From a steep vineyard near the eastern edge of the appellation, this effort by Santa Rosa-based Adam Lee offers composting rose petals, bright red cherry and a hint of game on the nose. There's a gamy kick to the palate as well, giving depth to the cherry and dried ginger flavors.
Vivid ruby-red. An expansive exotically perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries potpourri smoky minerals and Moroccan and Asian spices. Sappy and focused on the palate offering juicy blackberry and cherry liqueur five-spice powder and cola flavors and a hint of candied rose. Fleshy and energetic in style showing youthfully chewy texture strong closing thrust and slow-mounting tannins on the clinging finish.
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Intriguing aromas of dark berry mash, oak spice and rose petal. Sleek and sexy in the mouth in a mid weight plus style with waves of purple and blackberry fruits underlain with vibrant acidity. The whole package is harmonious with an uplifting finish.
Sultry and elegantly integrated aromas of purple flower and black raspberry decorate the nose of this single-vineyard expression by veteran Adam Lee. Pungent fruit shows on the palate, where baked black cherry and boysenberry are lifted by wild thyme and chaparral spice.
Bright ruby. An expressive bouquet of red and blue fruits, cola, candied rose and vanilla carries an intense mineral overtone. Concentrated yet energetic in the mouth, showing excellent clarity and strong thrust to the spice-laced black raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors. Becomes nervier on the gently tannic finish, which hangs on with impressive, minerally tenacity.
Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Lucia Highlands From a site right next to Garys' that was planted in 2008, the 2016 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard was completely destemmed and spent 11 months (slightly less time in barrel) in 40% new French oak. It's a rich, voluptuous effort that has loads of mulberries, cranberries, spicy herbs, and underbrush aromas and flavors. Deep, medium to full-bodied and just loaded with fruit, it's a pleasure-bent effort that also has balance and class.
Bright-rimmed ruby. Powerful blackberry, cherry and spicecake flavors show very good clarity and pick up suggestions of licorice, cola and mocha as the wine opens up. In a plush, expansive style, showing impressive depth to the sappy, smoke-accented red and dark berry flavors. A spine of juicy acidity lends support to the wine's ripe fruit and drives a very long, sweet finish framed by smooth, harmonious tannins.
Rosella’s Vineyard is long and narrow and runs up the hill from east to west, giving variety of character from block to block. Siduri seems to have chosen from cooler blocks here. Cherry and rhubarb aromas are forward initially, with fall spice and some stemmy character adding interest. It’s well integrated from start to finish already, and there’s great push of flavor after the liquid is gone. A classy, feminine yet strong presentation. Girl power!
Dark bright-hued ruby. Expansive aromas of red and dark berry preserves, allspice and incense pick up a suave floral nuance with aeration. Fleshy and seamless on the palate, offering mineral-tinged raspberry and blueberry flavors that put on weight with air. Finishes seamless, sweet and very long, featuring an echo of sweet red fruit, supple tannins and lingering florality.
Succulent red cherry, plum, licorice, lavender, rose petal, mint and blood orange infuse the 2016 Pinot Noir Parsons' Vineyard. Intensely sweet and perfumed, with layers of pliant fruit to match its alluring personality. This is one of the most complete and captivating wines I have ever tasted at Siduri.
2016 PINOT NOIR, PARSONS VINEYARD The nose is espresso, chocolate husk and blackberry tart. The palate is a juicy plum, cherry and cranberry with a full-bodied core of plum and blue fruit in a mouth-coating finish.
2016 PINOT NOIR, VAN DER KAMP VINEYARD The nose is cherry, licorice, violet, soy and lavender. The palate entry shows firm acidity, violet pastille, blue plum and silky texture finishing with some green herbs and wild grape.
Dark bright-rimmed red. Sexy, expansive red fruit, sandalwood, five-spice powder and candied rose scents show excellent clarity and pick up a hint of smokiness with air. Sweet and focused on the palate, offering juicy raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Densely packed but lively as well, showing intense berry and floral character on a smooth, subtly tannic, red-fruit-dominated finish.
