4th Round 2011s - #21
Pinot Noirs from the the Golden Mile, Okanagan Falls, Cobble Hill, Penticton, Oliver and a “Guest Pinot” from Brazil
Sweet vanilla, dark cherry, toasty oak, strawberry, very ripe fruit… – EU
Salty caramel, raspberries, blueberries, toasted notes, vanilla… – AKG
De Vine Pinot Noir (Okanagan Falls) 2011 | $25.00 | C- to C ~ 85
Cherry Point Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 | $25.00 | C to C+ ~ 87
Salton Volpi Pinot Noir (Brazil) | $23.00 | C+ to B- ~ 89
Road 13 Jackpot Pinot Noir 2011 | $40.00 | B- ~ 90
Inniskillin Dark Horse Estate Pinot Noir 2011 | $25.00 | B+ ~ 94
Red Rooster Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 | $28.00 | B to B+ ~ 93
Silver Sage Winery The Passion Pinot Noir 2011 | $25.00 | C to C+ ~ 87
#1 De Vine Pinot Noir 2011 12.8%
Quality Rating: C- to C ~ 85 Price: $25.00
Eye
BG: Pale, deep cherry/touch of purple. AKG: Bright cherry – to purple. EU: Dark magenta, brownish tone.
Nose
BG: Stewed round plum, boiled/candied plum, possibly spoiled AKG: Citrus notes, berries, pepper. EU: Distinct black cherry, pomegranate, light nose, floral.
Palate
BG: Not recognizably Pinot, dry, low acid, hot, medium grained tannins, the fruit is flat and simple. Slightly musty barrel finish with grape tannins not wood tannins. AKG: Long flavour, pleasant, mulchy, savoury fruit. Fruit a bit dried out? EU: Tannic pomegranate, blueberry, light bitterness, dry finish with strong acid, unbalanced.
Notes:
Closure – cork
#2 Cherry Point Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 12.5%
Quality Rating: C to C+ ~ 87 Price: $25.00
Eye
BG: Pale, ruby rim. AKG: Rose, strawberry, glossy. EU: Red, bright garnet or ruby.
Nose
BG: Rich cherries, some sweet spice, vanilla, cinnamon, some beetroot. Bit porty, not especially pinot like. AKG: Salty caramel, toasted wood, honeysuckle, roasted nuts, wet floor, strawberry. EU: Complex floral, (rose, jasmine), sweet red fruit (cherry, strawberries).
Palate
BG: Prominent acidity, pomegranate molasses, medium plus grippy tannins. Finishes tannic/musty/port. AKG: Too acidic, grippy tannins, sour strawberries, disappointing after what the nose promised,. Maybe needs more cellar time? Pleasant aftertaste. EU: Strawberry, sour cherry, red currants, balance acidity/tannins. Sweet candy on finish. Medium long finish.
Notes:
From 100% estate fruit. Aged 10 months in barrel. Closure – composite cork
Cherry Point Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#3 Salton Volpi Pinot Noir (Brazil) 2011 13%
Quality Rating: C+ to B- ~ 89 Price: $23.00
Eye
BG: Pale. AKG: Brick. EU: Garnet.
Nose
BG: Cherry, pomegranate, vanilla, savoury spice. AKG: Toasted ginkgo nuts, cherries, roses, cigar, leather, creosote, liquorice, roasted beets. EU: Distinct cigar, gaminess at first but blew off mostly then roast cherries, currents afterwards.
Palate
BG: Fresh cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, Sweet spice on nucleus of cherry, cough drop. Tastes warm climate with good backbone of acidity. Tannins relaxed. AKG: Dark ripe cherries, very rich, nicely balanced with nice acidity. EU: Cigar, tobacco, Porty cherry, balsamic vinegar, sharp acidic notes. No real tannins, quite soft.
Notes:
From the area Regao Da Campanha, 400 M above sea level. 6 months in French and American Oak. Closure – Stelvin
#4 Road 13 Jackpot Pinot Noir 2011 13.3%
Quality Rating: B- ~ 90 Price $40.00
Eye
BG: Pale depth. Just a bit of purple on the rim. AKG: cherry, soft. EU: Dark magenta.
