WTN: Swan Saralee's PN '05

Once upon a time in a forum long past, I was counseled that it was a good idea to let a good PN age for seven years. Seven is, of course, a magic number. (How a magic number can remain magic when everybody knows it is a mystery to me.)
Anyway, I was browsing my spreadsheet looking for a suitable wine for a couple of disparate suppers and after some deliberation I picked this.
Calif., Russian River Valley, Joseph Swan, Saralee's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005
Bought at the winery in March '08 for $31.50. 13.5% alcohol
Warm shrimp salad first night, osso bucco second night. Not so easy to find one bottle that goes both ways, and
A very nice light-bodied tartish PN. Quite suitable for the fake-Asian fake-Caesar salad. Distinctly better with the osso bucco. Surprised me a bit with its garnet color, but perfecly limpid and no clearing at the rim. There's just a bit of sediment in the bottle. The fruit gets better the second night, but still pretty much on the cherry side. Gets sweeter (not exactly sweeter, but loses some of the tartness) as it warms, more noticeable tonight than last night.
I have another. No rush, but then I only expect to live another 25 years or so, and there's way too much good wine out there to let it die in the cellar!

John

I had this about 3 years back, and like for you on night 2 it was transformed.

I, too, have a remaining bottle, but it, or I, won't last 25 years.

Thanx for the note on this. I haven't cracked a Swan Pinot in some time. I need to fix that!

I finished it up this evening. It had developed some delicious earthy notes with something like thyme, too. Or maybe it was the thyme in the chicken.

I found your note interesting John. I have had a Saralee's Pinot Noir from Eric Ross and found it full-bodied and not especially food friendly though tasty in its own right. I have one bottle left and will probably pair it with a steak, so I can see where osso bucco might pair better than the shrimp dish,.

Rod's winemaking style is a little more spare and perhaps European than many here in Sonoma County. There's a row in Saralee's Vineyard that's marked "Rod's Row." I think he tends it himself.

John