Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tasting Notes: Summerland Winery Pinot Noir 2007


The Bottle: A classic green Burgundy bottle sports a stylishly black label with a single yellow flower above the name "Summerland". This hamlet just east of Santa Barbara and west of Carpenteria serves not only as a beautiful little stop along the 101 Freeway, but also as a home to a winery that produces some outstanding wines. Listed on the bottle as Santa Barbara County, the 2007 Pinot Noir clocks in at 14.1% abv. The blurb on the back label explains that the wine is tasty, nice smelling and aged in French oak barrels. Okay, I'm game. It retails for $24.

The Nose: A big cherry explosion occurs when you sniff this wine, a suitable companion to the medium see-through ruby color in the glass. The oak is quite evident, with notes of some gutsy spices and a cedar-like quality.

The Taste: Silky smooth and a middleweight on the tongue, this wine has an unusual fragrant taste, rather like strawberries on your cereal. The cherries are still there, too. It's not overly tannic, but definitely has guts. I'd love to try it with a pork dish or a mild cheese.

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