June 2007 Wine Tasting Notes.
2005 Five Rivers Pinot grigio, Monterey County.
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This wine is light in color with a brilliant clarity. The nose offers medium intensity green apple aromas followed by light lemon aromas and mineral notes. A hint if a vaguely vegetal, grassy character is noted. In the mouth, light citrus and green apple are accented by bright acids. Light bodied with a tart and lightly mineral mouthfeel. These flavors continue on to the modest finish of citrus. |
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13% Alcohol $10.99 Retail (from winery); 20,000 cases produced |
Clean and crisp, with controlled alcohol, this is a great everyday, food friendly "house white". Should pair well with Italian dishes, fish and lighter seafood for another 3 years if stored properly. BOTTOM LINE: Fairly good. No serious flaws. Worth trying. |
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| Supplemental/Repeat tasting: None. | ||
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More Five Rivers reviews. More on the Monterey AVA |
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Detail: Production | Producer | Vintage | Grapes | Vineyard
Made from 97% Pinot Grigio, 2% Viognier and 1% Symphony grapes from Sweetwater vineyard in Monterey County, Milovina Vineyards in Mendocino County and Mistral Vineyard.
Part of the Brown-Forman portfolio, Five Rivers Winery, has been making wine since the 1999 vintage. The name refers to the fiver rivers flowing through the Central Coast: the San Benito, Salinas, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez and Sisquoc Rivers. The labels is focused on producing wines from all parts of the Central Coast, including the 600-acre property in Paso Robles. Steve Peck, is Head Winemaker at Five Rivers. The self-proclaimed former wild child and surfer was turned on to wine (and Pinot noir, in particular) when living in Santa Cruz. While he spends a lot of time in the vineyard tasting the fruit, he delegates more in the cellar until it is time to blend. All Five Rivers wines are closed with synthetic closures. Read More
Know by a number of different names, Pinot gris is a “white” mutant of Pinot noir. It has come to greatest renown in northern Italy, where it is called Pinot grigio. It is typified by high acidity which gives it structure and food compatibility. Across the map, Pinot gris ranges from neutral and indistinct to very aromatic. Ripeness and climate have a huge impact as can the use of oak and other vinification methods. These give a range of crisp, light and acidic to rich, curvy and full bodied. In addition to lighter floral aromas, Pinot gris expresses apple, honey, lemon, melons, pear. Cooperage tends to impart almond, butter, cream, smoke and vanilla. (read more)
Viognier is a Rhône variety which is rapidly becoming popular in California. In addition to being offered as a single varietal, it is often blended with Roussanne to make white Rhône blends and is also used in that region (and in California) to soften Syrah and Syrah-based red blends. It is also being experimented with in unconventional blends with Chardonnay Pinot gris and Chenin blanc. At its best, it shows perfumed floral aromas with honey and tropical fruit flavors and a rich, almost viscous mouthfeel with a prominent mineral element. Aromas and flavors typical of Viognier include: almond, acacia, anise, apricot, grapefruit, guava, honey, kiwi, mango, melon, mint, orange blossoms, pear, pineapple and tangerine as well as floral and mineral notes. (read more)
The Symphony grape is a crossing of Grenache gris and Muscat of Alexandria produced at U.C. Davis in the late 1940s for the hot growing conditions of California's Central Valley.
100% organic sources from all parts of the Central Coast, including the 600-acre property in Paso Robles. The Sweetwater Vineyard, located near king City in Southern Monterey County, has 903 of its total 1445 acres planted to Chardonnay, Pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon, Pinot noir and Syrah. The vineyard is farmed under contract to a numb of producers. Milovina Vineyards grows Pinot gris, Viognier, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah in Mendocino County.
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage because of a very long and generally cool growing season without heat spikes. This long season resulted in extended hang times in even temperatures which gave the fruit good extraction but lower sugar levels. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage. Read More
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Acidity |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Aging potential |
1 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
7 points |
(10 points max) |
Cumulative Score: 87
Rating System & Scoring Criteria explained
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