Mount Eden Vineyards - Wines from our Library / Pinot Noir

2008 Mount Eden Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:38:00 GMT

2008 Mount Eden Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $60.00

Reviews:

93pts Steve Tanzer's International WineCellar

92pts Robert Parker Jr's The Wine Advocate Issue#193 February 2011

91pts Wine Spectator May 31, 2011

Notes at release:

All of our estate vineyards are non-irrigated (a rarity today).Every drop of water the vine uses comes from the sky. This is notbecause we can't irrigate, it's because this practice makes a moreauthentic, concentrated wine and reflective of the vintage. Inaddition, no yeast is added for fermentation. All are native andspontaneous (the same is true for malolactic). Again this is notbecause we can't but the wine is truer to its terroir and lower inalcohol. All of these procedures involve high risk and high reward.As I approach my thirtieth vintage at Mount Eden it's amazing howthe winemaking has become as minimalist as possible.

This is our first offering from 2008. The growing conditionsfit many parameters of high quality: low rainfall (25 inches),successful bloom in the spring and a moderate summer heat. The winehas a classic ruby hue, like only Pinot Noir has, with a sweetexplosive nose of soft red fruit, cherry, pomegranate and earth. Tome this variety is all about fruit and earth--round, generous andintense on the palate this vintage has the expected flavors of thePinot Noir family of raspberry, plum black cherry and earth. Sometannin on the finish is apparent with great buttressingacidity.

Given our sixty-five year lineage, one should expectimprovement through 2018 and a drinking plateau for another decadein a good cellar.

Total Production: 969 cases

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2007 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:37:00 GMT

2007 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $75.00

Reviews

95 points Robert Parker Jr's The Wine AdvocateIssue #187 February 2010
92 points Wine Spectator
92 points Steve Tanzer's International WineCellar

Notes at release:

We are committed to a philosophy of non irrigation, or dryfarming, and are vastly alone in this belief. The majority ofgrowers prefer to water throughout the summer. With dry-farming thevintage character expresses itself purely and we winemakers have tomake our wines with what Mother Nature gives us.

The beginning of 2007 was troublesome; we had one of the worstdroughts since 1976. Despite the drought, the crop size wasnormal. The added stress from the lack of water combined with slow, even ripening and proved to be magical. 2007 was a stellaryear for California Pinot Noir.

Fermented entirely on native yeasts with the malolactic occurringspontaneously, this pinot is bottled without fining or filtration.The hallmark of this vintage is the saturating quality of theflavors. Decadent depth, concentration and wholeness standout--somewhat reminiscent of 1994, another great year.

Given the abundant stuffing of 2007, expect continued positiveevolution for another 8 to 10 years.

Total production: 668 cases

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2006 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:41:00 GMT

2006 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $75.00

Reviews

89+ points The Wine Advocate Issue 17412/21/08
90 points Wine Spectator May 31, 2009
90 points International Wine Cellar

Notes at release:

We've been growing and making Pinot Noir on this same piece ofmountain soil for 65 years. Believe it or not, this is the longestlineage on our continent. What can one say after an historic runlike this?

2006 was a strong vintage. The winter was cold with adequaterainfall and good fruit set in the spring. What really sets up thevintage quality, however, is the weather in the fall during thefinal ripening; 2006 was text book with a long, slow, cool finish.1991 was a vintage of similar style. My library has precious fewbottles left of that stand-out year.

This pinot has lovely transparency in the aromas--red berries,oriental spices and earth; medium weight on the palate with finedelineation of raspberry-plum flavors with firm acidity and length,all but guarantee grace and longevity.

Total production: 846 cases

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2005 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:09:00 GMT

2005 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $90.00

Reviews:

91 points International Wine Cellar November/December 2007

Notes at Release:

From yields a mere twenty percent of normal, the 2005 PinotNoir vintage is the smallest crop in sixty years. On the positiveside, the wine is serious with red-black color, sappy aromas ofplum, iron and magical Pinot Noir earthiness, youthful and primaryon the palate it exhibits stuffing galore. The extreme lowyield of this vintage is apparent in the fullness of themid-palate. This is a rare thing in classic Pinot Noir yet always asign of future greatness.

With the small production of just over 100 cases, it isavailable only through the winery and our new tasting room at PressClub in San Francisco.

Total production: 126 cases

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2004 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:15:00 GMT

2004 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $85.00

Reviews:

92 points The Wine Advocate Issue 17412/28/07
90 points Wine Spectator March 31, 2008
90 points International Wine CellarNovember/December 2007

Notes at release:

At present, this Pinot Noir is a very modern California-styledvintage. Rich, forward and immediately appealing, thisvintage is atypical for us as our Pinots are usually moreBurgundian in profile.

The 2004 vintage throughout California was an early harvestwith big ripeness as a hallmark. Fermented using wild yeast,this wine goes through full malolactic fermentation in the barrel.Aged in new French oak for eleven months without any racking,fining, or filtration, it is a perfect juxtaposition--at one pointclassic and at another modern. That being said, it is a deliciouswine--albeit a bit precocious.

Expect excellent bottle development over the next five toseven years and a drinking plateau through 2020.

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2002 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:13:00 GMT

2002 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $75.00

91 points Cellar Selection Wine EnthusiastSeptember 2006
89 (+?) points Stephen Tanzer's International WineCellar July/August 2005

Notes at Release:
Since my winemaking career started in 1981 there have been somegreat years for Pinot Noir worldwide: 1985, 1988, 1996, and2002. What aligns the winegrowing stars to create thisuniformity in California, Oregon and France I haven't aclue...

The 2002 is bigger and fatter than most recent vintages,boasting a nose of great ripeness with aromas of plum, blueberryand black cherry. Deep, concentrated and powerful, it coats themouth with soft red fruit in combination with our signaturemountain terroir.

Luxurious and sensual, stand this wine up for a few days (Idon't know why but it works!) and pour it into a good Pinot Noirglass. You will be rewarded.

Total Production 601 cases

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2003 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:58:00 GMT

2003 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Buy Now: $75.00

Reviews:
92 points "Cellar Selection" Wine Enthusiast April2007
90 points Robert Parker Jr's The Wine Advocate Issue166 8/28/06

Notes at release:

Pinot Noir winemakers are rarely content. It always seems to be a"work in progress." That being said, we are delighted with the 2003vintage. This is classic Mount Eden Pinot with excitingraspberry-wild strawberry aromas along with nuances of herb, earthand mint. Moderate in alcohol, the presentation on the palate iselegant at first with energy building through the mid-palate. Lushin flavor with layers of crushed raspberries, blackberries andcherries; the 2003 never drifts from our signature--precision,balance and varietal character. Through delicious now, continueddevelopment should be expected for the next five years.

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