January 2007 Wine Tasting Notes.
2005 Casa Cassara Estate Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills.
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This wine is medium-depth garnet in color. The nose opens with moist earth backed by herbal notes and hints of oaky vanilla. A core of cherry and dusty raspberry is declared soon thereafter. A rather aggressive cracked pepper note evolves with aeration. On the palate, somewhat reserved raspberry and cherry notes are accented by cooked tomato on the back end. Tempered alcohol and acids are proportioned to the light body and diminutive tannins make for a delicate mouthfeel. A medium length finish offers straightforward bing cherry. |
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RWB Score: 89 breakdown 14.8% Alcohol $34.00 Retail (various retailers) Total production unknown. |
The 2005 Casa Cassara Estate Pinot Noir is an earthy waif in alluring perfume. Subtle, delicate and food-friendly. The nose offers good complexity, but the palate is demure and straightforward. This wine is expected to pair with medium to lighter traditional dishes over the next 4 to 5 years. |
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More Casa Cassara reviews. More on the Sta. Rita Hills AVA |
Sourced entirely from fruit, from the Sta. Rita Hills estate.
For those that have not seen “Sideways”, Pinot Noir, the noble Burgundian grape, is often described as "difficult" to grow but the wine is beautiful and complex when circumstances are favorable. It is one of the oldest grape varieties to be vinified. Pinot Noir is, in fact, genetically unstable and its spontaneous mutations have given 46 identified clones in France alone. Worldwide estimates range from 200 to 1000 clones. Additionally, Pinot Noir is very susceptible to frost at budbreak, pests, fungal and viral infections. The berries of this cool climate-preferring variety are thin skinned and can dehydrate quickly and the wine may not retain its color for long periods or loose its aromas on bottling. Even fermentation is tricky as Pinot Noir has a tendency to very tumultuous fermentation which may cause it to violently bubble or “boil” up out of the container. The list is a litany of things that can turn a winemaker’s hair gray. The tiny (~60 square miles) Côte d'Or in Burgundy, France has been the benchmark for Pinot Noir for centuries. It is believed that the east-facing slopes of Burgundy make for optimal sun exposure without excessive heat and the chalky, well draining soils retain heat – all of which assist in ripening. Nonetheless, it is planted worldwide. (Perhaps Pinot Noir is like Golf: an endless and frustrating pursuit of something great and nearly elusive). It does well in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, In British Columbia and New Zealand. In California, it does well in Carneros and the Russian River Valley regions of the Sonoma AVA in the north. In the Central Coast, Monterey County (the Pinnacles and the Santa Lucia Highlands) and the Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills produce outstanding Pinot Noir. It is often described as delicate and light bodied and having a soft texture. The aromas and flavors are the most distinct and identifiable and most complex of all varieties. Common fruit aromas are: cherry, raspberry, ripe tomato and strawberry. It can express floral notes or rose or violet. Spice is a big element of Pinot Noir: cardamom, caraway, cinnamon, cola, clove, nutmeg, pepper, rosemary and sassafras. Some also describe a peppermint quality. It can also show aromas and flavors that some sources place in the herbal category: beet, black olive, green tomato, green tea, oregano and rhubarb. More earthy elements found in Pinot Noir are earth (moist earth), barnyard, mushroom and truffle. In addition leather, meat (raw or grilled) can also be seen. Pinot Noirs rarely have the make up to last past a decade but with age they can show oak characteristics as well as tobacco and smoke.
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.
Casa Cassara Winery is a small vineyard and winery producing wines in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The winery carries a strong Babcock influence. Joining John Krska, (who became wine maker at Casa Cassara and is now General Manager), is wine maker Brian Freeborn. He started his career in 1997 at Fess Parker Winery in the cellar and as a harvest worker. He then worked at Bridlewood Winery and Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards where he learned form Dan Gehrs. Although most familiar with Syrah, he has proven his mettle with Pinot Noir and since the 2004 harvest, Brian has been the Casa Cassara winemaker.
Currently, Casa Cassara produces approximately 2,200 cases annually. Only the Pinot Noir is estate-grown and the remainder of the fruit is purchased from local vineyards (mostly from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA) farmed to John Krska's specifications. In general, Casa Cassara wines are released with more bottle age than most in the area. They are complex and very food-friendly. Wines are currently being poured for tasting at the Olive House at 1661 Mission Drive in Solvang, in Solvang and the winery is building a tasting room outside Buellton, on Highway 246 (scheduled to open in March, 2007).
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5 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
2 points |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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