2001 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, Rochioli-Allen vineyard, Russian River (Sonoma), California
About four months ago a poster on Cellar Tracker gave this wine 87 points and described it thus: It is hard to fault this wine for being what it is ... a lush, oaky California red ... but it seems to lack "true Pinot" character. The fruit is still fresh and tasty with ripe cherry, red licorice and sweet vanilla. The wine was med-bodied and round but like the foresty elements and structure that top Pinot should have. A good wine but not a good Pinot Noir.
Now I believe his second to the last sentence was meant to say "lacked the foresty elements..." vs. "like...", but I actually disagree. At least, the bottle we opened on Sunday to go with baked halibut definitely had the foresty elements and the structure appropriate to its age. It was a good, solid pinot noir at 8 years old and very true to the Farrell style--mauve color and all. Moreover, though I didn't take notes as we drank it, "red licorice" and "vanilla" were not words that anyone at the table used to describe it. They sound like completely different wines. I'm sorry I don't have more bottles.
2005 Robinson Reserve pinot noir, Willamette, Oregon
Very oregonian in the nose with plums, black cherry and violets, but fairly wan and boring on the palate after the splendor of the Gary Farrell, and it had a short, untidy finish. Wouldn't bet on it having much of a future.
