WTN: 1999 Opitz Carneros Pinot Noir

Made with grapes from Melissa Moravec at Casa Carneros. Limited production and distribution.
14.2% alcohol
Viscous texture. Leggy on the sides of the glass.
Crimson color with slight transparency.
Cherry nose and flavors without any cherry cola. Lingering fragrance and presence.
Amazing ethereal experience. Suggestive of floral elements (roses, violets), suggestive of bacon fat, while firmly rooted in cherry fruit. More ethereal than earthy.
Still, it paired nicely with organic portobella mushroom soup. This wine is versatile enough to pair with many dishes.
Back label says in part: "Working on a small scale allows the wines to achieve the focus, concentration, and layered flavors for which the variety is renowned. My goal is to marry richness and a firm presence of oak with user-friendly suppleness and silky texture."

[Jenise]

JC, the word 'ethereal' is a term I love to see applied to pinot noir. A pinot noir that lacks ethereal-ness, or the potential for it, is not interesting (like the Ken Volk I mentioned the other day). Thanks for using it--I'm putting Opitz on my watch list.

I was surprised to see that one website did a "shootout" of 2000 vintage Pinot Noir and the 2000 Opitz came way down the list at 83 points. Gary Farrell's wines did quite well. The listing seemed to be primarily (exclusively?) California Pinot Noir--not Oregon samples. Greg Opitz has also served as joint winemaker at Judd's Hill Winery.

I'll stick to my guns and recommend Opitz if you can find it. Wine-Searcher lists only the 1996 for sale.