First Annual Pinot Days Festival
June 25, 2005
Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco

This event was created by Steve and Lisa Rigisich, two pinot noir lovers living in Novato.
They felt it was time for an event in San Francisco featuring only Pinot Noir, just like there are events featuring only Zinfandel, Rhones, Petite Sirahs and, most recently, dry rosé. This event was very well run - you would have never have known they had never run
a big event before. I already look forward to next year's event.

I tasted 131 of several hundred wines.
The quality of the wines exceeded my expectations.
Note: The far right column is Bottles Desired - what I would want in my cellar. - Jack

The 2nd Annual 2006 Pinot Days Festival's Grand Tasting was June 26, 2006 - Click here for more information.

2004
 A.P. VIN Santa Lucia Highlands Gary's Vineyard
$45
Barrel sample: "'04 was a tough year." Extracted, but appealing. Note: These 3 showed extremely well for being barrel samples.
2+
2004
 A.P. VIN Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard
$45
Barrel sample: Very appealing nose.
2+
2004
 A.P. VIN Santa Lucia Highlands Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard
$45
Barrel sample: High alcohol well hidden.
2
2001
 Pierre Amiot et Fils Morey-St-Denis Aux Charmes
$40
 Tasty. Excellent.
4
1998
 Arcadian Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Pisoni Vineyard
$75
Harmonius. Showing well. First ever wine from the Pisoni vineyard that I've really liked.
5+
2000
 Arcadian Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Pisoni Vineyard
$75
Nice! Long finish. Will age nicely.
3-4
2001
 Arcadian Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
$40
Nice nose.
1-2
2001
 Arcadian Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Gary's Vineyard
$50
Okay.
0-1
2002
 Arcadian Winery Santa Rita Hills Fiddlestix Vineyard
$50
Good Mouthfeel. Very enjoyable.
1-2
2002
 Arcadian Winery Santa Maria Valley Dierberg Vineyard
$50
Good nose. Lots of fruit. Balanced. Long finish.
4+
2003
 Domaine Arlaud Morey-St-Denis Les Ruchots 1er Cru
$75
Delicious. Silky.
4+
2003
 Domaine Charles Audoin Marsannay Rosé
16
 Pleasant.
1
2003
 Domaine Charles Audoin Marsannay Les Longerois
$24
 Smooth. Nice acids.
3
2003
 August West Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard
$42
Nice wine! Very good winemaker!. Good finish. Balanced.
2+
2004
 August West Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard
-
 -
3
2004
 August West Russian River Valley Graham Family Vineyard
-
 Long finish. Different. Wow!
4+
2003
 Broadley Vineyards Willamette Valley Estate
$22
-
0-1
2001
 Calera Wine Co. Central Coast -
-
 Hohum.
1
2001
 Calera Wine Co. Mt. Harlan Jensen Vineyard
-
 Dry Mouth. Closed.
-
2002
 Calera Wine Co. Mt. Harlan Ryan Vineyard
-
 ?
-
2000
 Calera Wine Co. Mt. Harlan Mills Vineyard
-
 Long finish. Nice mouth feel.
3+
1998
 Calera Wine Co. Mt. Harlan Selleck Vineyard
-
 Ready for food.
5
2003
 Capiaux Cellars Russian River Valley Widdoes Vineyard
$36?
 Chewy. Good.
2-3
2003
 Capiaux Cellars Santa Lucia Highlands Gary's Vineyard
$40
Very Good.
3
2003
 Capiaux Cellars California Chimera
$24
Very Pleasant. Good finish. A tiny bit astringent.
2+
2004
 Capiaux Cellars Russian River Valley Freestone Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) Appealing.
-
2002
 Chehalem Wines Dundee Hills Stoller Vineyards
$34
Mouth coating. Really good. Long finish.
3
2004
 Dain Wines Russian River Valley Amber Ridge "American Beauty"
$45
Bright fruit. Very Nice. Good finish.
3+
2004
 Dain Wines Mendocino County Alder Springs "Anticipation"
$45
Sort of boring.
1+
2004
 Dain Wines Santa Rita Hills Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard "Rebel"
$45
14.6% Good too. Decent finish.
2
2003
 Danjean-Berthoux Mercurey Les Chavances
$19
 Balanced. Astringent.
2+
2003
 Domaine Delarche Corton Renardes Grand Cru
$70
Just Yum. Dense fruit. Complex.
6
2003
 Vincent Dureuil Rully Vielles Vignes
$34
Interesting. Long finish.
2-3
2003
 Elk Cove Willamette Valley Windhill
-
 Different
2+
2002
 Esterlina Winery Anderson Valley -
-
 Astringent. Would be happy to drink a bottle.
1+
2002
 Esterlina Winery Russian River Valley -
-
 More astringent. The smell/ taste doesn't say RRV. Hides the 15% alcohol.
-
2002
 Fiddlehead Cellars Santa Rita Hills Seven Twenty Eight
-
 Good acids.
-
2001
 Fiddlehead Cellars Willamette Valley Oldsville Reserve
-
 Tight.
-
2001
 Fiddlehead Cellars Santa Rita Hills Lollapalooza
-
 Acidic.
