A fistful of Pinots

On Saturdays I usually go to the wine tastings at K&L or at The Wine Club (occasionally both if they are both good and I am feeling crazy). Sometimes they are crowded and you can barely move, sometimes they are quiet and you can actually stand not mashed up against something (the quiet tastings are usually for something unpopular like Zinfandel or happening when there is a sexier wine event going on that day). K&L is a better venue because they have a little corral for the tastings and have clipboards and pens you can use to take notes; The Wine Club usually requires that you slap the sheet on a case of somethingorother (if you are lucky enough to find one not in use) and scribble away. And I guess overall I feel more at home at K&L, but that's neither here nor there.

These are very informal tastings and I usually don't spit every time or take copious notes, partly because I am usually squished in and can't move around easily, and partly because these are sort of a fun thing for me as much as they are any sort of learning experience. I get to talk to other wine dorks like myself, if nothing else, since for some reason I don't normally get to talk to other wine people.

This last week's tasting was California and Oregon Pinot Noir, and it was kind of dead since the store was having a big Italian tasting in Redwood City. I had a million things to do Saturday but stopped by to do a quick tasting anyway. I am glad I did, because I tasted some good ones. I also affirmed that I have expensive taste in Pinot Noir, relatively speaking (some of the first, lighter wines were okay, but I don't think things really started getting interesting until around the Porter Creek). Ten wines were poured:

2002 Essler (California, $10) Pale browny-burgundy, mushroom and berry in the nose, farily one dimensional but okay, some dirt and leather along with the fruit B

2002 Rex Hill King's Ridge, Willamette Valley (Oregon, $14) Pale burgundy, cedar and woody nose, kind of spicy, okay but not fabulous (9 months in oak, 30 percent new French) B

2003 Erath (Oregon, $13) Pale pinky-red, lots of fruit funk in the nose (cherry and raspberry), fairly acidic, pleasant fruity finish, clean, all about the fruit (same winemaker as Cartlidge & Brown) B

2003 A to Z (Oregon, $16) Light maroon, interesting nose full of red fruit, kind of soapy in the mouth with a drying finish C+

2003 Ponzi Tavola, Willamette Valley (Oregon, $18) Light red, cedar and forest floory, nice acid, OK but the finish is kind of eh, almost salty seeming C+

2002 Porter Creek Fiona Hill, Russian River (California, $26) Light reddy-pink, very fruity funk on nose with a little cedar, slightly smoky in mouth, might be interesting with food B+

2003 Roessler Blue Jay, Anderson Valley (California, $28) Fairly deep red-burgundy for a pinot, a HUGE nose full of black and red fruit but is so smooth that it is almost like drinking water, good acid, bright fruit, soft tannins, but I was a little let down by it in the mouth versus what it smelled like (720 cases) A-/B+

2003 Migration, Anderson Valley (California, $27) Nice and dark, almost raisiny with a lot of black fruit, was my favorite of the group overall (16 months in 100 percent new French oak) A

2003 Carter "Hillblock", Willamette Valley (Oregon, $37) Mulberry red with a slightly sweet finish that I thought was maybe a little too sweet, astringent and pleasant otherwise A-

2003 Martinelli "Bella Vigna", Russian River Valley (California, $45) Huge, hot nose, with a slight dull bitterness at finish, very big for a Pinot and I think too big (Helen Turley is the winemaker and it as 16 percent alcohol which is crazy) B

Comments

[Kieca]

I think it depends on what you like in a Pinot. It wasn't bad or anything, it is just one of those lighter Pinots and I don't love them like I love some of the darker ones. I haven't ever had the '97 so I don't know how it compares with the 2002!

It was certainly better than the similarly priced Oregon Pinot I opened up last night (I have to finish writing it up).

[Dulcie.]

"2002 Rex Hill King's Ridge"

The '97 vintage of that is my favourite wine, ever. How sad that the 2002 is not so special.

I'm taking note of your higher graded ones, though, and I'll see if my wine shops have any of them. Thanks!