WTN: Two Cali Pinots and a Colorado Red

[Jenise]

2009 Sutcliffe Vineyards Trawsfynydd McElmo Canyon Red Bordeaux Blend
Big, tasty red blend from the "sun-drenched days, cool nights" (per the back label) of Colorado's McElmo Canyon that drinks like an upper tier cab-based Sonoma red blend with some nice secondary nuances.

2013 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Sneaking into middle age with complex raspberry and cherry fruit, herbs and spice. Bright and well-nuanced.

2009 Talbott Pinot Noir Logan Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Kudos for longevity--a $16 wine held in this long and it's not over yet! That said, the heavy oak that caused me to avoid this bottle for so many years has turned it into a dark and earthy wine that resembles syrah more than pinot noir. Not my thing.

Pax is apparently phasing out his Wind Gap label. I know the money backing him is now in the federal pen, and the tasting room in Sebastopol has been rebranded "Pax Wines".

[David M. Bueker]

He's not phasing out the label. He's exiting the brand. It will still exist, but without him.

It will also exist without me as a customer.

2009 Talbott Pinot Noir Logan Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Kudos for longevity--a $16 wine held in this long and it's not over yet! That said, the heavy oak that caused me to avoid this bottle for so many years has turned it into a dark and earthy wine that resembles syrah more than pinot noir. Not my thing.

Interesting. I never went for the Talbott, instead going for the Talbot Kali Hart which was generally about 40% cheaper and absolutely amazing. It was also 100% Sleepy Hollow. And although I believe Pinot Noir is an abomination when grown in Santa Lucia Highlands and hope that it is still one day banned, there is just something about Sleepy Hollow. One of my favorite vineyards in the state. In honor of this thread, I grabbed my last bottle of 2003 Kali Hart, still with its $8.99 price tag on it, and will let Laura tell me what she thinks. I'll give a sniff and maybe a small taste with a spit. This one may be long in the tooth. We shall see. I will report back.

Jason

[Jenise]

Jason, good to hear from you! {hug} Surprised but glad you're feeling okay enough to read and post.

I've never, that I can recall, had a Kali Hart pinot but believe I had chardonnay with that name long, long ago. I probably would have liked this Talbott if 1) it hadn't been called pinot noir and I'd had different expectations and 2) I'd had it with something strong enough to stand up to it, like ribs or a bowl of chili. It's good wine, just out of place within normal pinot noir conventions.

Jason, good to hear from you! {hug} Surprised but glad you're feeling okay enough to read and post.

I've never, that I can recall, had a Kali Hart pinot but believe I had chardonnay with that name long, long ago. I probably would have liked this Talbott if 1) it hadn't been called pinot noir and I'd had different expectations and 2) I'd had it with something strong enough to stand up to it, like ribs or a bowl of chili. It's good wine, just out of place within normal pinot noir conventions.

Thanks for the hug.

We'll see how this 2003 Kali Hart is. When it was young and until at least age 7 or 8, it showed nothing like syrah. Just pure pretty Pinot Noir fruit. I can't remember the last Vintage I had but it was probably 2005.

Jason

[David M. Bueker]

Best wishes Jason!

Best wishes Jason!

Thank you my friend.

J