January 2007 Wine Tasting Notes:
2005 William James Cellars Pinot Noir, Garey Ranch Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley.
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This 2005 Pinot Noir is a vibrant smoky garnet color. The nose takes a little time to open up and shows dominant pomegranate aromas backed by cranberry and cherry as well as hints of sage and maybe green pepper. On the palate, light dusty berry flavors, pomegranate and cherry carry a hint of savory herbs. Well balanced acids and alcohol and supple tannins give this lighter medium bodied Pinot a silky mouthfeel. The medium length cherry and cranberry-hued finish ends with some light earthy notes and a slightly green edge. |
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RWB Score: 89 breakdown 14.4% Alcohol $38.00 Retail (from winery); 200 cases produced |
This 2005 vineyard designated Pinot Noir is very food-friendly and elegant. A bit tight, it needs some aeration and decanting is highly recommended. Very smooth, mellow and composed, it shows it's best side when paired with traditional European dishes with savory flavors - especially anything with mushrooms. If all goes well, this wine should keep giving for up to 5 more years. |
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More William James Cellars reviews. More on Santa Maria Valley More on Santa Barbara County |
100% Pinot Noir, Garey Ranch Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 50% new.
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 Garey Ranch Vineyard was planted in the late 1990’s as part of the Byron estate. The roughly 360 acre vineyard is named after the Garey township in the mid-western part of the Santa Maria Valley AVA – near the confluence of the Santa Maria, Sisquoc and Cuyama Rivers and northwest of the current Byron estate. The sandy-loam soils of the vineyard were deposited by shifting water ways related to the three rivers. Only 305 acres are planted to Chardonnay (95, 76, 15, 17 & Wente clones), Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir (including the popular 667, 777 clones as well as 115 and 05).
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.
In 2003, winemaker Jim Porter entered the commercial wine making scene in Santa Barbara County. Jim started making home wine with “with kitchen utensils, strainers and trash cans”. Spurred by his successes in home wine competitions, and aided by his connections with various vineyards made through his agricultural irrigation business over the past eight years, Jim was able to put together a winery operation at Fess Parker’s Wine Center in Santa Maria as an alternating proprietor. William James Cellars currently offers Chardonnay, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Roussanne, and Syrah Sourced from all over the Central Coast. With an annual production of 4,000 cases, Jim is moving to an independent wine making facility to be be announced. Their tasting room is located at 113 S. College Avenue in Santa Maria at the corner of Main St. and College Ave.
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5 points |
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Nose |
3 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
3 points |
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Tannins |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
3 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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