Tasting the 2011s - #17
Tasting the 2011s - #17
Cedar Creek Blks 2 & 4, Meyer McLean’s Creek, Ken Wright Pinot & World’s Best - Martin’s Lane
Bright acidity, cranberry, plum, white pepper tingle. – EU
Doesn’t taste like pinot exactly – dark fruit. – AKG
Juicy acidity, long, dances between fresh and savoury fruit. – BG
Carson Pinot Noir 2011 | $35.00 | C+ to B- ~ 89
Ken Wright Guadaloupe Pinot Noir 2011 (Oregon) | $65.00 | B- to B ~ 91
Meyer Family McLean Creek Rd. Pinot Noir 2011 | $40.00 | C+ ~ 88
Cedar Creek - Platinum Block 4 Pinot Noir 2011 | $40.00 | D+ to C- ~ 83
Cedar Creek - Platinum Block 2 Pinot Noir 2011 | $40.00 | C to C+ ~ 87
La Frenz Winery Pinot Noir 2011 | $45.00 | C+ to B- ~ 89
Mission Hill Family Estate Martin's Lane Pinot Noir 2011 | $25.00 | C+ to B- ~ 89
#1 Carson Pinot Noir 2011 13.3%
Quality Rating: C+ to B- ~ 89 Price: $35.00
Eye
LC: Deep Ruby JG: Clear, pale Ruby, legs BG: Ruby, light/medium AKG: Cherry EU: Garnet with light purple rim Jacquelin G: Clear, bright
Nose
LC: Strawberry, and floral (dried) JG: Clean, candy cherry, tropical notes of coconut, Cedar BG: Sweet cherries/vanilla/roses/rich cherry AKG: Earthy, dark fruit leather EU: Dried plum, light spice, light green herb – but left early Jacquelin G: Ripe strawberries, lots of oak, cooked beets, earthy, a bit hot. Slight floral blossom – perfumed!
Palate
LC: Strawberry, white pepper. Good balance, maybe slightly acidic. Long finish though a bit of heat at the end JG: dry, acidity medium, alcohol medium, body medium minus, flavour intensity medium length medium the wine is presently in balance, it’s intense in the front palate, lacking a little bit of depth. Medium finish BG: sweet, soft, full fruit, soft tannins, plush AKG: well-balanced, pleasing, simple EU: bright acidity, cranberry, plum, white pepper tingle Jacquelin G: Well-balanced with crisp acidity, moderate ripe tannins, ripe stewed fruit, moderately big finish. Drinking well now
Notes:
The winemaker here Chris Carson, is also largely responsible for establishing the reputation for quality at the chardonnay and pinot noir specialist – Meyer Family Vineyards. Carson spent eight years in New Zealand, where he worked with a range of wineries including Akaura, Gibbston Highgate Estate, Hinton Estate Vineyard, Te Kairanga and Rippon Vineyard and Winery. He also spent time with Domaine Fernandand Laurent Pillot, in Chassagne Montrachet, Burgundy, France and California pinot pioneer Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company.
This is his own pinot noir project with grapes sourced from a high elevation block of Pinot Noir located on Todd Road in the Naramata Bench. The grapes were harvested at 2.2 tons per acre. Elements in the winemaking included: some whole cluster and whole berry treatment, cold soaking, hand plunging, indigenous yeasts, high temperature fermentation, long maceration and gentle pressing. The aging was in French oak for 11 months with 25% of it new. Carson believes the wine is made mostly in the vineyard.
