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March 28, 2006
Get on the grape wagon
Tonight I tried the 2003 MacPhail Family Wines 2003 Pinot Noir, from their Toulouse Vineyard in Anderson Valley. Whatever else I think of this wine, let me commend the vineyard both for the amount of information regarding this wine on the bottle and at their site.
That said, this is a solid but not stunning California pinot. To be sure, Wine Spectator awarded this one a 91 while the San Francisco Chronicle offered the following: "Very good. Raspberry, rose, dark cherry, soy sauce, cedar, earth and spice aromas; similar flavors plus cassis, plum, toffee and caramel; good acidity.". While I picked up at least faint hints of much of what the Chronicle describes, I think their reviewer had the remnants of some great wine, long on the nose and tongue, when he or she caught this assignment. In practice it exhibits nowhere near the range suggested. (Though I also caught a faint echo of strawberry on the nose, which they did not.) This is a solid pinot, not particularly long, that is good for casual sipping in front of the TV (the purpose to which I put it). It does not, however, dazzle or intrigue. Nonetheless, I will conceded that this is clearly a conscientously crafted wine. The fundamentals and structure are all there, and with time and cooperative weather greatness could emerge. I will keep my eye on MacPhail Family Wines.
Posted by dag at March 28, 2006 10:52 PM
Comments
dude, you're just tyasting after 3 years. give it a couple more, say 5, and it'll be more interesting
Posted by: enoch choi at March 29, 2006 2:36 AM
Enoch: That is a good point. With a wine so young, some of the shizzle may be yet to emerge. And, as I said, in terms of overall fundamentals, it is a good wine even now.
One problem I'm facing is that I don't have any more aged MacPhail pinots: I am having a tough time finding them out here.
Posted by: dag at March 29, 2006 7:41 AM