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Parker's First Ten Tweets: Evening the Score...

This is too funny! (Created by The Wine Whore)

I was stoked to find out that none other than the famous, or should I say infamous, Robert Parker has joined the world of social media. Since every word that dribbles from his keyboard is sure to be as fine as an aged bottle of Lafite, what better way to welcome him to the world of Twitter than to score his tweets using the following 100 point scale: (look familiar?)

96-100:
An extraordinary tweet of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic tweet of its variety. Tweets of this caliber are worth a special effort to read, retweet, and share with others.

90 - 95:
An outstanding tweet of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific tweets.

80 - 89:
A barely above average to very good tweet displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.

70 - 79:
An average tweet with little distinction except that it is a soundly twittered. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous tweet.

60 - 69:
A below average tweet containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive self promotion and/or false information, arrogance, or possibly dirty name calling.

50 - 59:
A tweet deemed to be unacceptable.

Without further adieu, let's get to his tweets:


Twitter updates from Robert M Parker, Jr / RobertMParkerJr:

10) RobertMParkerJr: Malbec made in Mendoza, Argentina
Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:46 AM

Come on Parker?! Are you really expecting to rock our world with this piece of wine knowledge? Are you just learning this wine factoid for yourself? This tweet deserves a 75 for lack of any meaningful wine info.

9) RobertMParkerJr: Jayson Woodbridge is taking his winemaking team and flying them around the world, and actually making wines on site from top quality fruit.
Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:46 AM

Are they paying you to fly around with them? Better yet, when can we expect your glowing review of their wine? I like informative tweets but this one seems more like a paid advertisement than anything else. This tweet is an 69.

8) RobertMParkerJr: Layer Cake is the work of Jayson Woodbridge proprietor of Hundred Acres, Napa. his desire to produce $15 wines with taste of $50.seems close
Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:41 AM

This tweet was imbalanced, dry, and lacking character... I give it a 65.

7) RobertMParkerJr: Just emailed subscribers-Super Value- Layer Cake 2008 Malbec (91pts) $15. tastes like $50 bottle
Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:36 AM

Super value? You may have given this wine a 91pt score... but I give you a 50 for this tweet. Not only is it self promoting, but in my opinion, Layer Cake is NOT a 91pt wine... I mean, seriously?! I'd give this tweet a lower score, but I'm using Parker's scale, which for some reason only STARTS at 50.

6) RobertMParkerJr: RT @AntonioGalloni: new article on Ornellaia vertical is live...1985-2006, all from magnum http://bit.ly/6IWU9v #wine
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 5:47 PM

You get credit Mr. Parker for a RT. Well played, sir. I score this tweet an 82.

5) RobertMParkerJr: @nealmartin try Bulldogs...
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 5:34 PM

If you read back to @nealmartin's thread, you'll find that the question Parker is answer is "Who did you sleep with last night, Mr. Parker?" I give this one a 70... shame on you... say NO to animal love!

4) RobertMParkerJr: Balt.area?super TRADITIONAL homemade southern Italian food @Vito's Cafe 410-666-3100.BYO had 2003 Clos des Papes with veal parm excellent
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 10:08 AM

Wow, due to the grammatical errors in this tweet, I can only guess that this was twittered while driving, having sex, or doing something else distracting. Clearly below average... Score of 60.

3) RobertMParkerJr: Be on the lookout for my next subscriber email blast...
Tuesday, January 05, 2010 10:07 AM

Oh, okay Mr. Parker... I can't wait for you to SPAM us! While I am anxiously waiting, please enjoy your 60pts for this tweet.

2) RobertMParkerJr: Check out, "Happy New Year- the past is prologue", post on erobertparker.com Bulletin Board.
Sunday, January 03, 2010 1:09 PM

Where's the link? Alright, I know this is only your first tweet but come on man, if you are going to promote yourself, at least make it easy to get to the article. 55pts.

1) RobertMParkerJr: Ok. I'm going to give this a shot. I'm not making any promises about how often or how long I will use it.
Sunday, January 03, 2010 1:02 PM

Ok, so say you're Robert Parker and you want to announce yourself to the world on Twitter. What would you say? This was actually a great first tweet. I don't say that because there's any promise of good material here. I say it because it offers a glimmer of hope that Parker will soon cancel his twitter account, uninstall Tweetdeck (if by some chance he figured out how to use it in the first place), and resume communicating through his familiar method of Morse code. 85pts.


So there you have it... be sure to check back for my review of the next 10 tweets from the amazing mind of the man himself, Robert Parker.

Cheers!