Nose
BG: Grape bubblegum, cherry, sulphur, tar. Good length. AKG: Candy, cherries, plums, vanilla, baking spices, orange. EU: Sweet vanilla! Cherry, sandalwood, sweet fruit.
Palate
BG: Some grippy grape tannins. Very savoury. Good acidity. AKG: Hits a nice low note, dark fruits, bit of an alcohol burn, nice tannic notes. EU: Sweet vanilla, dark cherry, toasty oak, strawberry, very ripe fruit. Well-balanced acidity and tannins, Kirsch.
Notes:
The grapes for this wine are 100% pinot noir and were sourced from two vineyards, the Castle vineyard in the Golden Mile Sub-DVA (86%)and the Savard Vineyard in Summerland (14 %)
The grapes were cold soaked for 8 days before starting the fermentation with wild yeast by heating up the must. The grapes were then hand plunged. The wine was aged in French oak for 16 months – 15% new – and it was aged a further 4 months in stainless steel barrels. This wine was neither fined, filtered or pumped in the process.
TA 6.0 g/l RS .70 g/l pH 3.84
Silver Medal Winner – National Wine Awards of Canada 2014
143 Cases produced. Closure – cork
#5 Inniskillin Dark Horse Estate Pinot Noir 2011 13%
Quality Rating: B+ ~ 94 Price: $25.00
Eye
BG: Pale depth with ruby rim. AKG: Cherry, glossy. EU: Dark red/purple.
Nose
BG: Plum, cherry, vanilla, toasty oak. AKG: Dark fruit, cinnamon, caramel, toasted oak, strawberries. EU: Bright right cherry, pomegranate, sweet spicy toasty oak.
Palate
BG: Great balance, cherries, vanilla, oak, beautiful fruit, plum. AKG: Nicely balanced, rich flavours, coffee, cherry, chocolate. EU: Complex cherry, pomegranate, blueberry, dry tannins, sweet vanilla wood, good balance clean with medium long finish.
Notes:
From the Dark Horse Vineyard in the Golden Mile Sub-DVA. Closure – cork
Bronze – 2013 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION
Silver – 2013 WINEALIGN NATIONAL WINE AWARDS
Honours – 2013 INTERVIN INTERNATIONAL WINE AWARDS
#6 Red Rooster Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 12%
Quality Rating: B to B+ ~93 Price: $28.00
Eye
BG: Pale depth, ruby with a touch of garnet on the rim. AKG: Garnet – brick. EU: Bright ruby red.
Nose
BG: Pomegranate, beetroot, strawberry, elegant fruit. AKG: Salty caramel, raspberries, blueberries, toasted notes, vanilla. EU: Light red cherry, strawberry.
Palate
BG: Strawberries, soft, soprano fruit notes, tastes like my idea of Pacific Northwest pinot, pomegranate. Finish is plum. AKG: Strawberries, nice acidity good balance, charcoal. EU: Light floral cherry, strawberry, became long. Lastly astringent finish with wild strawberries and cherries.
Notes:
The wine spent nine months in French oak barrels.
Silver – 2013 WineAlign National Wine Awards
478 cases produced. Closure – Stelvin screwtop
Red Rooster Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#7 Silver Sage Winery The Passion Pinot Noir 2011 13.5%
Quality Rating: C to C+ ~ 87 Price: $25.00
Eye
BG: Light to medium depth. AKG: Purple. EU: Dark red fruit.
Nose
BG: Pinot but Porty. AKG: Candy, too sweet, sugar beets. EU:
Palate
BG: Light port – strawberry, cherries. AKG: Too sweet, berries, oak notes. EU: This Pinot Noir taste like a very off dry dessert wine. Port, strong strawberry, dark cherry flavours with good body, no tannins and good balancing acidity. Judged as dessert wine.
Notes:
Closure – Plastic cork
Silver Sage Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
Tasting Held January 13, 2015