Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2015

Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Napa Valley Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Napa Valley Pinot Noir Red Wine is a richly complex Napa Valley wine that offers vibrantly intense red plum and dark cherry coulis flavors and aromas highlighted by sweet clove, cinnamon and vanilla. Crafted with carefully sorted pinot noir grapes from the Carneros region in Napa Valley, this California wine matures for nine months, resulting in a delicious red wine with a soft and silky mouthfeel that carries the concentrated fruit flavors gracefully into a long finish. Enjoy this versatile and food-friendly Robert Mondavi red wine by itself or pair it with pink-fleshed fish, beef, veal, game or poultry dishes. It also pairs well with mushroom, parmesan arugula salad or vegetarian dishes such as a cheesy eggplant bake. For best taste and quality, store this red table wine at room temperature and chill for 60 minutes before serving. Please enjoy our wines responsibly. 

Take in the aromas of this wine and it will be as if you stepped into a fresh grove full of deliciously ripe black cherry bushes, deep rich earth, gleaming wet stones and the airy fragrance of fresh forest. This incredibly fragrant pinot noir adds a complex blend of spices (vanilla, clove, nutmeg and pepper) to its earthy and black cherry flavors that ride across the palate in an elegant, silky wave.

Review:

Black cherry, mocha, new leather, dark spices and menthol infuse Mondavi's 2015 Pinot Noir Reserve. Juicy, bold and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 is decidedly lush and fruit-forward. All the elements meld together effortlessly. The 2015 was done with some whole clusters, but it is the juiciness of the fruit that stands out most.

-- Antonio Galloni 92 Points

Maysara Jamsheed Pinot Noir  is made of 100 percent Pinot Noir

11 months in 10% new French oak barrels

According to ancient Persian legend, King Jamsheed was able to observe his entire realm by peering into his full wine goblet.

Beginning with a generous core of red-black fruits, the McMinnville AVA saunters over the palate with both bravado and grace. Blackberry and fresh cracked pepper entwine perfectly with matured and lengthy tannins on the finish. The depth of this unassuming bottling is always an adventure to mine. Some older prospectors hear tell of herbal notes… silver sage? rosemary?

At Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, we are committed to cap-turing the complete expression of our land and conveying it to you through superior quality in every bottle. We practice only low-impact, holistic farming methods in our Demeter Certified Biodynamic Vineyard. We are confident these practices are the best way to capture the true essence of the soil in our fruit and ensure health of our vines and the unique accent of our terroir for generations. This philosophy is carried into the cellar, where Demeter Certified Biodynamic wine-making practices produce wines with intensity, sophistication and elegance while maintaining a purity of both fruit and earth.

Always offering generous accessibility, pair Jamsheed with darker fowl, grilled meats or salmon, even caramelized veggies.

Fragrant aromas of black cherry, red plum, black tea and notes of mint and forest floor. On the palate, flavors of red cherry, black currant and a hint of clove are supported by intriguing layered round tannins, lush mouthfeel and balanced acidity.

Curving along the ridges and valleys of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Smith Vineyard is Hahn’s highest elevation vineyard, reaching 590 to 1,280 feet above sea level. Originally planted in 1974, Smith is also Hahn’s first estate vineyard, and today its 131 acres are certified sustainable. With rocky well-drained soils and eastern exposures that sit well above the fog line, this is a cool climate site with moderate wind and ample sunshine contributing to a long growing season.

Review:

A dark expression of Pinot Noir, this single-vineyard bottling shows black plum, black cardamom and nutmeg on the spicy nose. It's rich and thick on the palate, packing in boysenberry alongside minty chocolate flavors, with ample acidity and tannic tension.

-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points

Ancien Pinot Noir Carneros is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Pinot Noir Carneros comes entirely from the Toyon Vineyard, located in the Napa side of Carneros. This vineyard was originally planted for Ancien Wines in 1998 with cuttings tracing back to the Swan estate in Sonoma County and Dijon 115 - followed by cuttings from Ed Penhoet’s vineyard in Carmel Valley. Ed’s selection from River Selection is a story into itself, and is sometimes referred as “Pisoni Clone” since Gary Pisoni took cuttings from the vineyard in the early ‘80s.

Baking spice sings in an endless symphony with wild berry notes, complemented by characteristic Carneros notes of cola. Juicy cherry notes grace the palate and combine seamlessly with anise and hibiscus, ending on a savory note. The palate is round and full of textural, mouth-coating tannins balanced by a bright acidity. Broad chewy tannins, earthy spices and minerality complement the fruit and exotic floral notes of this wine. The palate of this delicious wine will continue to develop in opulence over years of aging, revealing even darker layers and an increasingly smooth texture.

Review:

"Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir shoots from the glass with bold scents of juicy red plums, Bing cherries and raspberry leaves, plus hints of rhubarb, dried Provence herbs and damp soil. Medium-bodied, delicately styled and refreshing with fine-grained tannins, it has a spicy kick to the finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #257, October 2021), 90 pts

Archery Summit Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

A medley of graphite, spice and crushed red strawberries waft from the glass. Further digging reveals even more to the nose of this Pinot Noir, in the flickering form of oak spice and caramelized fruits. On the palate, there’s opulent fruit and signature Dundee Hills spices like allspice, cardamom and sandalwood. The palate is loaded, with fresh strawberry jam and an underlying earthiness taking the lead. Structurally, there are soft oak tannins that give way to an exquisitely long and balanced finish.

Argot Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Sonoma Pinot Noir.

Inheriting an unbroken string of success, the “Bastard Tongue” arrives fully-formed and ready to impress. Always a blend from multiple Pinot Noir vineyards, this iteration of “BT” was selected from three distinct sites, each making their own unique contribution of Sonoma County terroir to the wine’s character.

Exploding forth on a tidal wave of high-toned, intense red and black fruits, this is a Pinot Noir that no stemware can contain. The palate’s profound depth is balanced by an inherent freshness, allowing the wine to crackle with brambly energy, while sustained by bass notes of underbrush, black tea, pie spice and baker’s chocolate. A formidable rendition of “Bastard Tongue”, and a deserving successor to its line.

Night harvested by hand throughout September, cluster and berry sorted by hand, de-stemmed, no crushing. 7-day cold soaks, followed by native fermentation in open-top bins. Average time on the skins, 14 days. Aging 20 months in French oak, 100% new. Never racked prior to bottling. Bottled unfined, unfiltered.

Very versatile for pairing. Goes well with grilled meat, vegetable, fish, poultry and cheese.

Review:

I always love this cuvée from Argot, and their 2020 Pinot Noir Bastard Tongue certainly delivers the goods. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, with some spicy, floral, and red and black-fruited aromatics, it has ripe tannins, integrated acidity, and outstanding length.

- Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points