Adam Lee's Sonoma based Pinot Noir specialty house reaches north for this richly textured, well-integrated offering. Black cherry, turned field and brown spice aromas and flavors balance nicely together, with taut acidity keeping the ripe fruit singing the melody and carrying it through a long finish with the supporting players delivering a satisfying coda.
Coming from the central part of the Willamette Valley, the 2015 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton comes from two vineyards (Gran Moraine and Gran Moraine Estate Vineyards) and sees just a touch of whole cluster. It's one of the larger production cuvees yet still ends up being a cellar selection due to the amount of fruit they work with. Darker in color than the Chehalem Mountains release, it offers more black raspberries, black cherry, cranberry, sappy herbs and earth in a medium-bodied, silky, polished, very juicy style. With impressive purity, an elegant texture, fine tannin and a good finish, it's reminiscent of an elegant Gevrey. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.
Adam is proud of this cuvée and it comes from a multitude of different clones picked all together as a field blend. This was partially inspired by a trip to the Southern Rhône where field blends are common, and the 2015 Pinot Noir Saralee's Vineyard offers a deeper ruby color to go with classic notes of ripe berry fruits, leafy herbs, smoked earth and licorice. Showing more and more dark fruit with air, it has medium to full-bodied richness, tons of fruit and a rounded, straight up delicious texture. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.
Another beauty is the 2015 Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard, which is from a terrific site located just off highway 246. It's a full-bodied, perfumed, complex beauty that has terrific cranberry, violets, passion fruits and sappy flower-aromatics. Silky, seamless and almost ethereally textured, it’s terrific. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.
Juicy, tart and crisp with acidity, this is a standout vineyard designate with a bold, velvety texture. Blue fruit-driven, it’s full-bodied and fleshy in all the best ways, with a plush finish that teases with cardamom and tea.
Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard has a pronounced black cherry and black pepper laced nose with inflections of pomegranate, rhubarb pie and incense. Earthy notes contribute to the medium-bodied palate with a solid structure of grainy tannins and lively acid, finishing long with plenty of vibrancy and energy.
Burnt tea, forest floor and crushed leaf aromas ride atop dense layers of turned earth and stemmy rose scents in this intriguing wine from a beloved site. Moderate acidity keeps it fresh, highlighting its succulent black cherry fruit with lavender and Asian spice notes that emerge on the finish.
Planted in 1996/1997, the Keefer Ranch Vineyard has a mix of Clone 23, Pommard, 114 and 777 clones. This vintage had around 20-25% whole cluster. Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard has an earth and tree sap perfume over a core cranberry and red currants with a touch of black tea. The medium-bodied palate possesses fantastic structure with a solid foundation of firm, grippy tannins and lively acid supporting intense earthy / savory flavors, finishing long.
2015 PINOT NOIR, KEEFER RANCH VINEYARD The nose is dominated by herb, spice, tobacco and soaked cherry. The palate shows beautiful penetration, herb and cherry with briar and wax-like texture. Excellent acidity carries warm cherry, tomato and delicate florals.
Coming from the Green Valley region of the Russian River Valley (although it's not labeled that way), the 2015 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard comes from four different clones, sees a portion of whole cluster (just the Pommard clone, which Adam always likes to ferment as whole clusters) and is aged 14 months in 50% new French oak. It's an elegant wine from this site that offers impressive notes of black cherries, black raspberries, crushed violets and forest floor to go with a medium-bodied, ethereally textured style on the palate. It has bright acidity, impeccably balance and a great finish. It has an herbal edge (from the whole cluster I suspect) and will be best with a year in bottle. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.
2015 PINOT NOIR, STA. RITA HILLS A forward herbal quality in the nose complemented by a focused, spiced cherry and plum. The palate offers a sumptuous ripe red fruit and delicate floral quality of violet on entry, with an ethereal cranberry and other red fruit in the core.
Aromas of dark berry and plum. Hints of mushroom. Medium to full body, beautiful balance and texture. Lots of light chocolate and spice. Extremely well done for the vintage. Drink now.