(This message brought to you by The Wine Whore)

Dreaming on (favorite drinking reds)

I have this recurring dream. It's almost mid-day. We wake up late, and haven't yet eaten. So after stopping at a tiny charcuterie for some sausages, marinated olives, a round of local bread – tasting of freshly risen dough, crusted on the outside, silky on the inside – and a bottle of wine, we follow a winding brook at the foot of a steep hill outside the village, in search of a table in the sky.

The residual morning chill is still sharp in the air as our shoes crunch over some loose, schistous rocks, but we quickly begin to warm as we steady our footing, making headway up the slope. The landscape is a primeval mix of twisted scrub, giving off resiny, herby smells as we brush against them, along with lethal, gigantic sized agaves shooting up their thirty foot spikes.

Finally, the passing brook leads us to a small pool. We feel like jumping in, but when we dip our hands into it we're almost shocked by the stinging cold. So tucking our pack behind a rock and weighting our bottle beneath the water, we head off around a bend to catch a fuller view of the civilization below. The sun is now just post meridian, beginning to bathe the town’s distant red roofs and winding streets in swaths of brick and gold, and beyond it the earth appears to rise and dip with misshapen squares of scattered farms and homesteads, separated by taupe toned rock walls making lines like a Navajo blanket. Imbued by the entire fantasy, I look at my smiling partner and whisper those three magic words…

Shall we eat?

And if I'm not yet snapped back into reality by a ringing phone or knock at the door, this is where the dream really starts to cook. The garlic and spiced sausages jolt the palate, and the bread cracks and flakes; but it's the steely cold wine – which is red (isn't real wine red?) – that really gets me. Since we're shooting it directly from the bottle, we're not exactly savoring the "bouquet." However, the taste is like pure, undulating velvet – smooth, seamless flavors of some kind of sweet, purple stone fruit, mingling with cracked pepper and brown spices – and the aromas rush into the head from behind the palate, even long after the wine is swallowed. Better yet is knowing – this is my dream, mind you – that the wine was cheap, and there's a lot more where it comes from.

Which is why, when you think of it, I've probably remained in the wine business virtually all of my adult life. While dreams are nothing more than wishes, the reality is that there are always such wines to be found; despite the often overwhelming plethora of bottles and brands, at increasingly painful prices, that assault you every time you walk into a store.

When I first started in the business one of my biggest inspirations was the late, great Justin Meyer. He was one of the few winemakers (and I’ve met hundreds) who, when he would start to speak, my pen came out because I knew he would say something memorable. Looking at some old notes recently, I came across one of Meyer’s balder statements: “Americans pay too much for their wine.” This probably didn’t mean much to me before because I always believed people should spend whatever they feel like for a bottle of wine.

But now, over twenty five years later, I think I understand what Meyer was saying: there’s simply no correlation between the pleasure you receive and the price you pay when it comes to premium quality, commercial wine. Like Meyer, I’ve probably drunk too many wines that cost only $10 that I enjoyed a lot more than wines costing over $50 or $100. It doesn’t stand to reason, but my palate makes it so; especially taking in the factors of the foods I eat and the companions I keep. In many cases, better than a dream…

FAVORITE DRINKING REDS

Perhaps this explains those waking dreams: reminders that it’s the taste of the wine, stupid, not the 95 points or whatever is written on the wall or whispered through grapevines, that counts at the table. I’m sorry to say, but the dumbest thing a wine lover can do is believe everything he reads or is told.

Over the years my list of new “favorites” – which are invariably red (isn’t that the first duty of good wine?) – has never ceased to grow; and I suspect, even if they weren’t to his exact taste, Justin Meyer would have approved. Why? Because no one gave permission (call me stubborn, but I refuse to read reviews), yet they stimulate the pleasure centers all the same.

The following fave-raves might also give you an idea of the stunning range of deliciously different wines that might broaden your culinary perspective or, better yet, fit right in with the foods you’ve enjoyed all along. A good dozen choices, plus a lagniappe:

Jesse’s Grove, Earth, Zin & Fire (Lodi, California) – I was recently shocked - when presenting this in a professional wine/food matching seminar - by how the Earth, Zin & Fire effortlessly outperformed a top pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay in variant food contexts, with meats of all colors. Thus, I’ve come to rely more and more upon Lodi grown zins like this for democratically priced, zesty reds to embellish one of my all time favorite meals: meatless spaghetti in souped up, sweet onioned, herbalicious sauces under mounds of grated Parmigiano. Oh, but this is also the perfect barbecue wine, too: mild yet tingly acidity and restrained tannin only elevate bouncy raspberry/blackberry jam aromas and flavors, tinged with cracked peppercorn – just for thing for grill branded, caramelized meats slathered in sweet, gingery soy or sweet/spicy/vinegary marinades. But when in doubt, cook the spaghetti and, to sweeten up the pot, pop a Lodi zin.

