All posts tagged: Pinot Noir

2019 Left Coast Estate White Pinot Noir and Pinot for the People

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I’ve posted about earlier vintages of this wine before and have thoroughly enjoyed its unique qualities. I’ve been fascinated with this version of the Pinot Noir varietal crafted into a white wine and fermented 100% in stainless steel. I’m not sure if I expected typical Pinot Noir notes, but muted or something more pronounced, but that isn’t what this wine is. It is a white wine and drinks like one. In the past, I’ve been delighted by the austerity of the wine. Earlier vintages have been so crisp, so clean, so lovely. And this one is too…but this one has something more. This 2019 vintage is elegant and luxurious. It has gorgeous aromatics and a supple mouthfeel with great acid. It is the lightest straw color in the glass, but greets the drinker with bright aromas of lychee, orange blossom, and pineapple. It tastes of white raspberries, honeysuckle, and honeydew. Delightful! This leads me to one last reminder for 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, the program which allows 𝐘𝐎𝐔 to name your price for a bottle …

Elegance in a Glass – Left Coast Estate 2016 Latitude 45 Estate Pinot Noir

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By now it’s no secret how much I love Left Coast Estate. Family owned and operated, the wines are lovely.  They are well crafted, delicious, and often surprising!  Left Coast Estate is certified sustainable through LIVE, and has even partnered with the US Department of Fish & Wildlife to restore the oak forests in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  A majority of the Estate is solar powered. They walk the walk. A few weeks ago, they sent me a bottle of 2016 Latitude 45 Estate Pinot Noir – just in time for the holidays! Sure enough, this is the perfect wine to sip during this season. The deeply hued garnet color of this wine is unexpected since Pinot Noir is usually a lighter color. The nose is intoxicating, with a bright, aromatic bouquet of flowers: roses, candied violets, and lilacs. Luscious, earthy flavors tickle the tongue: mushrooms, freshly plucked thyme, red bursting berries, and forest floor. The mouthfeel is finessed with a silky/satiny beginning and a velvety finish.  It is elegance in a glass. This …

Left Coast “Cali’s Cuvée” 2016 Estate Pinot Noir

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I like surprises.  I enjoy it when something is not quite what I was expecting – especially if it is interesting and thought-provoking.  This is what I experienced with Left Coast’s “Cali’s Cuvée” 2016 Estate Pinot Noir. It began with the color.  When I poured this Pinot Noir in the glass, it was a deep, rich color of purple, almost black.  The perfumed cassis aroma was intoxicating, and the flavors were unexpected. I tasted roses, violets, boysenberry and rich, dark fruit. It filled my mouth with a luxurious silkiness and left me wanting more. At $24 for the bottle, this wine is a steal. Grown in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Left Coast Estate is known for its role in creating sustainability. They explain on their website: “We take a holistic approach to everything at Left Coast, sustainability being at the core of all we do. We received the largest USDA grant in Oregon in 2008 to go solar, and the vast majority of our estate’s electrical needs are supplied by the ground and roof …

Featured Winery of the Week – Liquid Farm

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Happy Wine Wednesday! Today I’m featuring Liquid Farm and their beautiful new tasting room in Los Olivos. 🍷I first discovered Liquid Farm 7 years ago when I was working for a wine event company. At the time, I swore I would never touch a Chardonnay again. That is, until I tried Liquid Farm. They changed my mind and made me realize just how many ways Chardonnay can be crafted. True to form, Liquid Farm offers up 5 different styles of Chardonnay at the tasting room. The first, White Hill Chardonnay from Sta Rita Hills, a Chablis style, which @adrienneastrology described as “salty lemonade.” The last was Bien Bien Chardonnay from Santa Maria Valley, a voluptuous, creamy Chard. My favorite was La Hermana Chardonnay, which was right in between these styles. However!! We didn’t just taste Chardonnay, we had 2 delicious Pinot Noirs and my personal favorite, a rosé of Mourvèdre (also known as PC, or “pink crack” to LF aficionados). The tasting room has a delightful shabby/chic vibe with comfy couches, hanging plants, an electric …

Featured Wine (Event) of the Week

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Happy Wine Wednesday!  I’m dreaming of bubbles this morning after attending a super fun event put on by J Vineyards at the PaliHouse in Los Angeles.  It was advertised as a wine and cheese interactive tasting led by Winemaker Nicole Hitchcock of J Vineyards and Francois Robin of Fromage France, followed by a cheese and wine soiree. So, let me get this straight…one of my favorite Sonoma wineries was putting on an event with a French Cheesemonger? Um….yes!  Yes please! I’m not sure what I expected, but I did not expect the wonderful cheese and wine extravaganza I got to enjoy!  There was a bar pouring four beautiful wines from J Vineyards:  J Sparkling Brut Rose, J Cuvee 20, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir.  More on those in a moment…  There was a giant table in the middle of the courtyard filled with several different French cheeses, including Brillat-Severin, Tomme de Savoie, Bleu D’Auvergne, and Beaufort.  There were olives, almonds, berries, honey, and of course, the requisite bread. Oh. My. God.  I was in heaven! As …

Featured Wine of the Week

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Happy Wine Wednesday!  I’m introducing a new feature on The Wine Muse:  “Featured Wine of the Week.”  Join me every Wednesday to find out what I’m drinking. This week, I’m enjoying a beautiful 2015 Pinot Noir from Dragonette, a boutique winery in the Central Coast.  They have a delightful tasting room in Los Olivos where you can try their stunning Pinot Noirs. This 2015 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir is the loveliest color of ruby red.  It is herbacious and earthy on the nose.  It features tastes of dark plum and cranberry on the palate.  Light tannins round it out. Cheers!