WtN: Tasting of Pinot Noirs at West of West seminar Aug. 4

Four different vineyards and two different vintners' wines from that vineyard. Blind tasting. Vintage and name of producer and vineyard revealed later.
The first pairing (names revealed later) were #1: 2010 Red Car Doc's Ranch Pinot Noir and #2: 2009 Evening Land Doc's Ranch Pinot Noir. Swan clone of Pinot Noir. Planted in 2001. Panelist found the Red Car to be an expression of the Swan clone in a cooler climate site. The Evening Land wine had a fuller, heavier taste and a longer finish that the Red Car. Grapes were picked at 2 point higher Brix. 2010 was a cooler growing season.
#3: 2009 Cobb Wines Rice-Spivak Vineyard Pinot Noir. Impact on the finish with a bit of rose petals. Commentator: needs another year for oak to settle. Silky texture. Winemaker: grapes picked at 22.8 Brix. 20% whole cluster.
#4: 2010 LaRue Wines Rice-Spivak Vineyard Pinot Noir. Lovely aroma. Unfortunately I spilled most of my pour when I got to my feet to let a latecomer past (the tables were packed in quite close rows and it was hard to maneuver without bumping the table.) I was on the end of the table and waited some minutes before sitting down only to have someone arrive late and need past me. Sorry it had to be this one to spill. Regina Martinelli (panelist) said strawberry fruit, delightful now. More on the winemaker at LaRue later.
Rice-Spivak Vineyard is just south of Sebastopol--low, rolling hills, cold and windy site.
#5: 2010 Anthill Farm Campbell Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir. Campbell Ranch Vineyard is near Annapolis, CA at a high elevation, five miles from the ocean. It is 11 or 12 years old. One of the deeper colored Pinots. Leggy. Unfiltered. I prefered the nose on #6 and the palate of #5.
#6: 2010 Papapietro Perry Campbell Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir. Really liked the nose on this but didn't feel the promise was fulfilled on the palate--maybe needs time. Could see the Campbell Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noirs with duck breast.
Anthill Farm uses a lot of whole clusters. They rack the wine the day before bottling.
#7: 2009 Patz & Hall Bondi Home Ranch Pinot Noir. Some black cherry notes.
#8: 2009 Martinelli Bondi Home Ranch Water Trough Vineyard Pinot Noir. I prefer the nose on #8. One panelist smelled some Brett but "expensive Brett." One panelist found a lot of similarity in the last two wines; similar flavor profile. I slightly prefer #8 but both are good.
Panelist Geoff finds the Bondi Home Ranch wines more typical of Russian River Valley style--ripe fruit, new oak. The vineyard is at the southern tip of Green Valley, overlapping with Sebastopol Hills. The microclimate is warm in the morning, cold later in the day. Often experiences strong wind around 4:00 or 5:00 PM. Cooler site. Regina Martinelli says the grapes include four clones. They use French oak (Freres) with medium char.

Thanks for the notes JC. The Cobb sounds good. I for one, like rose petals (often with damp earth) in my Pinots.The LaRue came from the same vineyard. Must have been an interesting comparison.
-Shaji

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting notes.

I agree with using the Anthill for something such as duck. I find their wines rich enough for more robust food.

I met Ross Cobb at the Saturday wine tastings and found out later that he and Katy Wilson, of LaRue wines, worked together at Flowers. She attributes some of her knowledge about Pinot Noir winemaking to him. Apparently both of them had access to grapes from Rice-Spivak Vineyard but I thought the difference in styles went beyond just a different vintage.