150 cases produced. Available from select private stores or ordered directly by emailing Carson directly – CarsonPinot@Gmail.com
Closure – cork
#2 Ken Wright Guadaloupe Pinot Noir 2011 12.5%
Quality Rating: B- to B ~ 91 Price: $65.00
Eye
LC: Light, Garnet JG: clear, pale Ruby, legs BG: very even, pale, Ruby AKG: cherry/pink EU: Ruby, light colour Jacquelin G: clean, bright, medium, garnet core and light garnet rim
Nose
LC: sulphur initially, waxy, cherry, berry. Smoky. JG: Clean, spicy, eucalyptus, black and red fruits (raspberries) BG: pomegranate/beet In Excelis! Strawberry AKG: savoury strawberry – sunny fruit, faint sweet high note EU: bright cherry, leather, barnyard, smoky, roast and red fruit (strawberries and cherries) Jacquelin G: complex with aromas of cherries, oak and spices, hint of leather
Palate
LC: vanilla, sour cherry. Good balance – long finish. JG: dry, acidity medium plus, body medium, alcohol medium, intensity medium, little shy, I don’t get a lot on the palate. Wine promises more on the nose and doesn’t deliver on the palate. Lack structure and complexity BG: beet, pomegranate, earth, savoury, very long, cherry, crayon, elegant, caramel, velvety, black fruit – tar, chocolate AKG: nice acidity, strawberry, interesting complexity on aftertaste, sort of charcoal/oak are EU: cranberry, medicinal, strawberry, bright acid. Medium body and finish Jacquelin G: well-balanced with ripe tannins in abundance, good to cellar for 2 to 5 years lots of right black fruit, some earthiness, medium bodied – good food wine good length with earthy finish
The Guadalupe vineyard was planted in 1989. It is spaced 7′ by 5′ and is planted to the Wadenswil and Dijon 115 clones. The soil, known as Willakenzie, is a well-drained shallow soil over siltstone. It lies at an elevation of 350′. The vineyard consistently produces small berries and clusters that are intensely colored. Approximately 400 cases are produced. Jim Stonebridge and Kathleen Boeve own the vineyard. It is managed by Joel Myers.
Notes:
Closure – cork
#3 Meyer Family McLean Creek Rd. Pinot Noir 2011 13.5%
Quality Rating: C+ ~ 88 Price: $40.00
Eye
LC: Clear, garnet JG: Clear, pale ruby, legs BG: Pale, garnet AKG: Garnet EU: Medium intensity Jacquelin G: Clear, right, medium garnet core and rim
Nose
LC: rubbery, hint of cinnamon, waxiness, barnyard JG: clean, strawberry and cherry aromas, vanilla, smoked meat BG: beetroot, stewed strawberry, vanilla, caramel, cherry AKG: vanilla, pepper, mineral, buttered beets EU: cigar, pipe tobacco, hung aged beef, vanilla – maybe sulphur defects Jacquelin G: hint of rubber (mercaptans?), Vanilla, herbaceous
Palate
LC: Complex, beet, floral, white pepper, vanilla, longish finish JG: Dry, acidity medium plus, body medium minus, savoury, flavour intensity medium minus, alcohol medium. Nose follows the palate. Strawberry mainly, this one is extremely easy drinking, I find it thin and not exciting, the wine lacks more structure even though it’s in balance BG: Strawberry, cherry, light, savoury caramel some extra fat AKG: Nice balance, mineral, rich, blackberry, savoury strawberry notes? EU: peppery dried cherry, long strawberry finish, vanilla, light body but appropriate Jacquelin G: well-balanced with some earthiness, beets, savoury herbs, ripe tannins (could hold for 2 to 5 years easily) medium long finish and savoury notes
Notes:
The Mclean Creek Road Vineyard is located in Okanagan Falls, and has a predominantly steep southerly aspect with the soil comprised of alluvial and glacial deposits making up a mix of gravelly and sandy loams. The pinot noir blocks are planted with five different French Pommard and Dijon clones and are planted in three distinct blocks on the 16 acre property. The largest of these blocks has a steep southerly aspect to capture the full range of the sun, the second block has a gently sloping westerly aspect giving a slightly higher temperature from the afternoon sun and the third and coolest of the blocks has a northwest aspect. The winery’s stated philosophy is to manage each block separately by hand using organic principles and practice precision viticulture which treats each vine individually.
The harvest fruit parameters were 23-24.5 brix, TA 7.4 – 9 g/L, pH 3.37 and the parameters at bottling were Alc% 13.5, TA 5.9 g/L, pH 3.74
The fruit was gently de-stemmed with 15% left whole cluster. It was then gravity fed into small open top fermenters and allowed to cold soak. After cold soaking, a mix of indigenous and cultured yeast was employed to carry out a long fermentation peaking at 30C, gentle hand plunging of the must was done throughout. After a post-maceration period and a gentle pressing the wine was transferred to 100% French oak barrels (33% new) where it remained for 10 months. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred in late spring.
