Skewis

 TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/10/9

This is the second time we've been here ( the first was in October, only three months after they opened their tasting room) and it was an equal experience. Know that the man and woman behind the tasting bar are the co-owners and winemakers of this wine for the last 17 years. She is supremely knowledgeable, charming, and strikes you as the pretty sister of Tyne Daly. Not only will you enjoy the wines, but she'll regale you with the best foods to pair them with, especially cheeses!  The tasting room is small, only really accommodating 6-8 people, but it's only the two of them and it's a nice student-to-teacher ratio.

For those of you who were looking for more of the 2009 Lingenfelder Vineyard Pinot Noir, you can forget about it. They had 6 full bottles and 4 half bottles when I arrived. When I left, I had the 6 full bottles and the guy next to me bought 3 of the half bottles. You'll have to wait until this fall for the best Pinot NOIR EVER!!

The last time we were here, I hesitated to join the wine club, even though I walked out with a half case of wine. This time, I didn't repeat my mistake. So, not only did I get the best Pinot EVER, I got it at a dramatically discounted price (20% off).  Nah-ner, Nah-ner...

You want to really know how this stop went? My guest said "I've been looking for a Pinot Noir to like, and haven't ever found one...until now."

2009 Montgomery Vineyard Russian River Valley Sonoma county $45/$36/$38

Made from grapes grown from a 20 year old vineyard. Dry and floral with dried fruits on the palate.  This wine has some versatility, but it’ll dry off your palate.

2009 Ridley Vineyard Anderson Valley Mendocino County $45/$36/$43

Mildly herbaceous aromas with hints of clove and dried fruit. Bright, spicy fruit, like cinnamon, cherry, and cedar.

2009 Salzgeber-Chan Vineyard Russian River Valley $48/$39/$46

Medium body with aromas of cranberry and herbs. This has a mineral nose, but the palate has smooth cranberry, cherry, and sweet baking spices.

2009 Peters Vineyard Sonoma Coast $48/$39/$42

Mild cedar and rose-based aromas. The finish is long and spicy with blackberry notes and toasty oak.

2009 Greenwood Ridge Vineyard Anderson Valley, Mendocino County $40/$32/$38

Major cedar on the nose!  I’ve never had a more mineral nose on a pinot.  That palate is completely different.  It has bright cherry, modest blackberry and plum, and some smokiness. 

2003 Salzgeber-chan Russian River Valley

They were prepping for a winemaker dinner in the week and decided to pull out one of their library wines, just for the fun of it. Wonderful! It had a little cedar (or eucalyptus) and caramel on the nose.  The  amber lip of an aged wine was prominent.  The palate is delicate and subtle.  It’s smooth, but I find the flavors difficult to access.