Jay Miller
Jay Miller
Just opened, it displays a somewhat rough, just bordering on overripe (for me, most people wouldn't say that) approach but a long, long red fruited finish that's quite captivating.
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TN: 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
- Thread starter Jay Miller
- Start date
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
The roughness has smoothed to velvet.
Jim Hanlon
Jim Hanlon
originally posted by Jay Miller:
TN: 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Cruz MountainsJust opened, it displays a somewhat rough, just bordering on overripe (for me, most people wouldn't say that) approach but a long, long red fruited finish that's quite captivating.
2006 was a ripe vintage for Mount Eden. They saw a heat spike and struggled to get all the Pinot picked (there's not much, but sugars can spike quickly in California). To me, the 2006 is a solid wine, but not the best example of a Mount Eden. The 2007 is much better (as is the 2005, but that was a very short vintage and is really hard to find).
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
TN: 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Cruz MountainsJust opened, it displays a somewhat rough, just bordering on overripe (for me, most people wouldn't say that) approach but a long, long red fruited finish that's quite captivating.
2006 was a ripe vintage for Mount Eden. They saw a heat spike and struggled to get all the Pinot picked (there's not much, but sugars can spike quickly in California). To me, the 2006 is a solid wine, but not the best example of a Mount Eden. The 2007 is much better (as is the 2005, but that was a very short vintage and is really hard to find).
Good to know, thanks. I've never seen Mt. Eden on the east coast in the past so I was excited when it showed up at Wine Library. This is my first encounter with a recent release (I've had some beautiful aged examples) so I appreciate your input. Hopefully they'll get in some 2007 as well.
Jim Hanlon
Jim Hanlon
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
TN: 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Cruz MountainsJust opened, it displays a somewhat rough, just bordering on overripe (for me, most people wouldn't say that) approach but a long, long red fruited finish that's quite captivating.
2006 was a ripe vintage for Mount Eden. They saw a heat spike and struggled to get all the Pinot picked (there's not much, but sugars can spike quickly in California). To me, the 2006 is a solid wine, but not the best example of a Mount Eden. The 2007 is much better (as is the 2005, but that was a very short vintage and is really hard to find).
Good to know, thanks. I've never seen Mt. Eden on the east coast in the past so I was excited when it showed up at Wine Library. This is my first encounter with a recent release (I've had some beautiful aged examples) so I appreciate your input. Hopefully they'll get in some 2007 as well.
I agree -- the Mount Eden Pinots age really well. The Chards too. I've been lucky to attend dinners with the wines from the 70s and 80s, and many vintages were still drinking well. A 1960 Martin Ray Pinot, from the same site, is the best California wine I've ever had.
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
TN: 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Cruz MountainsJust opened, it displays a somewhat rough, just bordering on overripe (for me, most people wouldn't say that) approach but a long, long red fruited finish that's quite captivating.
2006 was a ripe vintage for Mount Eden. They saw a heat spike and struggled to get all the Pinot picked (there's not much, but sugars can spike quickly in California). To me, the 2006 is a solid wine, but not the best example of a Mount Eden. The 2007 is much better (as is the 2005, but that was a very short vintage and is really hard to find).
Good to know, thanks. I've never seen Mt. Eden on the east coast in the past so I was excited when it showed up at Wine Library. This is my first encounter with a recent release (I've had some beautiful aged examples) so I appreciate your input. Hopefully they'll get in some 2007 as well.
They are readily available in NC.
Daniel Richards
Daniel Richards
Was excited to find a 1997 (in NYC) last year, but likely poor storage, as it tasted cooked to our group. Does anyone know, was this the last year before they replanted the old MR vines?
That date sounds right to me, but I have a vague recollection that my bottle of the last old-vines vintage noted such on the label.originally posted by Daniel Richards:
Was excited to find a 1997 (in NYC) last year, but likely poor storage, as it tasted cooked to our group. Does anyone know, was this the last year before they replanted the old MR vines?
It's been a while though, so I'm not sure.
Jim Hanlon
Jim Hanlon
originally posted by Daniel Richards:
Was excited to find a 1997 (in NYC) last year, but likely poor storage, as it tasted cooked to our group. Does anyone know, was this the last year before they replanted the old MR vines?
There were two bottlings in 1997 -- the only year they did so. One, marked Estate, is replanted vines. The Old Vines bottling was from the last of the Martin Ray plantings, which were finally removed before 1998. The new plantings were all selection massale from the original vines, and there is good reason to think that the newer trellising is superior to the Ray system (vertical, which is very unusual for Pinot). Vine age is important, but I expect to see the second generation plantings outperform the Ray plantings as they get older. Of course, there are so many other variables, we'll never really know.
Jim Hanlon
Jim Hanlon
originally posted by SFJoe:
well shut my mouf, thanks, Jim.
There are a few vintages of Old Vines Cab, Joe. Maybe that's what you were recalling.
No, I think I caught the last vintage of the Pinot, but thanks for the detailed info.originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by SFJoe:
well shut my mouf, thanks, Jim.
There are a few vintages of Old Vines Cab, Joe. Maybe that's what you were recalling.
Jim Hanlon
Jim Hanlon
originally posted by SFJoe:
No, I think I caught the last vintage of the Pinot, but thanks for the detailed info.originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by SFJoe:
well shut my mouf, thanks, Jim.
There are a few vintages of Old Vines Cab, Joe. Maybe that's what you were recalling.
You're welcome, Joe. If you ever want to visit Mount Eden, let me know. It's worth seeing if you haven't been.
SteveTimko
Steve Timko
Nice to read this. There's another wine board where some people are kicking around Mount Eden. I'm a fan of Santa Cruz Mountains wines so I'm happy to see them show well.
Brian Greenwood
Brian Greenwood
I'm looking at a few bottles of the 2002 that I've had for a bit. Anybody opened one recently?
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
The 2006 Chardonnay is also a very nice bottle of wine. Rich and layered. Definitely CA in style, some ripeness and malo but I didn't notice much in the way of oak. Other than Rhys (not coincidentally also Santa Cruz) the best young CA chardonnay I've had. A bit sulphury but not horribly so.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
The 1997 Old Vine pinot indeed included a little elegy on the back label as the last vintage for those vines.originally posted by SFJoe:
That date sounds right to me, but I have a vague recollection that my bottle of the last old-vines vintage noted such on the label.originally posted by Daniel Richards:
Was excited to find a 1997 (in NYC) last year, but likely poor storage, as it tasted cooked to our group. Does anyone know, was this the last year before they replanted the old MR vines?
It's been a while though, so I'm not sure.
The only bottle I had was from Crossroads so likely also saw poor storage, but wasn't obviously cooked. I didn't love it but Mt. Eden ages on a Burgundy curve, not a California curve, so now wasn't the time to drink it.