323 CASES PRODUCED Closure – Composite cork
Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#4 Cedar Creek – Platinum Block 4 Pinot Noir 2011 13.8%
Quality Rating: D+ to C- ~ 83 Price: $40.00
Eye
LC: Purple to rim JG: Clear, pale purple, legs BG: Purple/cherry rim, medium depth AKG: purple EU: dark ruby Jacquelin G: clear, bright, purple core and rim
Nose
LC: Black fruit – plum, cinnamon, vanilla JG: Overly alcoholic, smells like it was fortified! After five minutes that blew off a little bit. Hard to get past that smell, candied black fruit cherry come to the nose BG: blueberry, black fruit, simple, cherry, rich AKG: Ash, blackcurrant, rock swimming hole, marshmallow, plum EU: cherry, wild strawberry, watermelon?, maybe jasmine Jacquelin G: Cherries, a bit closed right now
Palate
LC: sour sweet cherry, hints of cinnamon, spicy, pomegranate. Not pinot. Longish finish. Well-balanced JG: dry, acidity medium, body medium minus, alcohol medium, flavour intensity medium minus, cherry and black fruit flavours not much. This wine tastes fabricated to me BG: blueberry, simple, not barrel marked, bit of barnyard, still some tannic grip AKG: very smooth, great balance – some tannins still present, seems like it could benefit from future aging, doesn’t taste like pinot exactly – dark fruit EU: light pomegranate, maybe cherry, short flavour, exceptionally dry tannins, extended, light acidity Jacquelin G: a bit acidic and tannic (youthful), cherries and blueberries, clean and simple
Notes:
Harvest Date: October 20 & 21, 2011 Blend: 100% Block 4 Pinot Noir Fermentation: 26 days on skins in stainless steel Aging: 16 months in 100% French Oak. Bottling Date: April 4, 2013 Release Date: February 2014 Cases Produced: 426 Total Acid: 9.03g/l Residual Sugar: 2.55g/l pH: 3.33
As of this date, sold out at the winery may be available at select private stores and select VQA stores. Age of Vines: 20 years. Closure – cork
Cedar Creek Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#5 Cedar Creek – Platinum Block 2 Pinot Noir 2011 13.8%
Quality Rating: C to C+ ~ 87 Price: $40.00
Eye
LC: Purple JG: Clear, pale ruby, legs BG: Pale, cherry AKG: Purple – cherry EU: Dark ruby Jacquelin G: Clear, bright, ruby core and light ruby rim
Nose
LC: vanilla waxy, smells complex – not sure of what JG: clean, intense cherry and blackberry fruit (odd), caramel and vanilla flavours, grassy or peppery note (underripe fruit?) BG: cherry, simple, light plum AKG: sweet, dusty, cherry, huckleberry, pepper EU: sweet vanilla cherry, good spicy oak, complex red fruit Jacquelin G: cherries, savoury herbs, dry – dusty earth, vanilla – Oak!
Palate
LC: sweet dark fruit, spicy. Long vanilla finish. Would leave it a bit (better version of number four!) – Not speaking Pinot JG: dry, acidity medium plus, alcohol medium plus, body medium, flavour intensity medium. Very hot! The fruit seems diluted – not in balance – overly alcoholic, thin structure BG: bit hot, simple, plum, great acidity, formative, midweight, long, will develop AKG: peppery, nice finish, buttery, cherry, oak/ash EU: cherry, pomegranate, vanilla oak. Complex herbal finish (green herbs), menthol, thyme, plush full-bodied. Good balance. Distinct tannin Jacquelin G: crystal acidity and abundant tannins, lots of savoury, herbaceous notes with some sweet and sour cherries, medium length with lots of savoury herbs
Notes: Harvest Date: October 18, 2011 Blend:100% Block 2 Pinot Noir Fermentation: 25 days on skins in stainless steel Aging: 16 months in 100% French Oak Bottling Date: April 4, 2013 Release Date: February 2014 Cases Produced:354 Total Acid:7.40g/l Residual Sugar:2.10g/l pH:3.63 Age of Vines: 21 years As of this date, available at private stores, VQA stores, and select BC Liquor Stores(SKU:890178).
