Hess , 2006 Small Block Servies, Santa Lucia, Monterey $25

Baron De La Charriere, Bonnes Mare Grand Cru, 2000 $60

McKenzie-Mueller, 2005, Estate Bottled, Los Carneros, $35

Limited production, vineyard designated

Burgundy Grand Cru

The Hess Pinot had a nice nose of Red strawberries, violets, cloves and allspice, vanilla, cedar, a dusty earthiness, and even green olives. The surprise was in the fullness of the palate. It exhibited tart, but ripe black fruit like cassis and even plum. The non-fruit flavors ranged mostly into the oak and spice with none of the earthiness from the palate.

There was no doubt that this was an Old World wine. The extremely complex nose opened with a great earthy quality, that was nicely matched to a mushroom, tea, and clove and pepper. There was some very nice red fruit, but it was more an equal, or even lesser partner to the rest of the attributes. As the wine opened it shared the impression of berries in cream.

This wine exhibited all the attributes that have made Los Carneros what it is, that wonderful spicy cherry and berry quality. Along with that came a soft minerality, an impression of a finely tanned leather, a great forest floor expression, and a very nice oak toastiness in the finish. The fruit was red and tart, the tannins dusty and the acidity faily high.

The Pinot had a nice silky mouthfeel with soft, but firm tannins

The tannins in this French wine were on the soft side giving it a silky feel.

The tannins were some of the higher side of the six, but still dusty and silky.

14.5%

13.5%

14.2%

The nose on this wine was much more complex than the palate, although the palate was delicious. It was soft with nicely entwined flavors, a good acidity level, with some alcohol evident without being excessive. It was amazingly close in profile to the Estancia that was from the same region of Monterey.

This wine screams complexity. It opened with non-fruit characteristics, but on the palate the tart red cherries and strawberries evolved with the cream from the oak to a mouthfilling flavor. As the wine lingered it changed continually, back to non-fruit tea, mushroom, and spice qualities, to its soft earthiness.

This was a nicely complex wine, exhibiting great fruit and non-fruit characteristics in a nice harmony. The cooking spice and oaky toastiness worked very well with that forest mushroom quality of Pinot, and it was all finished off with a nice white pepper in the background.

This was a nice light bodied, fairly silky wine with a good fruit forward quality well mixed with non-fruit flavors. The finish was on the long side with some good development of tart black fruit at the end. This is a fairly full wine for a Pinot which make it a good candidate to pair with a fairly big meat, like a roast with mushroom sauce or even a steak.

This was an wine that can best be classified as elegant and beautifully balanced. It is a wine just made for sipping slowly; allowing yourself to take in the depth of its interweaved flavors. The Old World characteristics of lower alcohol and a propensity toward a soft minerality just add to the charm of this very nice wine.

The finish on this was not as long as the French wine or Yuba wines, but it was complex and evolved as it remained on the palate. It had some very nice acidity and was fairly mouthfilling, meaning it can work quite well with just about any food without being overpowered. This is a wine that does best if allowed to open fully and not rushed from the glass.