WTN - Pinot Noir Around the World

Link to my notes in Rogov's Place:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=20566

Very nice notes and a thoughtfully designed tasting that doesn't break the bank. Very useful.

I'm putting together something similar for a few years down the road, but trying to stick to 2006 (of course, in the southern hemisphere that's six months older).

I've had mostly disappointments with Chilean pinots. One that survived, though, was the Cono Sur Reserva, which is their fourth (!) cuvee (below the Ocio, 20 Barrels and Vision), and might have held its own, in terms of cost/benefit, in the company you assembled. I also liked the Errazuriz Wild Ferment.

I would expect the French to routinely underwhelm in terms of power but excel in terms of subtlety, and all in all your tasting seems to bear this out, no?

I would expect the French to routinely underwhelm in terms of power but excel in terms of subtlety, and all in all your tasting seems to bear this out, no?

Definitely. The New Worlds excelled because they had such nice fruit, but none of them were as interesting as the Burgs (except possibly the Marlborough). I'd take more of the two Burgs before any of the others (but once again, that Marlborough was really something).

Funny you should mention the Cono Sur - I actually briefly considered it, but since I had room in the budget for something a bit nicer, I went with the EQ - also because the salesman recommended the EQ over the Cono Sur. Oh well - will try it at some point.

For those interested in trying Argentine Pinot Noir.... here are a few I dare suggest people be on the lookout for:

Rutini Coleccion Pinot Noir (Mendoza)
MariFlor Pinot Noir (Mendoza)
Septima Noche Pinot Noir (Mendoza)
Ocio Pinot Noir Crianza (Patagonia)
Chacra Barda (Patagonia)
Chacra Treinta y Dos (Patagonia)
Chacra Cincuenta y Cinco (Patagonia)

Nice notes, Ryan.

I just had the Kim Crawford 2007 pinot this weekend and I agree it is a fine wine. Interesting you should mention the cranberry tastes. My original impression was juicy ripe tart cherries. However, when matched with a cranberry conserve the cranberry aspects of the wines were accentuated. I really enjoyed this pinot with pork loin and cranberry conserve.

[Jenise]

Ryan, nice tasting. Have to comment, though, that the one Kim Crawford pinot I had by the glass in a Honolulu restaurant last April (simple, candied) doesn't prepare me to read that they're capable of making a product that would be anyone's best pinot ever. I'm sure yours was a different and better vintage, but all the same: haven't seen any evidence so far that they're capable of producing something that would compete on that level.

Matetic features downtown. Store owner visited Chile earlier this year and was impressed with the operation. Wines are not cheap here in town however.

Ryan, nice tasting. Have to comment, though, that the one Kim Crawford pinot I had by the glass in a Honolulu restaurant last April (simple, candied) doesn't prepare me to read that they're capable of making a product that would be anyone's best pinot ever. I'm sure yours was a different and better vintage, but all the same: haven't seen any evidence so far that they're capable of producing something that would compete on that level.

Hello Jenise. If it didn't have the slightly earthy and vegetal undertones, it might have been just a juicy, fruit cocktail sort of wine. I would say that there wasn't any candied character to it. It was well liked by the group, but I can imagine (though not understand) that a few people here and there might not care for it.

Ryan, nice tasting. Have to comment, though, that the one Kim Crawford pinot I had by the glass in a Honolulu restaurant last April (simple, candied) doesn't prepare me to read that they're capable of making a product that would be anyone's best pinot ever. I'm sure yours was a different and better vintage, but all the same: haven't seen any evidence so far that they're capable of producing something that would compete on that level.

Hello Jenise. If it didn't have the slightly earthy and vegetal undertones, it might have been just a juicy, fruit cocktail sort of wine. I would say that there wasn't any candied character to it. It was well liked by the group, but I can imagine (though not understand) that a few people here and there might not care for it.

Now I'll have to get a bottle and arbitrate...