TN: Arcadian Tasting In Nashville.

ARCADIAN TASTING IN NASHVILLE. - Ombi (1/17/2008)

I happened to be in Nashville at the same time Hoyt Hill was putting on a tasting. Nice timing I must say. These are very brief impressions ... but thought I would get them down anyway.

• 2001 Arcadian Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Just starting to come into its own. Showing improvement over the last year. By far the best Garys' Pinot I have ever tasted. Showing lots of complexity and integrated fruit. Loved it.
• 2003 Arcadian Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
  A tasty wine with lots of fruit but still needs some time. I had one in my cue for 08 but I think I am going to push that out a few years.
• 2004 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills
  I much more forward Fiddlestix. Less tannin than other vintages. But still nice structure. Seems to be drinking well now but very primary.

• 2002 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey
  Holding up very well. I really enjoyed the amount of fruit that was still present. A good amount of richness as well. Smells and tastes great. If you like young chard, drink it now. If you like aged chard, there doesn't seem to be any need to drink right away.

• 2005 Arcadian Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  Wooowhooo. I very nicely priced Santa Ynez syrah. A nice bouncing primary syrah at this point. Lots of fruit and earth. Priced like a drink now syrah but shows nice acid and tannin. I will be drinking some now but I will be laying some down as well.
• 2004 Arcadian Syrah Stolpman Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  This was showing more austere than the 05 Santa Ynez which still had loads of fruit at the front. Glad to get a taste of the Stolpman ... a wine that I would let rest some more. Much more Rhone like. The aromatics really tended more to N. Rhone than Cali. The palate showed nice depth and fruit.

• 2001 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  Ahhh... the wine that made me think differently about SLH. A beauty. One of my favorite Cali pinots ever and still improving. What I love about this wine is I don't get tired of it. I could drink one glass after another. It is so tasty and in some ways hedonistic but it doesn't wear you out with heavy textures and sweetness. I bought my bottles for around $35 ... I really wish I had bought more.

Cheers,

Jason

[Jenise]

I'm distressed to read that the 01 Gary's is just coming into it's own as I thought they were already quite into their own and drank them all! I believe all I have left are the Pisonis from that year. But great notes and a great reminder: must buy more Arcadian!

I'm distressed to read that the 01 Gary's is just coming into it's own as I thought they were already quite into their own and drank them all! I believe all I have left are the Pisonis from that year. But great notes and a great reminder: must buy more Arcadian!

I am not a Garys' fan in general but this was fantastic. And I did like it earlier but the extra 12 months since I last tried it did show improvement. Surprisingly the wine is still available. I am not a Pisoni fan either but I think with the right amount of bottle time I will "enjoy" the Arcadians ... although I would assume they will always be simple ... at least until the vineyard gets some age.

Jason

[Jenise]

I'm distressed to read that the 01 Gary's is just coming into it's own as I thought they were already quite into their own and drank them all! I believe all I have left are the Pisonis from that year. But great notes and a great reminder: must buy more Arcadian!

I am not a Garys' fan in general but this was fantastic. And I did like it earlier but the extra 12 months since I last tried it did show improvement. Surprisingly the wine is still available. I am not a Pisoni fan either but I think with the right amount of bottle time I will "enjoy" the Arcadians ... although I would assume they will always be simple ... at least until the vineyard gets some age.

Jason

Your comments about the age of the Pisoni jogs a memory of reading that Pisoni was the most expensive single vineyard fruit in California. May not have been true, but certainly anyone who makes a Pisoni has it priced 'up there'--Arcadian and Siduri are good examples. Any idea how this came about?

Your comments about the age of the Pisoni jogs a memory of reading that Pisoni was the most expensive single vineyard fruit in California. May not have been true, but certainly anyone who makes a Pisoni has it priced 'up there'--Arcadian and Siduri are good examples. Any idea how this came about?

I have heard it said that printing Pisoni on the label is like printing money Not sure why? Maybe some genius marketing ... they are not shy about speculating about the famous vineyard in France that that got the vines from.

We did a tasting (Dietz was there) where we tasted about 40 Pinots from Pisoni fruit going back to 96. I think I found 3 or 4 wines I really liked but was overwhelmed by the simplicity of all the wines. Just did not work for me. Even the wines I liked might have just been rising above mediocrity. In my experience many of the people that rave about Pisoni are on the newer (within the last 5-8 years) to wine and pinot. But as things go, I am sure in a few years it will be my favorite vineyard .... but with those prices ... off to Burgundy I go.

Jason

I was? <I have a feeling you knew I'd say that, JH!!>

I was? <I have a feeling you knew I'd say that, JH!!>

At FMIII's ... you and I both really liked the 00 Scott Paul.

J