Wine Tasting Notes.
2006 Ardiri Pinot noir, Carneros.
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This wine is medium depth garnet colored with a magenta rim and excellent clarity. To the nose, it offers intense pepper aromas which take a back seat to medium intensity cola and lighter cherry aromas with a little time and air. Notes of spice, smoky bacon and floral underbrush accent the composition. In the mouth, medium intensity cherry is supported by lighter cola and pepper with notes of hibiscus and hints of sweet oak and spices. Lower medium bodied, this Pinot offers silky textures with an element of creaminess that moves languidly over the tongue. Fresh and lively, it has a lightly mineral mouthfeel. Fine, delicate and smooth tannins interplay with bright zesty acidity and nicely proportioned alcohol for a complex structure whose frame is well suited to the rest of the composition. It finishes dry and long with cherry-dominant red fruit accented by strawberry, citrus zest and spice. |
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14.2% Alcohol $45.00 Retail 560 cases produced |
This is an earthy and nuanced wine with very good structure and complexity. The restraint in the use of new wood and the use of whole cluster fermentation are to be commended here. This Pinot noir strikes a nice balance of aromatics and structure maintaining an even tempo from start to finish. 30 to 60 minutes in a decanter benefit this already very drinkable wine. Should pair well with duck, turkey, pheasant, grilled salmon, foie gras, veal as well as savory and mushroom sauces over the next 5 to 7 years, depending on preference. BOTTOM LINE: Very good. Highly recommended. |
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Production | Grapes | Producer | Vineyard | Vintage
Production Detail:
Harvested in September from a field blend of Dijon and DRC clones (below), the grapes were sorted manually with 40% of the fruit whole cluster fermented for structure. Cold macerated for five days with pump-overs, the wine was pressed off and inoculated for malolactic fermentation in 40% new and 60% two year old, heavily toasted French oak. It was racked twice during 10 months of barrel aging and bottled without filtration or fining.
Varieties:
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. The tiny (~60 square miles) Côte d'Or in Burgundy, France has been the benchmark for Pinot Noir for centuries. Nonetheless, it is planted worldwide. 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. Most California Pinot Noirs made today (with some exceptions) rarely have the make up to last past a decade but with age they can show tobacco and smoke characteristics. (read more)
Producer:
Winemakers and owners John Compagno and Gail Lizak purchased the 5-acre property in Carneros in December of 2005. Both long-time Napa residents, they named the vineyard and the wine label: "Ardiri" - which in Sicilian means both "taking a risk" and "being consumed by fire" - to reflect their passion and to commemorate the winegrowing and making venture. Their full time careers are in are both in the molecular and diagnostic field and the red double helix symbol on the label references their careers in DNA testing. It also is an homage to Pinot noir's genetic complexity and variability. John and Gail perform most of the physical vineyard and winery work themselves, pruning, picking, sorting, bottling. The production and bottling takes place at Gypsy Dancer Estate, Cornelius, Oregon.
Vineyards:
The field blend of the approximately 5-acre vineyard consists of Dijon clones 777, 667, 115, 828 and DRC (Domaine de la Romanée Conti) grafted onto Vitis riperia and Vitis rupestra hybrid rootstock. The age of the vines is unknown.
Vintage:
The 2006 growing season was longer than 2005. The July heat wave came at the time of veraison for some regions but affected the crops differently depending on AVA (read the complete story). Monterey County started out cool and rainy which slowed bud break and growth. The heat spell was the second bump in the road. By harvest time, early ripening varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir came to the crush pads about two weeks early. The late ripening varieties like Cabernet and Merlot came in about two weeks earlier than usual. That put some wineries in a crunch with tanks not ready for the late-ripening varieties. What this means for wines depends on a winery's line up. If all their stock was in Pinot and Chardonnay, then they did not feel rushed and we may see some great wines. Those that did experience a bottleneck may have rushed the early-ripening varieties and vinified late ripening varieties at greater levels of maturity.
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Tannins |
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 |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
9 points |
(10 points max) |
100-Point Scale Score: 93 Points
Rating System & Scoring Criteria explained
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