I tried a Sea Smoke Botella 2003 last night in my search for good pinot noirs I can find locally and I loved it. I did some research on the Internet and I've found Sea Smoke is the subject of considerable debate, with some people loving it and others hating it. Parker, I believe, gave it a 90 while Wine Spectator reportedly gave it a 93, although I can't find it using my trial Wine Spectator online membership. I searched alt.food.wine and found only one reference to it. Anyone else in the group tried it? It does have a big, oaky taste to it, but as much as I hate oak in whites I like it in reds, especially when it's well done. There were some tannins and I tasted black cherry and some other fruit. The finish was superb, especially after I let it breathe for about a half hour. I'd take a sip and then smack my lips over the flavor. Probably one of the most pleasant buzzes I've had from wine, although maybe we're not supposed to admit that here. Some of the backlash against it seems to be because it's one of the "Sideways" pinot noirs. I loved it. Any others like it? Or can anyone else recommend a good pinot noir for $30 or less?
- posted
18 years ago