WTN: 2004 Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan, CA

(Gavilan Mountains, San Benito County, California's Central Coast (Mt. Harlan is an AVA)
The back label furnishes much more information, much of which I've added as a footnote for those interested*

15% alcohol. Viscous texture. Dark purple-red color. Nose of black cherry. Marvelous flavor of cherry/raspberry with just the right modicum of pucker on the finish. Yummy wine! I'd rate it 93 or 94. I looked it up on cellartracker and saw mostly ratings in the 90's with one 77 and one 84. The 77 rater complained of the high alcohol but I found it to be well balanced. The 84 said they may have had an off bottle and there was some barnyard odor--definitely not present in the bottle I opened.
Terrific wine! Right match for cedar-plank salmon or Cornish hen or duck in cherry sauce? Seems to be at its peak five years after harvest but may stay at this plateau for awhile yet.
Who knew San Benito County was capable of producing such fine wine? (probably a lot of Calera and Josh Jensen fans) I feel this would blow away most CA or OR pinots. I believe I still have a bottle of the Calera Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir.

*Geology: limestone average elevation: 2200 feet above sea level creating cool climate conditions
planted: 1984
average yield: 1.3 tons per acre
average ripeness at harvest: 27.7% sugar
Uses native yeasts and wine spends 16 months in 60-gallon French oak barrels (15% new). 100% malolactic fermentation. Non-filtered.
Bottled in various size bottles equivalent to 1209 cases of 750 ml. bottles.

I probably wouldn't have even tried it based on the alcohol level. That's just crazy for Pinot Noir!

You'd be missing out.

As one of those on CT, I offer my note.....

2004 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard[/url] - USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan (6/9/2009)
Terrific aromatics of red fruit and earth. Follows thru on the palate with some steminess that adds to the complexity. Plenty of acidity to make this refreshing to drink. Went very well with a beet and goat cheese salad and breaded cod with couscous and beans. (91 pts.)

I didn't notice the ABV at all..

Thanks, James for posting your note. Woodland Hills is offering the 2006 Jensen Vineyard currently and Allen Meadows (Burghound) gave it a 92 rating. I was interested though that he recommends drinking it 2015 or later. Makes me wonder if I should cellar my one Jensen Vineyard longer. (It's probably a 2004 although I haven't checked the vintage.)

JC, do you have any experience with these wines as they age? I picked up a half bottle of 2001 Calera Mills Vyd a few weeks back at Table & Vine and found it very hard to drink (seemed quite extracted with a flavour profile that was more Shiraz than Pinot - lots of chocolate, spice and dark fruit - and the alcohol was very prominent).

Given the praise I've read for Calera I am keen on trying one of their younger wines, and am curious whether that '01 was either a very off bottle or just possibly too old.

I don't know specifically about the merits of the 2001. Two people on another forum say that the wines should cellar for several years--one recommended aging the Mills, Reed and Ryan Vineyards for 8 to 10 years and said Selleck and Jensen vineyards can go even longer. Your bottle fits into that recommended 8-10 year range and as a half bottle should mature sooner so it may be an off bottle or an off vintage for Calera. Then too, it may be that Josh Jensen's style doesn't fit your palate, but I found the bottle I had to be less "over-the-top" style than Sea Smoke, Loring Wine Company and some others.