2011 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir

ard to fully describe the trend in New World Pinot Noir's and the vast diff erence between them and French Burgundy except to say that they are vastly different wines with an intensity of fruit (mostly black fruits) and overal l concentration that I think many Burgundy fans would find offputting. Tha t being said, there are a plethora of $20-$60 Pinots from Sonoma and the Ce ntral Coast that I find delicious within the context of what they are. The 2011 Pisoni Estate Pinot falls into this category. The wine is dark as ni ght, aromas of blackberry and black cherry with an underlying note of black dirt and coal dust. The wine is rich and fruity on the palate with good a cidty and bunches of fresh blackberry, plums and espresso. This is a big w ine needing big food. "A"

I have only had one Pisoni but liked it quite a bit. What was the price on this one?

ard to fully describe the trend in New World Pinot Noir's and the vast diff erence

I find them better than burgundy. Burgundy is always tart and sometimes bit ter. In the sub 80$ category that is. I suspect it is a wine to store long before drinking though, but I never had the chance to try any of those well aged premium ones. Also Chablis is disappointing and I like napa's, austra lian, and brda (slovenia) chards better.

I have the same idea of saint emilion. Ive even had some premier crus from that region , and I didnt like. I do tend to like paulliac and margeux and haut medoc. And from Rhone the old style Cornas.

hard to fully describe the trend in New World Pinot Noir's and the vast di fference between them and French Burgundy except to say that they are vastl y different wines with an intensity of fruit (mostly black fruits) and over all concentration that I think many Burgundy fans would find offputting. T hat being said, there are a plethora of $20-$60 Pinots from Sonoma and the Central Coast that I find delicious within the context of what they are. T he 2011 Pisoni Estate Pinot falls into this category. The wine is dark as night, aromas of blackberry and black cherry with an underlying note of bla ck dirt and coal dust. The wine is rich and fruity on the palate with good acidty and bunches of fresh blackberry, plums and espresso. This is a big wine needing big food. "A"

Larry-Pisoni Vineyards grows grapes for a lot of different makers and it ge ts confusing Roar, SLH, Loring,Pisoni Estate, Lucia, Arcadian, Patz & Hall, and many others. Pisoni Estate is made by Gary Pisoni's sons. I paid jus t under $50 on release for a case but I just checked and since Parker's 96 rating for the wine, the price has jumped. Two years ago I made a "Pinot P ilgrimage" to The Santa Lucia Highlands and the Monterrey area and tasted e very thing I could get my hands on and universally there wasn't a stinker i n the bunch.