WTN: (APtly named Vin) A.P. Vin Pinot Noir tasting

Free tasting of five 2008 A.P. Vin Pinot Noirs from different regions of California at Luigi's Restaurant in Fayetteville (NC) last Thursday. Arranged through the distributor. Wines were also available by the glass or bottle for consumption at the restaurant or bottles to purchase and take home. All were offered at $36 for take home or $46 for consumption with a meal at the restaurant (reduced from normal restaurant prices; in some cases below normal retail prices). I believe all were above 14% alcohol by volume. Owner/winemaker is Andrew P. Vingiello. A.P. Vin was established in 2003 and produces approximately 2000 cases annually of vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs from eight vineyards.

Rancho Ontiveros P.N., Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County First one up and one of my favorites. Savory notes; good fruit. I purchased a bottle to take home. (I have had a Brian Loring Pinot from this vineyard.)

Ridgetop Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
I wasn't the only one to comment on the pale color of this wine compared to the Ontiveros only to hear from the server that it wasn't weak in constitution--the paleness was misleading. She was right. Fuller bodied than the Rancho Ontiveros.

Keefer Ranch, Russian River Valley (another source of grapes for Loring Wine Company) This was my second favorite at the tasting and I ordered a glass to try it again with dinner that night at Luigi's. I didn't like it quite as well upon further study. Medium Burgundy color; semi-transparent. Aromatic. Maybe a bit of Chinese spices with red and black cherries/berries. High-toned liked the Ontiveros. This one has some spice which I didn't notice as much on the first go-round in the lounge with just a few sips. Muddled cherries with pepper or clove. Becomes smoother after aeration. Clones P4, 21? (can't read my writing), 777 and 23. Notes provided say medium ruby color with deep red cherry aromas with earthy cinnamon notes. Sweet and silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Rich, silky Pinot with the classic juicy Keefer Ranch fruit. 250 cases. 94 points from Pinot Report

Rosella's Vineyard (another LWC site), Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County. I really liked this one but already had a bottle at home from an earlier tasting so purchased the Rancho Ontiveros instead. Very attractive.

Garys' Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County. I believe at 14.9% abv, this was the highest alcohol content of the five we tasted. It was also the spiciest and smokiest. It sees 50% new oak (they all do I guess) and is bottled with a Stelvin screwcap.

To my taste the Rancho Ontiveros and Rosella's were most pleasing with Keefer Ranch in the middle of the five. Others will have different opinions as they all were quite distinct and indicative of terroir. Same winemaker, same vintage, but different vineyards and clones.

I like the A.P. Vin website--you may want to take a look. http://www.apvin.com/#

[David M. Bueker]

Not to mention that Andrew is a really nice guy. I enjoyed working a couple of days with him back in fall 2004, as we both were spending the weekend at Pinot Prison, as Brian Loring's original digs were called.

JC,

I was in AP Vin's mailing list and bought until the 2005 vintage. I recently drank a few of my AP Vin mid-2000's and I'm pleased with how they've turned out. They were enjyable, pleasant drinks. Given the lower current prices of their wines, I recall $45 per bottle including free shipping to the East Coast back in the 2004/05 vintages, I hope things pick up for them. As I recall back then, I had to wait about 9 months from being a waiting list to an allocated mail lister.

[David M. Bueker]

Back then he had about 200 cases of wine (the 2003s), so there was not much to go around.

I guess that explains why, back then, there was a waiting list.