Tasted about 300 hundred wines over 2, 4 hour tasting sessions. What did I learn. They should have never made the movie Sideways. Everyone and his mother is making Pinot Noir and telling you what proportion of what clones are going in. Unfortunately, the specifics don't help the taste. Most were tannic monsters closer to cabs than pinots. Very little subtelty at all. This was California, Oregon, Washington, and even New Mexico, though the Gruet Pinot Noir was actually very tastey and one of the better wines. The Gruet 2000 sparkler was the best $20 sparkler I've ever tasted. I would put it up against most of the medium end from France (the company is owned by a French concern) and was better than anything but the reserves from Schramsburg which are 5-6 times the cost of this bottle.
The big cowboy dude from Sandford (who was in Sideways) poured the usual Sanford, good but nothing special. I could not tell one single Oregon Pinot from another. Everyone is adding Pommard clones for backbone but these are not Pommard wines. Cabs, well Clos du Val Reserve
1999 cab was great, a classic cab, not fruit forward, already showing some blending of tastes and affordable. Ridge Monte Bello 2000 was such a monster it was hard to tell yet but should be great. Silver Oak 2001 Alexander Valley was so-so for a $125 bottle and shows little backbone for cellaring. Some very intersting Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand as well as some tasty Rieslings.Will write more later when I have time.