Pinot Noir Sideways

[danielp]

Hi - with limited access to Californian wine in the UK, can anyone out there tell me whether the Pinot Noir seen in Sideways such as Kistler and Sea Smoke is as great as promoted? Who are equals in the Pinot worlds of Sonoma or Santa Rita? - This may have been a previous thread - but I missed it.

[Serge Birbrair]

I personally find the best US PN's to come from...Oregon.
LMK if you want me to throw a few names.

[danielp]

Some names to look for would be great. Not too farmyardy (bouquet), please....

[Bill]

I personally find the best US PN's to come from...Oregon.
LMK if you want me to throw a few names.

Some that are produced in quantity that might be available in the UK are Firesteed (light, everyday pinot) and anything from King Estate ( better,very large producer in Oregon). Regards, Bill

[Serge Birbrair]

Beaux Freres,
Carter Vineyards,
Ken Wright
Patricia Green

do any of those names ring a bell?

[danielp]

Not familiar with Oregin at all. Thanks, I wil see what I can find.....
Any thoughts on CA competitors to the ones mentioned. And how would you describe the styles of PN.

[danielp]

Ken Wrights McCrone or Wahle vineyards? Seems we have both this side of the pond. Beaux Freres requires a mortgage here.....

[Susanne Feigum]

Hi - with limited access to Californian wine in the UK, can anyone out there tell me whether the Pinot Noir seen in Sideways such as Kistler and Sea Smoke is as great as promoted? Who are equals in the Pinot worlds of Sonoma or Santa Rita? - This may have been a previous thread - but I missed it.

I don't know about these Pinots from Cali either, but imagine they are all overpriced by now....LOTS of people want to be mini-meeeees and drink the same Pinot "that was in the movie"....go to the same restaurants and wineries Miles and Jack went to...there are whole Sideways tours still and the movie has been out for a year. Just crazy.

The Oregon Pinots Serge mentioned are all very good....

[Serge Birbrair]

Fruity...in one word


Fruity and alcholic in 2 words

[danielp]

Lacking complexity? Too jammy? for $55-$60 a bottle here, do I unfairly expect something interesting?.....

[danielp]

Serge - how do I put up a pic by my id?

[Serge Birbrair]

Lacking complexity? Too jammy? for $55-$60 a bottle here, do I unfairly expect something interesting?.....

that not bad price for Ken Wright and Beaux Freres.

Try 2001, 2002 vintages, not 2003, and cellared for 4-5 years for complexity.

re: picture, go to
UserCP and it gives you an option of Avatar.
LMK if you need more help and I'll be more than glad to oblige

[hawkfish]

Daniel -

I'm also assuming that you are most accostomed to French rather than New World (I realize that's a big assumption). You will find that that Oregon PN's tend more toward the burgundian style than the CA wines. A generalization, but they tend to be truer PN representations.

Faye

[Serge Birbrair]

Faye, with 2003 vintage and Ken Wright as a vintner to be notable exceptions

[danielp]

I actually have equal experience of CA, New Zealand and French Pinot. Thanks for the tip on 2003. I found Kistler in a UK store yesterday. $150 inc tax! I like new and old world styles of Pinot. French for its complexity and new world for its weight. What I dont want is simple/one dimensional fruit juice....... (obviously). I will try some Oregon Pinot with interest.

[dinwiddie]

My favorite PNs are unfortunately small production and highly allocated. There are some excellent high end PNs in this category, i.e., Martinelli, Loring, Radio-Coteau, Siduri, ROAR, and some new producers coming around all the time.

For less expensive CA PNs that might be available, in addition to the good suggestions already made, I'd suggest La Crema (CA), Argyle (WA), Ponzi (OR), Sanford (CA), Van Duzer (OR), or Acacia (CA)

[Serge Birbrair]

DW, how do you have 'em shipped to DC???

[dinwiddie]

Getting them shipped to DC is not usually a problem except with Martinelli, which I have shipped to VA. Obviously getting them shipped to MD is impossible.

[Serge Birbrair]

Darn,
I HOPED politicians would make sure their stack of good juice flows to DC uninterruptedly

[dinwiddie]

Actually, if the amount is less than 6 bottles, it is not a problem. Technically the law says one bottle per month, but most wineries will ship up to 6 bottles. Since I buy more than that from Martinelli and they are sticklers about shipping, it goes to good ole VA.

[Serge Birbrair]

Having lots of free time on my hands, I'd figured out how to run around all the laws and bring oenophiles what they want but...
I am affraid the penalties for that are more severe than shipping controlled substances across the state lines

[winewizard]

As I have observed in the past, Susanne has a gift for speaking volumes in her short replies. I can only add, that in my pursuit of wine knowledge, I have been convinced of the truth of what I once read about winemakers. That is " Every winemaker wants to make a great Pinot Noir"
A good thing for we who are lovers of Pinot because, as they continue to experiment with the grape; the results get better and better. So does the wine they produce.
I defer to and agree with Susanne's commeent about wannabees.