WTN: Swan Great Oak Pinot Noir '04

I went out to Bistro des Copains in Occidental for dinner this evening and took along a bottle of the Great Oak PN.
Superb. Not a Burgundy, a California PN. Dark cherry fruit, nice ripe-wine nose, very even through the mouthful, no bite or back-palate harshness anywhere.
It took it about half an hour to open up, and it just kept improving as I munched my way through corn chowder and duck breast with green peppercorn sauce.
I could feel that two or three years ago it would have had edgy tannins, but this bottle really rewarded my patience.
I paid $31.50 and it was a bargain. 13.3% alcohol

Sounds like it's time to try my remaining.bottle.

I haven't had Swan since my nonkosher days, when Joe was making the wine. I first met Rod when he had recently established La Crema Vinera, which was about the most Burgundian place of the time. Rod was obsessed with Burgundian style. Apparently, his obsessions have changed.

I haven't had Swan since my nonkosher days, when Joe was making the wine. I first met Rod when he had recently established La Crema Vinera, which was about the most Burgundian place of the time. Rod was obsessed with Burgundian style. Apparently, his obsessions have changed.

I would say that Rod is pursuing a Burgundian vision using the land that he has at his disposal. He can talk at great length about the differences in vineyard character, even about the differences between different blocks within a single vineyard. I agree that his wines don't taste like Burgundy, but neither do they taste like the overextracted and confected Pinot Noirs so common in the Russian River Valley.

Mark Lipton

I agree with you, Mark. Rod doesn't go for the big lush wine, but after all, he and I do live in a region where grapes ripen thoroughly and reliably.
Yet, the '03 Stellwagen Vineyard Zin is 15.8% alcohol and has residual sugar. He mentioned something to the effect that the fruit forced him to make the wine that way.
It's a lot of fun to get Rod talking about vineyards and vintages and so forth.
BTW, I finished the bottle last night, with a provencale style chicken saute. Perfect fit. And a day in the refrigerator smoothed out any rough edges that might have been there.

Thanks for this note. I always wanted to taste and visit Swann when I lived in California, but it never worked out. Didn't help that he had somewhat difficult visiting hours and I had a million other things to drink in the queue. Maybe I'll finally get around to it!

Yeah, they're only open on weekends and not all of those.
If you give them a call or an email, you can sometimes arrange a tasting on Friday or another day. You can try using my name, but I have no idea whether it might help or hurt.

Thank you for the note, John. I've never had any of the Swan wines, but am interesting in trying some. For some reason, they do not seem to be distributed in Massachusetts these days - at least, I have not seem anything from Swan around in the past several years. Something to look for sometime when I am in New York.

Geez, I'm going to sound like I'm shilling for them!
They'll ship to any "shipping state" and they do have prices and availability on their website (www.swanwinery.com). And when the phone is answered, it's probably Cody (who does a lot of the website stuff and tasting room stuff, to say nothing of anything else), Lynn or Chris. Rod's usually out on a farm somewhere, perhaps "exercising" his horse, but more likely actually taking care of the hard part - tending the fruit.
If you do have a chance to visit, it's one of the most interesting, off-the-wall places in the universe.

Yep, as good as you said. We opened it for a July 4th pool party and drank it with bacon wrapped hot dogs. Always a great combo (Pinot and grilled hot dogs and sausage), this is classic RRV Pinot with some smokiness and bright red cherry fruit. Incredibly young, I wish I had another bottle for a couple of years down the road.

I wish I did, too, James!