Closure – cork
Cedar Creek Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#6 La Frenz Winery One Hundred Series Reserve Pinot Noir 2011 13.5%
Quality Rating: C+ to B- ~ 89 Price: $40.00
Eye
LC: Red – garnet, not bright JG: Clean, pale garnet, legs BG: Ruby, pale/medium AKG: Cherry – pink EU: Dark ruby Jacquelin G: Hint of cloudiness, ruby core and rim
Nose
LC: cinnamon, rhubarb, blueberry JG: clean, smoke, pepper, cinnamon, cooked cherry, little fruit BG: pomegranate, cherry, pretty fruit AKG: floral – honeysuckle, strawberry, oak vanilla, baking spices EU: dark stewed fruits. (Plum, cherry) light smoke, earth Jacquelin G: cooked beets, herbs, rose petals, leather, a bit hot
Palate
LC: Sweet blueberry, vanilla, longish finish, would leave it a bit JG: dry, acidity medium plus, alcohol medium, body medium, tannins medium, cooked cherry, smokiness, grippy tannins, the fruit is there but not a lot of it. I believe the quality of the fruit is not there and that they compensated in the cellar. The wine dies mid palate BG: complex fruit, jumps straight into mid palate, juicy acidity, long, dances between fresh and savoury fruit, intensity developed, penetrating AKG: surprising, very rich, savoury caramel, big flavour, well-balanced, nice oak, strawberries EU: wood dominant vanilla, red fruit, long finish, high alcohol and/or fuller-bodied, leather Jacquelin G: Well-balanced – soft ripe tannins, herbs, beets, promises well for 2 to 5 years in cellar AND drinking well now. Medium length on savoury notes
Notes:
Grown exclusively in La Frenz`s Desperation Hill Vineyard, it is blended from Dijon clones 828, 667, 115 and 91. Closure – Composite cork
La Frenz Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#7 Mission Hill Family Estate – Martin’s lane Pinot Noir 2011 13.5%
Quality Rating: C+ to B- ~ 89 Price: $25.00
Eye
Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
LC: Red leaning to garnet, not crystal clear but not cloudy JG: Clear, pale ruby, legs BG: Cherry, pale AKG: Cherry EU: Very dark ruby to garnet Jacquelin G: Clear, bright, medium ruby core and rim
Nose
LC: Blueberry pie (cinnamon) JG: Clean, sour cherry , almost unpleasant! Vanilla and caramel BG: Beautiful ripe cherry AKG: Barnyard, candy EU: Sour cherry, plums Jacquelin G: strawberries and cherries, vanilla, heat
Palate
LC: Lemon blueberry, vanilla, solid tannins. Good weight – could be cellared JG: Dry, acidity medium plus, tannins medium, body medium, fruit intensity medium, oaky flavours, cider, tannins are harsh, the fruit is hidden behind oak this wine lacks softness elegance is trying to be complex but is not. I’m not enjoying the mouth feel. This wine is rough! BG: very long, beets/cherry high acidity, powerful, concentrated, still some tannin, bit hot AKG: Sweet, bitter, plum EU: Dark cherry, pomegranate, plums, good acidity and tannins Jacquelin G: Vanilla dominates palate along with strawberries and cherries, medium finish with lots of fruit, cellar potential 2 to 5 years. Good acidity and lots of ripe tannins
Notes:
Mission Hill shocked the wine world yet again with this pinot noir named for the late Dr. Martin von Mandl, the father of Anthony von Mandl, the owner of Mission Hill Wines. The 2011 Pinot Noir was hand-picked from select soils and vineyard parcels. The wine was made from a few select barrels from the vintage.
Winemaker’s Notes:
Estate Grown, 100% Pinot Noir, a blend of 4 clones* on 3 rootstocks. Pinot Noir clones 777 | 667 | 828 | 115 Released on July 4th, 2013
Winemaker Nikki Callaway
13.5% alc./vol. | TA 5.7 g/l | pH 3.66
Fermentation & extended maceration in small French Oak Fermenters and then aged for eight months in French oak barrels.
Harvested in October 2011 from vineyards in East Kelowna, West Kelowna & Naramata Vineyards.
Awards:
International Trophy – Best Pinot Noir (under £15) Decanter World Wine Awards 2013
Regional Trophy – Best Canadian Red Decanter World Wine Awards 2013
Gold Medal Decanter World Wine Awards 2013
Silver Medal InterVin International Wine Awards 2013
Closure – cork
Mission Hill Family Estate Martin’s Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
Tasting held June 10, 2014