/16/08].

[Jenise]

RE: There are are few suppliers from Washington state that I look to for decent PN


Washington makes Pinot, and a good Pinot at that? Can you tell me who?
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I would agree that it seems the fruit is fading fast when compared to prior drinking note. Something that should be expected at the price.

I'm thinking Sam's got to mean Oregon, or perhaps he's referring specifically to the O'Reilly's brand which is a second label for a winery (whose name suddenly escapes me except to say they make Sinister Hand, Owen Roe perhaps?) who considers itself a Washington winery even though they make pinots from Oregon fruit.

Owen Roe does make O'Reilly.

Good timing Ryan. I actually ordered this very wine at a restaurant in Providence last night. The overall feeling at the table was that it was just "alright." I really liked the nose and the flavors that emerged first (berries and cherries) but didn't like the finish at all. I didn't get the "alcoholiness" early on as you mentioned, but the finish got a little rough and I might attribute that to an alcohol-type note.

The 2003 vintage of this wine was controversial on another wine forum. About 2/3 of the responses were negative (including mine) but about 1/3 were positive. One experienced wine judge gave it 88 points and called it impeccably balanced. I have not sought out later vintages.

[Jenise]

Good timing Ryan. I actually ordered this very wine at a restaurant in Providence last night. The overall feeling at the table was that it was just "alright." I really liked the nose and the flavors that emerged first (berries and cherries) but didn't like the finish at all. I didn't get the "alcoholiness" early on as you mentioned, but the finish got a little rough and I might attribute that to an alcohol-type note.

Roughness is usually tannins, often the result of the fruit in a wine not made for aging making it's exit, often something you find in the last glass or the last sip of your glass that was not evident at first.

Washington makes Pinot, and a good Pinot at that? Can you tell me who?

Oops! Geography never was my strong suit. Plus, I'm from Indiana, so everything west of the Mississippi is effectively California. The state I was looking for was indeed Oregon. I do regularly purchase the Argyle Pinots. I also like the O'Reilly Pinot from Oregon that Jenise mentioned. I have been able to buy in around here for about $15. Sorry for the confusion.

[Robin Garr]

Not that this is really relevant, but I don't believe anyone in this thread has pointed out that MacMurray is, I believe, one of Gallo's many, many labels.

Washington makes Pinot, and a good Pinot at that? Can you tell me who?

Oops! Geography never was my strong suit. Plus, I'm from Indiana, so everything west of the Mississippi is effectively California. The state I was looking for was indeed Oregon. I do regularly purchase the Argyle Pinots. I also like the O'Reilly Pinot from Oregon that Jenise mentioned. I have been able to buy in around here for about $15. Sorry for the confusion.

Where are you in Indiana? I'm a grad student at IU Bloomington.

One of the wine books I have at home, although excellent in many other respects, goes so far as to say that California is the most successful region for PN outside of Burgundy . . . .

Them would be fighting words to a bunch of guys (and a few gals) here in Yamhill County.