WTN: 2004 Dain Wines American Beauty (Amber Ridge)

2004 Dain Wines American Beauty (Amber Ridge RRV)
I am really glad to see the wine is evolving and becoming a better wine for my tastes. In just 11 months since I last tasted it, the finish has really rounded out and the aromas are showing much of what I love about pinot. The appearance of flowers and earth really are adding to the complexity. On the mid palate it still has a cocktail quality but the finish is balanced by the acidity. Last year I thought the finish would just die into chocolate soup. Now there is a lingering brightness. Probably nearing its peak. I think Thanksgiving 2007 would be great but with one bottle left I think I’ll shoot for 2008. 90 pts

Jason

[Jenise]

90 pts for a wine that you thought would die into chocolate soup--that's an achievement. If you hadn't said "what I want from pinot" I'd have sworn you were talking about a syrah.

Btw, I've had these on my watch list since you last mentioned them. It didn't sound like my style of wine, but I want to try everything once so I put it on my watch list anyway. What's the meaning of the name "American Beauty"? Is it a multi-vineyard blend?

Jenise.. these are not over the top Pinots at all.. not like a Loring can be for example. I think you might like them.

Dain gives fancy names to all his wines.. this is a SVD (Darien Vineyard)...why he gives each bottling a separate name is part of Dain's charm.. though it can confuse....

if being a good guy wins you points, though, Dain is way up there, and I personally like his wines a lot...

[Jenise]

if being a good guy wins you points, though, Dain is way up there

It sure does. And the reverse is perhaps even more true: there are a lot of wines out there, and we don't need to buy from a-holes.

Thanks for the info. You've become quite the little Cali-pinot expert since I first got to know you!

Hi Jenise,

I think Jim gave all the info you need. I will say that I do think David Dain’s wine is on the very ripe side. But there is balance. Not sure if you would like the 04s other than one from Alder Springs which has a bit more structure. The 05s seem to have more finesse…partly because of the vintage.

Not sure what the deal with the vineyard name is. I call it Amber Ridge which is what it used to (or maybe still is) be called. Sonnet made a great 03 Amber Ridge but they don’t have it in 04. Kosta Browne makes one as well.

Ultimately I honestly love the wines but it is something extra special to know the man. He is a class guy…100%.

One of his main mentors was/is Joe Davis.

Jason