-
2001
 Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery Sonoma Coast Reserve
$39
A bit astringent. Okay finish.
1+
2001
 Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery Sonoma Coast Fort Ross Vineyard
$34
Good. Decent finish.
2+
2002
 Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery Sonoma Coast Symphony
$28
Good. Longer finish.
2-3
2001
 Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery Sonoma Coast Pinotage (not Pinot Noir)
$32
Actually good! Very pinot noir-like.
2+
2001
 Freja Cellars Willamette Valley Dundee Reserve
-
 Just acids. Little fruit.
0
2003
 George Wine Company Sonoma Coast Hirsch Vineyard Blk 3A
-
 Some astringency. Lots of extraction. Hard to judge.
-
2003
 George Wine Company Sonoma Coast Hirsch Vineyard Blk 4A
-
 Appealing
1-3
2004
 George Wine Company Sonoma Coast Martinelli Nuptial Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) A little weird.
-
2002
 Goldeneye Winery Anderson Valley -
$52
Nice wine! 2800 cases
3
2003
 Gundlach Bundschu Winery Sonoma Valley Rhinefarm Vineyard
$32
Stinky nose. Brett? A touch of chocolate. Very pleasant.
1-3
2002
 Hagafen Cellars Napa Valley Estate Bottled
$32
A little sweet. Different.
1-2
2004
 Hagafen Cellars Napa Valley Estate Bottled
-
 (barrel sample) Very Nice! 13.5%
-
2004
 Hagafen Cellars Napa Fagen Vyd 38 Blk
-
 Good nose. Interesting. Fun. Some chocolate. Long finish. 100 cases.
4-6?
2004
 Hamacher Wines Willamette Valley Dry Rosé
$18
Fine
1
2001
 Hamacher Wines Willamette Valley -
-
 Nice. Good acids.
2+
2002
 Hirsch Vineyard and Winery Sonoma Coast -
-
 Extracted. Needs a lot of time.
1
2003
 Hirsch Vineyard and Winery Sonoma Coast Estate
$55
Hot. Hohum.
0-1
2000
 Joseph Swan Vineyards Russian River Valley Trenton Estate
-
 -
2-3
2002
 Joseph Swan Vineyards Russian River Valley Trenton Estate
-
 Fruity. Hmm.
2+
2003
 Joseph Swan Vineyards Russian River Valley Cuvee de Trois
-
 Acids.
2
2001
 Joseph Swan Vineyards Russian River Valley Saralee's Vineyard
-
 Brett. Very acidic.
1
2003
 Kosta Browne Winery Sonoma Coast -
$28
Long finish.
1-3
2003
 Kosta Browne Winery Santa Lucia Highlands -
$38
Long finish.
1+
2004
 Kosta Browne Winery Sonoma Coast Kanzler Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) Acidic.
-
2004
 Kosta Browne Winery Russian River Valley Amber Ridge Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) Woof!
-
2004
 Kosta Browne Winery Russian River Valley Cohn Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) No notes.
-
2003
 Lachini Vineyards Willamette Valley Lachini Family Estate
$36
Nice.
2
2003
 Lange Willamette Valley Reserve
-
 Dark Chocolate.
2-3
1998
 Maison Leroy Volnay -
$45
 Yum. Still a baby. Tight. Not showing well. Tried twice.
?
2004
 Loring Wine Company Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) Very nice. 14.8%
3+
2004
 Loring Wine Company Monterey Rosella's Vineyard
-
 (barrel sample) This is showing well. These 2 are the best Lorings we've had!
2-3
2003
 Lost Canyon Winery Russian River Valley Saralee's Vineyard
$38
Acidic. Hmm. Lots going on.
1+
2003
 Lost Canyon Winery Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Morelli
$38
All these are extracted wines.
1+
2003
 Lost Canyon Winery Los Carneros Las Brisas
$38
Tannic beast.
0
2003
 Lost Canyon Winery Russian River Valley Reserve
-
 25 cases.
2-3+
2003
 Frederic Magnien Vosne Romanee Les Suchots 1er Cru
$76
 Excellent. Nice finish.
4+
2001
 Marimar Torres Estate Russian River Valley Don Miquel Vineyard
-
 Retaste in 3-5 yrs.
1
2001
 Marimar Torres Estate Russian River Valley Don Miquel Vyd "Cristina" Very tannic
1?
2002
 Marimar Torres Estate Russian River Valley Don Miquel Vineyard
-
 Tannic.
1-2
2002
 McKinlay Vineyard Willamette Valley Estate
$35
Astringent. Not my style.
1
2002
 Mon Lis Santa Lucia Highlands Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
-
 Extracted monster. Fun. Reasonable alcohol. A food one…
2-3
2002
 Morey-Coffinet Chassagne-Montrachet Moregeot
$40
 Very good too. Nutty nose. Ready to drink. Balanced. Good acids.
4-6
2002
 Murdoch James Martinborough Blue Rock
$34
Light. Good.
1-2
2001
 Murdoch James Martinborough Fraser
-
 -
1+
2002
 Nicholson Ranch Winery Sonoma Valley Cactus Hill Reserve
-
 Most well made. Needs time? I like these wines!