Parducci, Petite Sirah (Mendocino, California) – The current owners (Mendocino Wine Company) have not only turned this venerable old winery into the greenest in California (if things like organic grape growing, carbon neutrality, use of biodiesels and biodegradable packaging means something to you, Parducci has been leading the way), they have revived the brand in the area it counts the most: totally fresh, delicious wines, like this unbelievably well priced ($9-$12) petite sirah; exuding a sweet blueberry concentration spiked with pepper, and a dense, full, round, fleshy, purple robed body wrapped in moderate tannin and understated oak. Matching foods? You name it; starting with meatloaf in fresh mushroom gravy (in Hawai`i, we’d add an over-easy egg and steaming white rice), or anything having to do with steak: grilled, pan roasted, blackened, Louisiana Lightninged, smothered in onions, drenched in melted herby butter, bang up against a banister, or singed under your wife’s tanning lamp – really, all you need to do is make sure there’s something meaty to make this round, fleshy red wine work its magic.

Luchador, Shiraz (South Australia) – The only thing suspect about this wine is its silly (okay, “fun”), gimmicky lucha libre labels, depicting masked Mexican wrestlers (there are now four variations of such). But there are tons more that this wine has going for it: most notably, massive, forsooth macho, amounts of flavor, beginning with an exuberantly aromatic mix of blueberry, blackberry and Brie-like notes in the nose, and ending with thick, roly poly, cherry bomb fruit qualities in the mouth, unimpeded by dense, rounded tannins. Everything a good Aussie Shiraz should be, including a decent price ($15). As Steve Miller once said, somebody give me a cheeseburger!

Jose Maria de Fonseca, Domini (Douro, Portugal) - Since Port has fallen out of favor internationally in recent years, the Portuguese have been producing more robust, vigorously flavorful, outrageously well priced table reds exactly like this: made from the same grapes that go into classic Port, resulting in all the richness of Port, sans the alcoholic fortification. In the case of the Domini: a blend of touriga franca, touriga nacional and tinta roriz. Black color and opulent nose – sweet black fruits in a box of vanillin oak – and if you dig a little deeper, a taste of leather and stony, granitic terroir on the palate, merging in a fleshy, medium-full body, thickened by round, polished tannins. While retailing between $12 and $18, a vinous experience at any price.

Heron, Sexto (Terra Alta, Spain) - Laely Heron is an enterprising woman better known for her sourcing of some of the sexiest merlot based reds known to man, from France’s Languedoc region. Heron blended this uncommonly deep, substantial red from six grapes (hence, Sexto) grown in the high elevation, rugged, off-the-beaten-track terroir of Catalonia’s Terra Alta, just off Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Dry farmed, old-vine grapes like garnacha (33%), carineña (30%) and tempranillo (20%) give the wine wild, juicy qualities; cabernet sauvignon (6%), and syrah (5%) add undeniable power; and the rare lledoner pelut noir (6%) tops it all off with a sinewy, pungent tumescence. For $12-$14, sexto may never been better!

Laely Heron

Bodegas Zabrin, Atteca (Calatayud, Spain) – This wine would not be so ridiculously good if not for its ridiculously good price ($13-$15 in most retail markets). Made from 80 to 100 year old vines of garnacha (a.k.a. grenache, the workhorse grape of Southern France), the nose is hugely rich and sweet (like cocoa dusted berries) and enlarged by smoky French oak; soft, round, medium-full, spiced berry qualities on the palate, tied down by firm tannins, making for a good, savory yet dry finish.

Clos la Coutale, Cahors (South-West France) – Depending upon which side of the country you’re on, this wine will set you back anywhere from $14 to $20. So you may want to buy two bottles, because it’s truly difficult to just drink one: a simply gorgeous combination of weight and ease, with seriously plump flavors filled out by round yet meaty tannin. This is a blend of mostly malbec (giving a blackberryish juiciness) with tannat (adding muscle and the feel of density), and just a smidgen of merlot (perceptively lush notes oozing out between the grains). Some nights, I think I’ve sat and cried over this wine’s majestic confluence of sensations. Okay, maybe not. But no serious dreamer of velvety reds should live without this.

Emiliana NOVAS Carménère/Cabernet Sauvignon (Valle de Colchagua, Chile) – The carménère grape typically yields a wine scented, for all the world, like Tabasco and jalapeño-like peppers. But in this organically grown wine, the grape is fleshed out by the firm tannin and minty berry qualities of cabernet; its medium-full body filled to the brim with plump fruit wrapped in smoky oak, while nuanced chile spices add interest rather than distraction. I once found this to be a seamless match with a mildly peppery arugula salad, tossed with Parmigiano, pine nuts and a soft, winey vinaigrette; but you should think things like rare beef sandwich with a pungent mustard or horseradish, pulled pork with a mess of sweet vinegared, salted frisée or cress (peppery greens help to round out the red wine tannins); although if there’s some truffle oil in the cabinet, well then, splash away!

