2005 King’s Ransom Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Earthy RRV Pinot Doesn’t Disappoint

In case you weren’t aware, pinot noir has a couple different faces it can show. As I mentioned when I paired its duality with Moonlighting, there are more fruit-forward pinots, and earthier, subtler pinots.

I tend to like them both for different reasons, but if I was pushed to choose, I would go with the earthy, mushroomy, a little dirty version of pinot noir popular in Burgundy. It’s not that I don’t like fruit1 but the earth-tone side of pinot noir is simply more unique. There are plenty of grapes that make big, fruit-forward wine. But few that make the subtle dirty-but-you-like-it flavor profile of a good pinot noir.

2005 King's Ransom Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Now, the issue, of course, is that if you try this and screw it up, you have wine that tastes like dirt. There are people who will like this, no matter what. But the true elegance, in my opinion, is arrived at when you can please the mushroom, forest-floor-seeking pinotards and still bring some of the “I like juicy juice” folks into the fold at the same time.

Obviously, one cannot please everyone, nor should anybody try. It makes for muddled shit, frankly. Have a perspective, go for it, don’t compromise. I just personally like it when some elements of both of pinot noir’s personalities end up in the final product.

Which brings us to this wine, the quite aptly-named King’s Ransom RRV Pinot Noir. In the glass, the wine is ruby in the center and clears up considerably to the edges. On the nose, you discover which kind of pinot this is: you get mushroom here, and forest floor. But there is a sweetness present as well, which I believe is actually the presence of the 14.5% alcohol. The sensation isn’t hot or burning, but rather a touch sweet. Like smelling Porto, which I have to admit, was a bit off-putting here.

The palate is balanced fairly well, neither the perceived sweetness nor the masked alcohol show off here. More forest floor, more moss, more mushroom. What tiny bit of fruit is here tastes spicy in a way, like lightly-brined raspberries. It’s strange, but not altogether unpleasant.

The worst thing I can say about this wine is that it simply does not live up to its price point. While it is tasty, and should please those who like this style of pinot noir, the price—truly a king’s ransom—will shy many, if not most, away.

Price Point: $80-$100

Footnotes

  1. I am by no means a member of the anti-flavor wine elite ↩

2007 Intelligent Design Cuvee

Smart Central Coast Southern Rhône-style Surprise

There were reasons I thought I wouldn’t like Intelligent Design.

I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m not a fan of the name. Sure, this is my personal bias showing as if my zipper were down (XYPB, Steve), but when I hear the term “Intelligent Design,” I think of crazy fundies trying to teach kids creationism in science class. Rubs me more than just a little the wrong way.

2007 Intelligent Design Cuvee

I’ve got another bias to admit, and it’s this: I have something of a bias against wines that state a region on their bottle of either “California” or of one of the Super-AVAs (North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, Sierra Foothills, Central Valley1). I usually prefer my wine with a bit more geographic specificity than can be offered by these topographical behemoths.

But, as in all things, bias must be set aside (or at least recognized and accounted for) and wine must be tasted and judged on its own merits.

The 2007 Intelligent Design Cuvee from Wesley Ashley Wines is a serious blend of southern Rhône varities: 51.5% carignane, 15% grenache, 14% cinsault, 11% petite sirah, 4.5% mourvèdre, 4% pinot noir.

Yeah, I said pinot noir. That was another reason I eyed this bottle with more than a little suspicion: who blends pinot noir with the southern Rhône Valley?

My biases and prejudices were all totally thrown out the window when I tasted the wine. This is very tasty stuff.

The wine has a ruby red core in the glass, that lightens to edges of dark pink. On the nose is a simultaneously bright-and-dark mixture of stewed cherry, blackcurrant, black pepper, and just a hint of raspberry.

The wine is light-bodied, lighter than its look in the glass belies. There are notes of spice and earth and smoke that mingle with a touch of the nose’s red fruit. Really awesome mixture. My only complaints here are a relatively short finish, and tannin that is just a touch too sharp. Perhaps more time in the bottle will solve the latter issue.

And a small issue it is. This is a very tasty wine from a newcomer to the California wine scene. I know I for one will be paying attention.

Price point: $38

Footnotes

  1. is the Central Valley an “official” Super-AVA now? Is there an “official” status of Super-AVAs? ↩

2005 Toad Hollow “Rod’s Pride” Pinot Noir

MacBadger Would Be Proud

New School Superstar

So I drank this wine quite some time ago. Last summer, to be exact. I’ve intended to write it up since then, but things get in the way. For instance, I wrote my notes on this wine in an actual notebook. With a pen. It’s a Moleskine. I like them so much, but since I began using Evernote and my iPhone and iPad, I almost never take pen and paper notes.

Plus, my handwriting is downright awful. Embarrassing, even. Your first-grader’s refrigerator door art autograph is easier to read. Doctors sign Rx pads with more clarity. Chickens don’t scratch so illegibly. But after a bit of time, I was able to transcribe the notes from my own private hieroglyphics into actual English, put them into Evernote, and now, I can share them with you.

I drank this wine on a warm day in Walnut Creek, California. Spent with friends and a brief visit with some of my most ardently wino family members (I’m looking at you, Mike and Nancy!), it was one of those good days. The Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival probably isn’t the kind of event that makes your radar, nor, in all likelihood, should it. If you live within 15 miles of the town, then you should probably make the effort, but I digress.

Scattered all over Heather Farms Park are tents. Some contain art. Others, craftworks of varying origin and value. And others still, contain beer or wine. The tents down on this busy, boisterous lawn (complete with the requisite local bands you’ve never heard of—even if you go to local music events) contain some decent juice, and are probably fine for most people. The very first time I had a viognier was at this event in (I believe) 2006 or so.

But some day, you have to graduate. To the premium wine tent.

2005 Toad's Hollow "Rod's Pride" Pinot Noir

I want to make it sound ominous and amazing, but it isn’t. What it is, however, is away from the din. Away from the overly-loud 70s southern rock cover band tortuously wailing through a rendition of… well, of something by Foghat, I guess. Away from crying babies, and the extra heat brought on by coupling grass and a distinct lack of shade.

And it does contain better wine. Like this wine. The “Rod’s Pride” Reserve Pinot Noir from Toad’s Hollow Vineyards. Pinkish-reddish in the glass, the wine’s color reminded me of the juicy surroundings of pomegranate seeds. The color is pretty prescient, as the nose is taken up by the lightly sweet, and yet robust fruit notes of pomegranate, cherry, and strawberry.

This is no subtle Burgundian, but it’s damn tasty. The wine is medium-bodied with a long finish and bright red fruit up and down the palate. Mostly the same as the nose, pomegranate, strawberry, and cherry. But also with a hint of mango, which I assure you tastes even better than it sounds.

I actually realize that, upon reading this back to myself, I’m making this wine sound like a fruit bomb. It’s not. It’s refined and elegant. But it is “new world” in the sense that you won’t find any of those Burgundian mushroom / forest floor / mossy notes here. This is a light, pink pinot noir in many ways. But it’s delicious, and long-finishing, and restrained.

And easily, easily recommended.

Price Point: $47