Why, oh why...

L

Larry Stein

Larry Stein
...do I torture myself by tasting Calif. Pinot Noir?!?

(I don't wanna hear about the exceptions right now)

I've recently been through a couple of rounds of '05s and '07s with my tasting group. I admit, I sometimes go for the social aspect, not necessarily because I'm going to be blown away by the wines. However, everything I've tasted has been mediocre at best. Prices ranged from high 30s on up. Additionally, I absolutely despise any hint of cola in Pinot Noir.

Tonight, I stopped by K&L to pick up a bottle of '05 Bourgogne 'Emotion de Terroirs', Vincent Girardin for $20. Here's a wine with balance, fruit purity, with nice length and mouth feel. Screwcap, but no reductive notes.

Those other wines blow beets compared to this.
 
originally posted by Larry Stein:
I admit, I sometimes go for the social aspect, not necessarily because I'm going to be blown away by the wines.
Click to expand...

I think the 'social aspects' are about all a tasting group is good for. But then, people I taste with probably say I've blown a beet or two.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Jim, Sugary red lips, eh?

Larry, I'm with you. I find the cola flavor very off-putting in pinot noir wines.
Click to expand...

I struggle with this descriptor for Pinot Noir as I've never drunk cola and can only vaguely call to mind the flavor. Is this something that ever crops up in other wines? Is it cherry cola or straight Coke/Pepsi that you're reminded of? Sorry for being so dense, but I'm not scientifically minded enough to torture myself with the Real Thing just to answer my own questions.

Mark Lipton
 
It's in the neighborhood of Dr. Pepper, Robitussin cough syrup, many Parkerized Oregon wines. It's a too-sweet fruit flavor with a penetrating back-of-the-throat sensation like you might get from the smell of pine sap on your hands after carrying a Xmas tree (but without the minty floral nasal stuff).

((Sorry, sense words are hard.))
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
It's in the neighborhood of Dr. Pepper, Robitussin cough syrup, many Parkerized Oregon wines. It's a too-sweet fruit flavor with a penetrating back-of-the-throat sensation like you might get from the smell of pine sap on your hands after carrying a Xmas tree (but without the minty floral nasal stuff).

((Sorry, sense words are hard.))
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jeff. That actually makes quite a bit of sense to me. My recollection of the taste of Coke from purloined ice cubes was of something distinctly non-fruity and I couldn't figure out how to place it in the context of overextracted Pinot Noir.

Mark Lipton
 
I find the cola flavor very off-putting in pinot noir wines.
Click to expand...

I struggle with this descriptor for cola as I've never drunk California Pinot Noir and can only vaguely call to mind the flavor. Is this something that crops up in all colas? Is it cherry cola or straight Coke/Pepsi that you're reminded of? Sorry for being so dense, but I'm not scientifically minded enough to torture myself with this California Pinot Noir just to answer my own questions.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Jim, Sugary red lips, eh?

Larry, I'm with you. I find the cola flavor very off-putting in pinot noir wines.
Click to expand...

I struggle with this descriptor for Pinot Noir as I've never drunk cola and can only vaguely call to mind the flavor. Is this something that ever crops up in other wines? Is it cherry cola or straight Coke/Pepsi that you're reminded of? Sorry for being so dense, but I'm not scientifically minded enough to torture myself with the Real Thing just to answer my own questions.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

RC cola.

Might be a Southern thing though.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
I find the cola flavor very off-putting in pinot noir wines.
Click to expand...

I struggle with this descriptor for cola as I've never drunk California Pinot Noir and can only vaguely call to mind the flavor. Is this something that crops up in all colas? Is it cherry cola or straight Coke/Pepsi that you're reminded of? Sorry for being so dense, but I'm not scientifically minded enough to torture myself with this California Pinot Noir just to answer my own questions.
Click to expand...

No problemo, Levi! Just grab yourself a bottle Claude Dugat's Griotte-Chambertin. That'll give you the idea.

Mark Lipton
 
Mark, I've said this to you before: I think it's an impardonable dandyism, especially for an empiricist such as yourself. Go purchase a can of Coca-Cola, open it, and take a few sips. Then throw it out. (Or finish it, if you happen to like it.)

Then you will know what it tastes like. It is very easily and very cheaply done. You will very likely not get indigestion.

As for those California Pinot Noirs, I often get a very disagreeable grapefruit taste from them.
 
I never quite figured out the cola thing in most CA pinots. The other note that seemed to go hand in hand with cola is sassafras. Reminds me that I haven't had a CA pinot in quite a while. I think the last one was a Sea Smoke a couple years ago, ugh. Good god was that shitastic.
 
Both Rhys and Anthill Farms make very good California Pinot Noir that is not so syrupy (not syrupy at all to my taste).

As for the grapefruit descriptor: acidification?
 
originally posted by David M. Bueker:
Both Rhys and Anthill Farms make very good California Pinot Noir that is not so syrupy (not syrupy at all to my taste).

As for the grapefruit descriptor: acidification?
Click to expand...

You're back!
We prayed for your return.
(Or is this just another Coad alias?)
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by David M. Bueker:
Both Rhys and Anthill Farms make very good California Pinot Noir that is not so syrupy (not syrupy at all to my taste).

As for the grapefruit descriptor: acidification?
Click to expand...

You're back!
We prayed for your return.
(Or is this just another Coad alias?)
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

About fucking time!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top