Pircas Negras, Malbec (Famatina Valley, Argentina) - Malbec may be one of the "lesser" black skinned grapes that originated in Bordeaux, but in the high elevations of Argentina it is considered the “king”; and like any good king, it truly rocks across the palate with amazingly thick, juicy, massively muscled yet satiny smooth qualities, suggesting smoke, scrubby herbs, and sweet, wild raspberry. This brand (imported by Organic Vintners and qualifying as vegan) is a rock solid introduction to Argentina’s world of malbec; and if you haven’t yet experienced the thrill and value of it, then you’re in for a treat – especially for the $10-$11 price.

Bodegas Agapito Rico, Carchelo (Jumilla, Spain) – Carchelo is what you see on the label of this unusual blend of the mourvèdre (called monastrell in Spain), merlot, syrah and tempranillo grape varieties that I've been enjoying for well over a decade. The best way to describe it is that it gives $24 worth of flavor for a $12 price. Another way is to think of being fed meltingly rich, chocolate covered raspberries by lacy, satiny, black silk gloved hands. Any questions?

Bodegas Bretón, Loriñon Crianza (Rioja, Spain) – This is one of many fine examples of smooth, pungent, soft-as-suede $12-$13 tempranillo based reds coming out of Rioja today. The nose is punctuated by the red plummy, burnt leaf and beef consommé-like qualities of the grape, and there’s a feminine feel to the wine’s long, willowy, light to medium weight and tannins. All adding up to something of exceptional food versatility – easy enough for grilled fish, yet beefy enough for any meat, white or red, especially when coming off the barbie (since charring brings out the smoky nuances of the Loriñon).

Planeta, Cerasuolo di Vitoria (Sicily, Italy) – Sicilian reds made from the thick, black nero d’Avola grape have been popping up everywhere in recent years; but for the average Joe, the hard, bitter qualities of those wines are an acquired taste. The Cerasuolo – made from only 60% nero d’Avola – is fattened up by 40% frappato, effectively transforming the wine into a bowlful of plump cherries, while adding gingery nuances in the aroma and flavor; the nero d’Avola asserting its usual deep pigmentation and cracked pepper spice. At $16-$20, this makes an exotic, dense yet easy drinking red, especially with peppery charcuterie and lush, semi-soft cheeses with the usual fruit preserves. Throw in a side of lobster (think Chinese black bean sauce), a pound of cayenned crawfish or pulled pork with or without the barbecue spice, and you’ll find that few wines are as food resilient as this.

Alex Sokol Blosser

Sokol Blosser, Meditrina (Oregon, Washington & Paso Robles) – At $18-$22, this proprietary red stretches it insofar as “everyday” pricing; but oh, how it throttles the senses: ripe, sweet, plump cherry fragrances tinged with wild raspberry, flowing fluidly across the palate in waves of zesty sensations, redolent of berries and cherries. The current (fifth) edition of this nonvintaged blend is composed of Dundee Hills (Willamette Valley) grown pinot noir, Columbia Valley syrah, and Paso Robles zinfandel; proving once and for all, that when it comes to satisfyingly good drinking wine, it ain’t never the meat, it’s the motion.

