1999 Benziger Family Kestrel Vineyard Pinot Noir

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, US

Composition: 100% Pinot Noir

Background: I dug this out of a pile of wine I picked up at the winery back sometime in 2001/2002, when we were there a lot since we had family out and were taking them up there to do the wine thing. The winery is very pretty and offers funny tractor tours, a nice tasting room, peacocks, kiwi vines, and has something for just about everyone. I can promise you that your 80-year-old wine buff grandma will love the place, really.

Benziger is located in Glen Ellen, CA, and the 85-acre ranch contains 42 acres of biodynamically maintained vineyards which were planted over 20 years ago. Most consist of Cabernet Sauvignon as well as some other Bordeaux varieties, but Benziger also has a network of growers and source grapes from them (such as this Pinot from the Willamette Valley in Oregon).

The 1999 growing season in Oregon was cool, the summer being colder than usual but then followed by a long Indian summer. This gave the grapes an extra month or so of hang time on the vine and allowed them to reach maximum fruit, sugar, and acidity levels. The fruit was cold-soaked and then fermented for about two weeks. Once pressed, the wine was put into oak barrels for about 16 months to gain some spice and warmth.

Notes: I can title this note: When Fruit Gets Old. All that hang time and careful winemaking was wasted on me today. I think I did this wine a disservice and kept it around too long before drinking it. It feels over the hill to me... rather flat and you can feel the missing fruit. I don't think it was like this when I bought it, mostly because I wouldn't have bought it if it had been like this!

It's dark ruby in the glass, with a slightly pink edge, showing its age a little. The nose is promising, with some tar and forest floor and black fruit evident. But once in the mouth it falls a little flat. The fruit is there but very very distant; and there isn't much else. Distant fruit followed by a pleasant if subdued finish of leather and earth. But that's it. It isn't bad or unpleasant, really; it feels dull and lackluster, and I think I probably should have had this last year, or even the year before.

Oh well, live and learn... I did notice it felt brighter during dinner (for those keeping score... wine and herb marinated Quorn, sunchoke-flavored mashed potatoes, and sauteed broccoli/asparagus/cherry tomatoes with garlic and red pepper). I have to find a better way (or, really, any way other than rooting around occasionally and going "oh yeah, I forgot about this one!") to keep track of my wines.

Cost: $21

Overall: C (and it is probably my fault)