2009s – Four Years After - #15

Pinots from Vancouver Island, the Similkameen & Okangan Valleys and a Spatburgunder

Tasting held April 29th 2014

Palate follows nose, savoury, cherries, wine in balance, good quality, simple -JG
Savoury fruit, blueberry and chestnut echoes, balanced – BG
Chalky tannins in balance with subdued fruit and crisp, food friendly acidity-Jacquelin G

Starling Lane and 40 Knots Pinot Noir Label Details

BC Pinot Noir 2009 Wine Diamond Corks

1. Arns und Sohn Blauer Spatburgunder 2009 (Germany) | $25.00 | B- ~ 90

2. Seven Stones Winery Pinot Noir 2009 | $30.00 | C+ to B- ~ 89

3. 40 Knots Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2009 | $27.00 | B- ~ 90

4. Blackwood Lane Vyds & Winery Pinot Noir 2009 | $40.00 | D+ ~ 82

5. Starling Lane Pinot Noir 2009 | $25.00 | B- to B ~ 91

6. Ancient Hill Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2009 | $25.00 | B- to B ~ 91

   #1 Arns und Sohn Blauer Spatburgunder 2009 13%

   Quality Rating: B- ~ 90    Price: $25.00

   

   Arns und Sohn Blauer Spatburgunder 2009

   Eye
   JG: clear, pale ruby, legs    BG: light, ruby    AKG: Garnet, rather dark    EU: brownish garnet    Jacquelin G: crystal clear, medium garnet rim and core

   Nose
   JG: clean, cherries sour    BG: wood, red currant    AKG: raisins    EU: leather, light smoky, like cherry, big beets, roast cherry    Jacquelin G: earthy, warm, wet forest floor and wild strawberries, classic pinot bouquet

   Palate
   JG: Dry cherry follows the palate, medium plus acidity, low tannins, but in alcohol, I find the wine a little alcoholic which makes it unbalanced in my mind, really acidic – the wine is acceptable quality but lacks complexity    BG: roses, cherries, acid medium – cherry wood on end simple fruit slightly high alcohol AKG: quite acidic, fairly long finish, oaky vanilla, nicely balanced    EU: baked cherry beets, earthy, compost/forest floor pomegranate. This is BC pinot? Needs food, well-balanced acidity and tannins Jacquelin G: excellent balance with youthful ripe tannins; crisp acidity, medium plus lingering finish, needs two years in cellar

   #2 Seven Stones Winery Pinot Noir 2009 13.9%

   Quality Rating: C+ to B-  89   Price: $30.00

   

   B.C. Seven Stones Pinot Noir 2009

   Eye
   JG: Clear, pale ruby, sediments, legs   BG: Cherry with a touch of garnet   AKG: Glossy, Garnet, light, almost yellowish   EU:Llight cherry   Jacquelin G: Crystal clear medium garnet core and rim

   Nose
   JG: Clean, smokiness jumps out of the glass, cork, strawberry, mint, new leather, earthiness, eucalyptus, savoury component   BG: Beetroot, gamey, bit of blueberry   AKG: Strawberry, perfume, baking spices   EU: Distinct cedar, oak, lime peel, cherry   Jacquelin G: Gust of wood! Woody, hint of stewed tomatoes, some warm baking spices (subdued fruit-dumb stage?)

   Palate
   JG: Dry, medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins, medium plus alcohol, oak flavours come first, making the wine bitter, more cherry on the palate wine has high acidity which makes it out of balance the fruit more complex on the nose than the palate – no fruit.    BG: light tannic grip, great aftertaste, it hot, slightly high acid, finish interesting and long. Good balance    AKG: tastes hot, acidic, wood finish, a bit sour    EU: cherry, citrus, green bay leaves. Peppery on finish, light acid, distinct tannins interesting but may be in a dumb phase    Jacquelin G: spicy acidity dominates palate and finish, plenty of grippy, yet ripe tannins, lacking fruit on the palate. Needs cellar time of 2 to 5 years will then be rewarded. Finish lingers with hint of cherries and Oak

   Notes:
   Closure – cork

   Seven Stones Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

   #3 40 Knots Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2009 12.5%

   Quality Rating: B- ~ 90    Price: $27.00

   

   40 Knots Pinot Noir 2009

   Eye
   JG: clear, pale ruby, Crystal sediment at the bottom of the glass, legs    BG: Ruby    AKG: Garnet, dark    EU: Garnet    Jacquelin G: bright, medium garnet core and rim

   Nose
   JG: clean, big cherries, sour component at the same time, slight oak, spice notes – pepper    BG: vanilla, strawberry, cherry    AKG: plum pit, pepper, prunes, barbecue, vanilla    EU: raisiny cherries, cooked cranberry, bright cherry, Porty    Jacquelin G: spice sweet strawberries, ripe cherries, baking spices

   Palate
   JG: Dry, acidity medium plus, tannins medium, alcohol medium. Palate follows the nose, savoury, cherries, wine is in balance, good quality, simple – you could show more complexity of the palate.    BG: beautiful balance, lightweight, ripe cherry, wood effects I think. Unique, nice vanilla nose    AKG: savoury tannins, quite flat, not much arc but well-balanced, berries    EU: very ripe, light acidity, strong dry tannins very ripe/dried cherry, dried red fruit on finish, strawberry, cherry opening    Jacquelin G: medium light mouthfeel. Well-balanced with great, structured tannins, ripe and plentiful, strawberries and cherries and palate and finish. Lingers pleasantly with fruit and tannins lacking complexity but well-made, clean wine.