WINTER is the TIME to drink WINES from the FINGER LAKES by Philip S. Kampe

New Year's has just passed and one of my New Year's resolutions is to drink Finger Lake wines during the winter, rather than limit them to summer and the typical wine pairing with spicy food.
Typically, winter is the time to drink the heavier and heratier wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Shiraz (Syrah). As winter wears on and there is a chill in the air, it is the time to consider drinking what we know as summer wines. Summer wines in my neck of the woods means mostly white wines that vary from a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to Albarino to Rieslings.
There is this mystique about drinking summer wines in the winter. And the wines from the Finger Lakes fill the bill. I believe there are 59 vineyards in the Finger Lakes. The wines price points vary, but, are all reasonable. Dollar for dollar New York's Finger Lake wines are an exceptional value.
The wines I treasure are from numerous vineyards. You should be able to find most of these brands at your local wine shop. If not, please ask your shop keeper to order them for you.
The best known winery from the Finger Lakes is DR. KONSTANTIN FRANK http://www.drfrankwines.com/ . His award winning Rieslings , especially the 2007 Dry Riesling, are all standouts. Try Dr. Konstantin Frank's Gewurztraminer, which is exceptional.
Another winery that is well known and one of my favorites is WAGNER http://www.wagnervineyards.com/ . Wagner produces Dry Rieslings, Semi Dry Rieslings, Select Rieslings, Gewurzreaminer and late harvest wines. All of their wines are wonderful and fairly priced.
There are many smaller vineyards whose wines stand out. Look for wines from HERON HILL http://www.heronhill.com/ , GLENORA http://www.glenora.com/ , WHITE SPRINGS http://www.whitespringswinery.com/ and CHATEAU LAFAYETTE RENEAU http://www.clrwine.com/ . These producers create affordable wines.
2010 is here and it is time to sample these great wines in the winter. Make it your New Year's Resolution.....
If you need more information on the Finger Lake Vineyards, visit http://www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com/ or call 800-813-2952.
Make another Nre Year's Resolution to visit the vineyards in 2010. There are three major wine trails in the Finger Lakes: Seneca ( 35 vineyards) ; Keuka ( 8 vineyards) and Cayuga ( 16 vineyards).
Learn about the wines in the winter and visit the vineyards in the summer and harvest season (September and October).
Maybe I will see you there.
Philip S. Kampe

FATTORIA dei BARBI...Montalcino's Traditional/Contemporary BRUNELLO Arrives in America

Just in time for the Holiday Season, Pasternak Wine Imports ( www.pasternakwine.com ) is introducing FATTORIA dei BRUNELLO from Montalcino to the consumer. The producer, BARBI, follows traditional wine making methods combined with contemporary expressions to produce this exceptional and innovative Brunello.
Tradition rules at BARBI. Barbi was the first to export Brunello in 1817. Barbi was also the first to open their wine cellars to consumers in 1954. And finally in 1969, Barbi was the first to produce a 'Super Tuscan', Brusco dei Barbi.
Barbi, headed by 20th generation Stefano Cenelli Colombini, is recognized as a World Leader in the production of Brunello. The Colombini family has owned land in Montalcino since 1790 and roots in Tuscany dating back to 1352. Barbi's first award was at an exposition in Bordeaux in 1840. This was the first of hundreds of awards Fattoria dei Barbi has received.
Fattoria dei Barbi has many firsts, including the first to mail wine in 1936, as well as the first exported Brunello to the United States and Europe in 1962. In 1974, Fattoria dei Brunello introduced the first grappa made from Brunello.
Fattoria dei Brunello is a large vineyard with 914 acres. The land is divided between vineyards and olive groves. Production of Brunello is limited to 220,000 bottles.
Pasternak distributes Fattoria dei Brunello in all fifty states. The wine is priced between $40-$50 a bottle, depending on the vintage.
If you can't find Fattoria dei Brunello at your local wine merchant, ask them to carry it.
Happy Holidays and Long Live Brunello!
Philip S.Kampe

THE HOLIDAY'S BEST GIFT...COGNAC imported by NICOLAS PALAZZI

Who would ever suspect New York's 'most celebrated new Cognac Importer and personal Cognac guide' has an Italian name, yet is a true Frenchman. Nicolas Palazzi http://www.npalazziwine.com/ is taking New York by storm. He hosts trips to the Cognac region, introduces cognac lovers to the French region that produces cognac and bottles private label cognacs made by a 9th generation distiller for his private customers and collectors..
Nicolas Palazzi began his career years ago, due to an introduction to a 79 year old cognac maker, who was best friends with Nicolas's Grandfather.
Nicolas has found a niche in the industry by purchasing casks of rare cognacs, bottling and then selling the cognac under his late fathers name, Paul-Marie Palazzi. This is his brand name.
His cognacs have won several awards in America and are now sought out by the world's top collectors.
Nicolas Palazzi has several cognacs that have won prstigious awards. He finds rare aged barrels,often one of a kind, bottles them ( somewhere between 100-450 750 ml bottles per cask barrel) and sells them to the true cognac lover. The ones that stand out are:

1) DEVANTE la PORTE means ' in front of the door'. This is a cask Nicolas found 'in front of the door', hence the name.
2) PAUL BEAU COGNACS ...one of the oldest cognacs that Nicolas imports. The cognacs date back to 1895.
3) GUILLION PAINUROID, SINCE 1610..THE TOP COGNAC NAME IN THE BUSINESS.
This is one of the many treasures that Nicolas imports.

