Ampelos Vineyard Nu: the Infrequent Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Ca. 2008

An opaque plum drips from the bottle coating the glass. The nose explodes with candy apple, black cherry, cherry compote and spices of cinnamon and cloves ... maybe even some teaberry. On the palate the cherry is sweet, more compote than ripe fruit. Vanilla punches the finish. This is very different than any other Ampelos Pinot I can recall tasting. Granted, it is my first “Nu” - while I have the ‘07, I pulled the ‘08 just to check in on a 10 year old wine - but this is unlike the Fiddlestix or Rho, Lamda or even the plain bottling. I pull Ampelos wines for their balance, not their bigness. For that reason, I did not enjoy this as much and did not feel it complimented the meal the way a Rho or Fiddlestix might have. From 100% 777 clone. Some slight sediment. 14.5% alc. With roasted pork tenderloin. 09.01.18. Recommended with reservations.

Vincent Wine Company Pinot Noir Eola Amity Hills Oregon 2014

Gone now is the candy apple color and nose, but the they both still captivate. The color now is more blood red while the nose is full with bright cherry, cinnamon and rosemary ... maybe some gloves as well. Less linear now than it was a year ago with layers of flavor: plum, mushroom and anise. 12.9% alc. With boneless pork chops under a mustard and mushroom shallot sauce. 09.03.18. Recommended.
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BEB

"I've wrestled with reality for 35 years and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd