USA, California, Santa Barbara County
$9.99 for ½-Bottle from Claymont, DE Total Wine & More
We had this half-bottle with grilled chicken sausage and salad…maybe not the best pairing for a pinot noir, but I was thirsty for a pinot and the sausage was already on the grill…so we rolled with it.
According to the folks at Martin Ray Winery, the 2005 pinot harvest was an outstanding vintage for Santa Barbara County, producing positive qualities of the fruit and the promise of wines with elegance, balance and structure. Well…maybe I just needed to decant mine a little longer than the 15 minutes that we allowed. Maybe that would have tamed the oak that tainted an otherwise average pinot.
This wine was pretty in the glass, with a light ruby color and a nose of strawberries and a hint of dirt. It was fruit-forward on the palate, though not a “fruit bomb” like some California pinots…more French Burgundy than California. It started with the strawberry nose translating to the taste and maybe a subtle hint of spicy cherry coming through. Unfortunately, just as you started to enjoy the nuance of the fruit, the oak took control and ended it with an un-delicious finish. So much for elegance. As Gary Vaynerchuk would say, I got attacked by the "Oak Monster".
Food-wise, the pairing actually worked. The oaky finish complemented the smoky, tangy chicken sausage fairly well. After the food was gone, though, it wasn't the kind of wine you just wanted to kick back and sip...not for me, anyway.
I’m giving this wine two out of five stars in my log. For the price, I have to say that it’s not a bargain, and I’m a little reluctant to pony up for a full bottle next time. Maybe some more air would have balanced this wine out a little better and eased the harshness of the oaky finish. I probably won’t find out, though.
$9.99 for ½-Bottle from Claymont, DE Total Wine & More
We had this half-bottle with grilled chicken sausage and salad…maybe not the best pairing for a pinot noir, but I was thirsty for a pinot and the sausage was already on the grill…so we rolled with it.
According to the folks at Martin Ray Winery, the 2005 pinot harvest was an outstanding vintage for Santa Barbara County, producing positive qualities of the fruit and the promise of wines with elegance, balance and structure. Well…maybe I just needed to decant mine a little longer than the 15 minutes that we allowed. Maybe that would have tamed the oak that tainted an otherwise average pinot.
This wine was pretty in the glass, with a light ruby color and a nose of strawberries and a hint of dirt. It was fruit-forward on the palate, though not a “fruit bomb” like some California pinots…more French Burgundy than California. It started with the strawberry nose translating to the taste and maybe a subtle hint of spicy cherry coming through. Unfortunately, just as you started to enjoy the nuance of the fruit, the oak took control and ended it with an un-delicious finish. So much for elegance. As Gary Vaynerchuk would say, I got attacked by the "Oak Monster".
Food-wise, the pairing actually worked. The oaky finish complemented the smoky, tangy chicken sausage fairly well. After the food was gone, though, it wasn't the kind of wine you just wanted to kick back and sip...not for me, anyway.
I’m giving this wine two out of five stars in my log. For the price, I have to say that it’s not a bargain, and I’m a little reluctant to pony up for a full bottle next time. Maybe some more air would have balanced this wine out a little better and eased the harshness of the oaky finish. I probably won’t find out, though.
1 comment:
The strawberry fruit on the nose of this wine was quite nice, but I agree, the oak present during the finish was a unpleasant.
Post a Comment