As the Holiday season approaches and you are after a 'Special Gift', Nicolas Palazzi's cognacs will be the 'Toast of the Town'..
At a recent tasting, led by Nicolas, I sampled a 30 year old Guillon Painturand Hors d' Age ($110), which was outstanding. The cognac was woodsy, peppery with maple overtones.
I also tried a Paul Beau VSOP ( $60) which was like drinking brown sugar with a hint of caramel and toasted marshmallow.
Nicolas's cognacs have won many awards and are considered 'OUTSTANDING' by cognac collectors.
Nicolas Palazzi teaches classes about cognac. The classes are not to be missed. Check out his schedule for 2010 and try to attend one of his classes. At the class, you will sample many of the cognacs I have written about. All of the cognacs are rare and often hard to find.
Nicolas Palazzi is a name to remember.
PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

Hot off press: resurgence of Russian River Valley pinots

I was in Sonoma County for two weeks at the end of November/beginning of December ostensibly to study the fantastical Rockpile AVA, 800 to 2,200 feet up high above (to the north and west of) Dry Creek Valley. My notes on the two and half days spent up there soon to come…

The Middle Reaches of Russian River along Westside Rd.

But of course, why go anywhere to do one thing? I took this to be as good a time as any to also catch up on some Russian River Valley vignerons. Pinot lovers, remember the Russian River? Yeah, yeah, we’re all enthralled by the seemingly ethereal wines from the so-called “true” Sonoma Coast (enjoyed a fabulously deep ’07 Fort Ross Pinot Noir at Carneros Bistro last Wednesday night, as a matter of fact). Sta. Rita Hills and the Willamette and Santa Maria Valleys can all lay claim to be pinot’s “promised land,” and the new fangled noirs from Santa Lucia Highlands and Marin are definitely turning our heads.

How does that old Lovin’ Spoonful song go? Did you ever have to make up your mind…

But like the black haired, slightly slanted dark eyed beauties in the long, leathered black gloves André Tchelistcheff used to always talk about, the pinots of the Russian River Valley continue to grow on us, even as her face is filled out by encroaching maturity, the curves rounding with increasing tenderness, the eyes more knowing, the scent more intoxicating, and the lips more scarlet, more Johannsonish than Johannson… the gold standards of American pinot noir are not so much back, they’ve never really left us, haven’t they?

The following are notes on what I consider my favorites (I’d sooner “rate” wines higher or lower than I would my four kids and three grandkids), based upon some winery stops, but mostly upon an extensive tasting of twenty-five pinot noirs assembled in the office of the Russian River Valley Winegrowers by Marketing Manager Lee Hodo (thanks a grape bunch, Lee!).

Although the bottles in the RRVW tasting were laid out for me to see, I deliberately averted my eyes to taste without knowing exactly which pinot was what. Sitting down with me were Eric Luse, owner/winemaker of Eric Ross Winery (also a professional photographer, re the photo to the right); Mike Sullivan, winemaker/partner of Benovia; and John Suacci, proprietor/grower of Suacci Carciere Wines.

The ones I’m most excited about:

2007 Baker Lane, Ramondo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – By listing this first, I’m not saying this is the greatest thing since Bob Marley. I’m just saying it happens to epitomize what I love most in pinot: a purity of fruit and terroir (as opposed to oak or other manipulations), and extreme delicacy (so I love waifish femininity, what of it?). Owner/grower Stephen Singer, and his winemaker Steven Canter, grow biodynamically, subscribe to natural yeast fermentation, and age strictly in puncheons (more neutral, double-plus sized barrels) to achieve their minimal interventionist ends; which here, is a lusciously sweet, focused, penetrating, strawberry jammin’ perfume, a silken fine, twiggy, low slung, swaying curvaceousness, and sumptuous pinot expression enunciated with a tart edged tongue. A preview of the ’08 from the same vineyard revealed the same, but with even more feelin’ (the yield from Ramondo down to 8 tons, compared to 12 in ’07). N.B.: although the label says Sonoma Coast, the vineyard (which sits across Baker Lane, just outside Sebastopol, from Singer’s home estate; the latter planted exclusively to syrah and viognier) is technically in the Russian River Valley in a subsection of the AVA often identified as Laguna de Santa Rosa; however, it’s the foggy, maritime chill of Baker Lane’s microclimate that prompts Singer to exercise the overlapping Sonoma Coast moniker for this bottling.

In Stephen Singer's Baker lane kitchen

2007 Dutton Goldfield, Dutton Ranch/Freestone Hill Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – For partner/winemaker Dan Goldfield, the hits just keep on comin’. Freestone Hill lies apart from the rest of the Dutton plantings in the far southwest corner of the Russian River AVA, in a frigid pocket also known as Salmon Creek. During a harrowing, breakneck drive-by last spring, Goldfield talked about a Freestone spice, muttering pinot imagery like star anise and caraway the way Dylan raps free-form in Subterranean Homesick Blues. In my notes, I jotted down a more vaguely defined (but distinctive) smoky spice, along with phraseology like concentrated super-strawberry and ultra-raspberry a flavorist would like, tacked in velvet upholstering, and a sweet rush of round and juicy fruit followed by a tight finish wrapped in corded tannin. When it comes to pinots like this, as the bard himself said, youdon’tneedaweathermantoknowwhichwaythewindblows.