   Notes:
   Closure – Stelvin screwtop

   40 Knots Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

   #4 Blackwood Lane Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir 2009 13%

   Quality Rating: D+ ~ 82    Price: $40.00

   

   Blackwood Lane Pinot Noir 2009

   Eye
   JG: Wine is faulted    BG: Garnet side of cherry or Ruby    AKG: Warm garnet    EU: Garnet with purplish edges    Jacquelin G: slightly bricky

   Nose
   JG: Wine is faulted    BG: Wood, vegetal, cherry/Chestnut    AKG: Strawberry – overripe    EU: Floral (rose, perfumed but left quickly), complex red fruits, cherry and strawberry    Jacquelin G: All overripe tomatoes, too much! Some oak & spices too. Tomatoes blew off to reveal pleasant balance of fruit and spice-good!

   Palate
   JG: Cooked/faulty something is seriously wrong with this wine    BG: Suspicious, candied fruit, alcohol slightly elevated, fat layer, reminds me of nebbiolo. One middle taste only, but short, not too complex    AKG: Sweet strawberry, earthy, warm wood, vanilla EU: Distinct strawberry jam, cherry, light tannins and acidity. Overall simple but in balance with short finish    Jacquelin G: Initially very sweet fruit on the palate, well-balanced with ripe tannins and pleasantly crisp acidity. Drinking well now, can’t see room for cellaring. medium length with limited complexity

   Notes:
   Closure – cork

   #5 Starling Lane Pinot Noir 2009 12.3%

   Quality Rating: B- to B ~ 91   Price: $25.00

   

   Starling Lane Pinot Noir 2009

   Eye
   JG: Clear, pale ruby, legs    BG: cherry    AKG: cherry    EU: Garnet, red with no brown    Jacquelin G: bright, clear

   Nose
   JG: Clean, intensity medium plus, sour cherries, citrus note?    BG: wood, cherry, vanilla, violets    AKG: sweet fruit    EU: cherry, baking spices, strawberry tannins    Jacquelin G: lots of cherries, hint of oaky spiciness

   Palate
   JG: Dry, acidity medium plus tannin medium, alcohol medium minus, cherries, oak, the fruit is not balanced with the oak. I feel it is too much oak maybe need some time? Potential.    BG: savoury fruit, blueberry and chestnut echoes, balanced, bit hot?, good acidity, long interesting aftertaste, will develop    AKG: nice balance, strawberry, bay leaves, simple and enjoyable    EU: balanced but light fruit, slightly bitter and some cherry, light oak, strawberry finish, tannic dried cherry on finish    Jacquelin G: well-balanced, ripe tannins, pleasantly crisp acidity, fruit, cherries spicy, medium plus length with some complexity, will hold but not likely to improve the cellar to drink now maybe hold for two years

   Notes:
   Won Best of Category Double Gold at the 2011 All Canadian Wine Championships. 112 cases produced
   Closure – Composite cork

   #6 Ancient Hill Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2009 15.2%

   Quality Rating: B- to B ~ 91    Price: $25.00

   

   Ancient Hill Pinot Noir 2009

   Eye
   JG: Clear, pale garnet, legs, the colour seems a little older    BG: Garnet, simple    AKG: cherry – Garnet    EU: Garnet, older looking light brown    Jacquelin G: crystal clear, leaning to bricky core and rim

   Nose
   JG: Clean, there was slight volatile acidity present but blows off after a few minutes, strawberries, vanilla flavours, reminiscent of oak, hint of spice, not extremely complex    BG: beautiful savoury cherry, chestnut    AKG: blueberry, salty EU: strong ripe cherry, black olive, light volatile acidity/wild aromas    Jacquelin G: fruit and oak, hint of stewed beets – savoury!

   Palate
   JG: Dry, acidity high, tannin medium plus, alcohol medium plus. red berries. I find this wine overly tannic – bitter. The fruit is not coming on the palate, nose is more complex than the palate. Bitter green tannins. The wine is of good quality, however the tannins are too harsh to call this a pinot noir    BG: Simple, savoury, cherry, some tannic grip but will develop    AKG: A little tannin, bigger than others in tasting, savoury, beautiful balance, oak, nutty    EU: Well-balanced, distinct tannin/acidity, dry red fruits, savoury caramel    Jacquelin G: well-balanced – chalky tannins in the balance with subdued fruit and crisp food friendly acidity. Will hold nicely for 2 to 5 years in cellar medium length with limited complexity but clean and well made

   Notes:
   Closure – Stelvin screwtop

   Ancient Hill Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

   Note: Seventh wine was faulted.

   Tasting held April 29th 2014