2-3+
2002
 Nicholson Ranch Winery Sonoma Coast -
-
 Good.
1-2+
2003
 Nicholson Ranch Winery Sonoma Valley Estate
$30
Very Good! Good value.
3?
2002
 Nicholson Ranch Winery Sonoma Valley Estate
$30
Very Nice. Great Value?
3
2002
 Paraiso Vineyards Santa Lucia Highlands -
$20
Very pleasant. Decent finish.
1-2
2001
 Paraiso Vineyards Santa Lucia Highlands West Terrace Vineyard
$40
Elegant. Lower alcohol wines. They use the Martini-clone.
3?
2002
 Patton Valley Oregon Estate
-
 Good acids.
3+
2003
 Patz & Hall Wine Company Sonoma Coast -
$33
Some elegance.
2-3
2003
 Patz & Hall Wine Company Carneros Hyde Vineyard
$50
Short finish. A bit closed.
1+
2002
 Patz & Hall Wine Company Mendocino County Alder Springs
$50
A bit closed. Short finish.
1+
2003
 Domaine Christophe Perrot-Minot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
$124
 Nice fruit.
2
2003
 Domaine Christophe Perrot-Minot Nuits-St-Georges La Richmone 1er Cru
$155
 Cherries. Pleasant. Long finish
3
2003
 Ponzi Willamette Valley -
$30
Astringent. Not my style.
0-1
2004
 Porter Creek Vineyards Russian River Valley Reserve
-
 (barrel sample)
?
2002
 Porter Creek Vineyards Russian River Valley Fiona Hill Vineyard
$28
Fruity smooth good acids. Food wine.
2+
2003
 Porter Creek Vineyards Russian River Valley Fiona Hill Vineyard
$32
Good value. Food friendly. Burgundian style. Really like!
3-5
2003
 Porter Creek Vineyards Russian River Valley Hillside Vineyard
$55
Food wine. Really long finish. Elegant. Best Wine.
6+
2003
 Raphet Morey-St-Denis Vielles Vignes
$60
Silky. Medium-length finish.
1-3
2002
 Rex Hill Winery Oregon Dundee Hills Cuvee
$32
Nice. Good acids.
1-2
2002
 Rex Hill Winery Oregon Maresh Vineyard
-
 Nice. Good finish. Best wine I've ever had by them.
3
2004
 Savannah Chenelle Vineyards Russian River Valley Rosé
$16
Nice!
3
2003
 Savannah Chenelle Vineyards Russian River Valley -
$25
I like.
2+
2002
 Savannah Chenelle Vineyards Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard
$35
Needs food.
2
2002
 Savannah Chenelle Vineyards Sonoma Coast Armagh Vineyard
$40
Long finish. Food friendly.
3
2003
 Savannah Chenelle Vineyards Russian River Valley Tina Marie Vineyard
$50
Too much alcohol. 14.2% Something is sweet. Young.
1
2002
 Domaine Serene Willamette Valley Evenstad Reserve
$47
Delicious. Balanced.
3+
2002
 Domaine Serene Willamette Valley Jerusalem Hill Vineyard
$75
Very Good.
4
2003
 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Estate
$35
14.8% Bitter finish.
0
2002
 Skewis Wines Anderson Valley Floodgate Vineyard
$45
I'm liking. Long finish.
3
2002
 Skewis Wines Russian River Valley Montgomery Vineyard
$45
Good acids. Needs time.
3!
2002
 Skewis Wines Russian River Valley Salzgeber Vineyard
$40
Really Good.
3+
2002
 Skewis Wines Anderson Valley Demuth Vineyard
$45
Interesting. Complex. Good acids.
2-3
2002
 Skewis Wines Russian River Valley Bush Vineyard
$42
Very Good!
3
2003
 Sonnet York Mountain Kruse Vineyard
$35
Extracted. Hmm…
1-2
2003
 Sonnet Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre's Grapefield
$35
-
1-3
2003
 Sonnet Russian River Valley Amber Ridge
$35
A little hot.
0-1
2003
 Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Central Coast -
$18
Pleasant. Good Value.
1-2
2003
 Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Edna Valley -
$25
Tannic. Tannins rule the wine.
0-1
2003
 Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard
$25
Good complexity.
2
2002
 Tandem Winery Sonoma Coast Sangiacomo Vineyard
-
 Good acids.
1-2
2003
 Tandem Winery Green Valley Keefer Ranch
-
 Nice mouth feel.
2+
2003
 Vision Cellars Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard
-
 Lots of acids.
?
2003
 Vision Cellars Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard
-
 Needs some time.
2-4
2002
 Vision Cellars Sonoma County -
-
 Okay.
1+?
2002
 Woodenhead Anderson Valley Wiley Vineyard
$42
Thin. Acidic.
0+
2002
 Woodenhead Russian River Valley Buena Tierra
$46
Good! Nice finish.
3+
2002
 Woodenhead Russian River Valley -
$32
-
1-2
2002
 Woodenhead Humboldt County Elk Prairie
$50
Good finish.
1
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