2007 Roessler, Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Of all of Roessler’s yearly pinot gems (I’m also partial to Roessler’s La Brisa and Ollie & Hazel’s Block bottlings), the Widdoes probably exudes the most Russian River Valley opulence: the finely delineated fragrances – of cinnamon stick spiced cherry, wild red berries and cola/cocoa seams – wafting from the glass and penetrating the nostrils, stunning the palate with a combination of enthralling fruitiness and silken fine texturing; powered further by crisp acidity and round, thickening tannin, lending a spectacular kick to the fruit intensity, deep into the compelling finish. From a Green Valley vineyard positioned in the cool corridor between Graton and Occidental; owned by Shirley and Don Widdoes, and planted in the early ‘90s (and still farmed) by the Dutton family.

2007 Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Honestly, I try hard not to be impressed by modern day Williams Selyems, given the difficulty of obtaining them for most of us peons (yes, you must be on the WS List). But a spade is a spade; and in the world of pinot poker, the queen of spades trumps all: in the ’07, a nose billowing with sweetly concentrated, liqueurish strawberry/raspberryish perfumes garnished with pepperminty spice and wisps of tobacco-smoke; and on the buds, the intense fruit riding on silken fine, yet improbably sinewy and snappy, sensations, energizing the pinot fruit qualities through a long, palate freshening finish.

Suacci, Sebastopol Hills (photo courtesy of John Suacci)

2007 Suacci Carciere, Suacci Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – LIke Baker Lane and Dutton’s Freestone, Suacci is couched in the coolest, southernmost reaches of the AVA, in a sparsely planted region that has become known as Sebastopol Hills (also, Blucher Valley), incorporated into the Russian River Valley AVA only in 2005. In any case, this vineyard seems to whip up dreamy pinot fruit with grace and ease: sweet strawberry notes with sprigs of wild mint and smoke of oak and cooking spices (I found cardamom and cumin, but I could’ve been hallucinating). A soft, velvety entry gives way to rounded tannin and zippy acidity in the middle, not an impediment to the red berry flavors surging fluidly across the palate towards a lush, almost sweet finish.

2008 Dutcher Crossing, Maboroshi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Speaking of hallucinogenics, the Maborishi (Japanese for “extraordinary vision”) has recently become a magical name for pinot devotees; nestled, as it is, in Sebastopol Hills on a 400-600 ft. elevation hillside that clears fairly quickly of the dense fog rolling daily up through the Petaluma Gap. I’ve yet to taste a pinot from this vineyard that wasn’t at least a little extraordinarie. The fact that Dutcher Crossing actually specializes in Dry Creek Valley zins and cabernets, yet still can conjure up small quantities of pillowy pinots as a divergence is almost proof of that. Leading off with fraise-like wild strawberry perfumes unfettered by bombastic oak, the luscious, sweet berry flavors seem to hone in on the palate with unerringly harmonious intensity – think Captain Kirk and company, setting their low-amperage electrical guns on stun – penetrating clear through a wall of sturdy tannin and medium weighted body, the deep pinot flavors flowing through the clean cut crevice. End result: I’m told that Dutcher Crossing’s winemaker, Kerry Damskey, describes this wine as “so soft and fine you want to crawl into the glass.” Beam me up!

2008 Eric Ross, Saralee’s Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Standing on a neighboring knoll last week, I felt compelled to snap a shot of the postcard pretty Saralee’s (275 acres farmed by Rich and Saralee Kunde, scions of the Sonoma Valley Kundes), located on the edge of the more climatically moderate “Middle Reach” of the Russian River AVA, west of Fulton, north of River Road off Slusser (adjacent to Sonoma Cutrer and Russian Hill Estate). The rounder, riper, plumper styles of Russian River pinot have always been associated with this area; which of course, is fine and dandy with most pinophiles who’ve cut their teeth on Russian River styles of the past (who’s going to turn down a Rochioli, a Westside Williams Selyem, or an old school Joseph Swan or Dehlinger?). Ross’s is floral and flush with wild berry fruit (suggesting perky raspberry and brown spiced cranberry) laced with Christmas candy (or peppermint canes). The plush flavors gravitate to the wine’s soft, round center, giving a fleshy textured feel, the fruit driven sensations mingling with soft pedaled smoky oak in an easy finish.

