Pinot Noir Wine Dinner

Theme was to compare pinot noir from Burgundy, California and Oregon.  Thanks to fellow Vinous member Leonard Taylor and his wife, Jill, for co-hosting a lovely evening and generously contributing to the line-up from their cellar and also helping with stemware  :) 

Eclectic white wines - first flight paired with sauteed scallops:

2012 Sadie Family Old Vine Series Skurfberg - 100% Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Killer nose...totally fascinating mix of minerality and fruit.... satiny, dusty texture with beautifully dry finish. I very much liked this wine. My favorite of the flight.

2012 Sine Qua Non "In the Abstract" - 37% Chardonnay,  31% Roussanne, 16% Petite Manseng, 16% Viognier.  Very rich nose, delicious fruit. Krankl is known for his deftness at blending white varietals into fascinating wines.  This had a beautiful oily texture reminiscent of a great Northen Rhone white. Finish was a tad warm. 

2014 Nicora "The Undisclosed" - 58% Viognier,  42% Roussanne.  This was voted favorite of the flight. Young,  but showing elegantly.  Should develop well. Did not exhibit the pleasingly oily texture of the SQN. Honestly, I spent so much time with the Skurfberg and the SQN that my impressions are not that lucid for the Nicora.

2007 François Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu - my first experience with this vineyard. I have enjoyed the Mont Damnes cuvee before. The fruit seemed a bit past its prime on this bottle. Opened up nicely with lemon and mineral palate. 

2014 Mas de Pampelonne - 55% Grenache,  30% Cinsault,  15% Tibouren.  I don't drink much rose but this was very nice. Killer nose. Beautiful grenache palate. Great QPR.

Pinot Noir (2006 and younger) - second flight paired with lobster ravioli:

2007 F. Magnien Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots - showed magnificently. Just what you want in a red Burgundy.  This was voted favorite of the flight. Elegant and balanced fruit and sous bois , very nice complexity on the finish.  I've always had  good luck with Les Suchots from just about any Producer. 

2007 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Swan Terrace - This is why Rhys deserves their great reputation.  This bottle rivets your attention with an irresistible nose coupled with mouth-watering fruit and minerality.  I had a hard time picking between the Rhys and the Les Suchots as my favorite.  The fruit was incredible on the Rhys (while maintaining balance) . The Les Suchots had more complexity and longer finish.  

2008 Bryce - I think this was the last vintage that Bruce Bagnall made from the Bryce Vineyard before he passed away.  The Bryce Vineyard cuvee continues in the hands of Ken Wright. It's been years since I've tasted this wine, and time has been very kind. This is what I look for in Oregon pinot noir. Very elegant black cherry , with dusty Asian spices, sous bois and very subtle anise on the finish.  It was ridiculously difficult to pick a favorite from this flight. All of the wines were so delicious on their own merits. 

Bonus wine for this flight - 2013 Big Table Farm Sunnyside Vineyard - young, bright cherry flavors complemented by a pleasing, if somewhat shy, nose. I like this Producer. This bottle has a nice future ahead. 

Pinot Noirs (2000 - 2005) - third flight paired with marinated grilled tuna:

2005 Camille Giroud Beaune Cent-Vignes - this was so delicious right from the start upon uncorking the bottle. Gravitas of Beaune cru with lovely balance ... not a brooding wine at all. I like the style at Camile Giroud.  The only slight drawback was a bit of hollowness on the mid-palate. This became more noticeable as the night continued on with so many wonderful wines for comparison.  

2004 Rochioli East Block - Wow!  A stunner for sure. Rochioli is one of my favorite producers of California pinot noir. This is a huge wine that can easily go another ten years. Tremendous presence and it will only get better. Dense, rich, extracted rasberry fruit with long finish. Complex and deep nose. This was voted favorite of the flight. 

2005 Thomas - somewhat of a cult wine in Oregon.  Old school pinot noir.  This was actually the oldest example I've enjoyed. Tasty red fruit (so much more conservative compared to the Rochioli ) with nice flint and earth tones. I liked this wine, but it had a very very slight hint of effervescence on the finish that I found somewhat distracting. 

Pinot Noir ( 1999 and older) - fourth flight paired with selection of cheeses 
Affine with ginger - this is killer stuff from the Netherlands
Comte
Havarti
Goat cheese with cranberries and walnuts

1999 Jacques Prieur Beaune-Greves - a wine with serious gravitas. The nose was shy all night with faint florals and hints of anise. Palate of minerally black cherry, balsam, spice and sous bois. The finish became very intriguing as the evening progressed.  My favorite of the flight. 

1999 Martinelli Martinelli Vineyard Reserve - voted favorite of the flight. Martinelli Reserve is always a crowd pleaser.  This cuvee has stunning longevity.  Shame that the vineyard was sold off years ago. The last vintage was 2003. Never a shy wine, the red raspberry fruit is bold and captivating. Nicely complemented by spice and earth. Very lengthy and delicious finish although the high abv level is a bit too overt compared to the other wines. 

1999 Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vineyard - the older vintages of this wine always sneak up on me with their attractivenesss as things unfold. Quite modest when first opened, it revealed a grace and balance over the evening that makes it an endearing Yamhill example. I really enjoy the understated nature of this wine. Aged red cherry, spice and dusty nuances of earth.