2007 De Loach, Maboroshi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – In case word hasn’t reached you, there have been exceedingly encouraging changes at De Loach since Boisset Family Estates took over the properties in 2005 (the De Loach family setting up camp across Olivet Lane at Hook & Ladder): much of the vineyards replanted and converted to Biodynamic™ farming, and the focus placed squarely on pinot noir, in line with the family’s Burgundian lineage (the most notable of their pinot focused French domaines include Bouchard Aîné, de la Vougeraie, and their new, ultra-exclusive JCB label). Stellar pinot specialist Greg La Follette (of Tandem) has served a consulting role, although recent winemaking responsibilities have been placed primarily in the hands of Brian Maloney (coming from Balleto in ’03). While waiting for their replantings to mature, De Loach has continued to fashion a Russian River Valley OFS (a sweetly cinnamoned, meaty pinot in ’06), their Green Valley pinots have been brilliantly perfumed, and their Sonoma Stage Vineyard cuvée from Sonoma Coast a lovely essence of pinot spice (incense and peppermint); but it is their Maboroshi bottlings that have been raising the most eyebrows: in ’07, positively lip smacking, plush and plump with strawberry scented pinot qualities tinged with allspice, the brightly fruit driven mouth-feel negotiated through a crisp, deftly balanced medium body.

Russian Hill Estate, late autumn afternoon

2006 Russian Hill, Leras Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – On Russian Hill’s knoll near the east bank of the river before it starts to wind westward towards Guerneville, the coastal fog banks creep in through both the river and up from the Petaluma Gap well to the south. Hence, diurnal swings are tilted more towards ample sun, producing a pinot of ample fruitiness, fat with wild blackberry and cherry fragrances, tinged with peppermint tea spices mixed with toasted nut tones, amplified further by a smack of smoky oak. On the palate, it follows as a nice, fat Middle Reach style of Russian River pinot; the fruit sweet and delectable, unfettered by firming tannin.

2007 Benovia, Bella Una Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Winemaker/partner Mike Sullivan’s extensive prior experience with Russian River pinot includes Hartford Court’s glory days (late ‘90s, early 2000s), and his Bella Una is an artful blend of fruit from the slightly warmer Middle Reach, the fairly cool climate Green Valley, and the even cooler climate Laguna de Santa Rosa subsections of the Russian River Valley; as it were, mixing plump, juicy black and red berries with cherry fragrances and smoky oak nuances, manifested as soft, lush flavors supported by round tannins. Structurally finesseful, yet simultaneously warm and friendly.

2007 Sequana, Dutton Ranch Green Valley of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – The Dutton farmed properties in Green Valley give a pliant, orbular, balanced style of pinot noir; and in the hands of winemaker James MacPhail (who also makes bang-up Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley pinots under his MacPhail Family label), the fruit is bright, sweetly scented (strawberry/cranberry), yet grounded on a proportionate base of sturdy tannin and wiry acidity.

2007 Gary Farrell, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Multi-vineyard sourced, this is something of a crafty expression of the Russian River Valley pinot profile of olde (at least in my book): transparent ruby red; more aggressively oaked varietal qualities of smoky spice, red berry and black plum perfumes; and a medium-full body, somewhat broad and seductively sculpted by the soft, scented fruit textured with seams of oak and unobtrusive tannin.

2007 Moshin, Lot 4 Selection Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – One of things I’ve been most pleased about recent tastings of Russian River pinots is the apparent moderation of oak; as if there is less compulsion to please certain critics obviously swayed by those qualities (I think it was Kermit Lynch who once related the obsession with oak with men who like really large breasts). Whether this has to do with unconsciously maturing skills, an industry trend, or the attitude that critics and scores are mattering less and less, it doesn’t matter: I like it; and if you do, too – cool. Moshin’s Lot 4 skirts the edge between the recent fruit focus and sweetly vanillin, toasty, smoky oak embellishments more common than not in Russian River pinots of the previous millennium. The oak char is distinct, but supportive of exuberant cherry/berry qualities; thickening the tannin laced medium-full body somewhat, yet allowing the wine to finish round and pinot-ish.

2007 Picket Fence, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – Here the smoky oak is more prevalent, yet harmonized with a lush generosity of red berry perfume; the pinot fruit qualities plopping on the palate with a silk shrouded gushiness, before firm tannins tighten the middle and wrap around the sweet fruitiness. Sourced from the winery’s Green Valley Vineyard.

2006 Derbès, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – The product of Champagne, France born winemaker/proprietor Cécile Lemerle-Derbès, this a chubby style of pinot, brimming with strawberry, cherry and licorice spice, with smidgens of toasted oak and burnt leaf peeking out from underneath. Tannin is moderate, so the bright fruit is allowed to brim over the palate, finishing long, lush and easy.

RRVG office (photo courtesy of Eric Luse)