Friends of the Rampant Oenophile cajole frequently that I review only the successes, never the mistakes. So, in this era of careful spending, here’s a review for a wine that I will not likely buy in stores…
De Loach has been a superior producer of fine Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs forever, and their 2003 and 2005 vintages offered ripe full fruit, great legs, easy pairings with a wide variety of foods, and a constant value in the $20-$30 range for fine California Pinots. I had high hopes for the 2007, and while the wine was good, it didn’t live up to past memories. The tasting notes from Wine.com suggest cola, gingerbread spice, and cardamom in the wine’s flavor and aroma profile. I can’t say that these descriptions match my appetite for wine. Perhaps a fizzy soft-drink, but not a $20-$25 wine (store price).
All in all, the 2007 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was not a bad wine. It was smooth, paired fine with dinner, and sipped moderately well. But, it wasn’t full. It seemed a bit light, and didn’t impress me sufficiently to motivate me to bring home a bottle or two. With so many other wines available even at the average grocery, let alone a fine wine shop, I will likely spend elsewhere for now and wait for the next De Loach offering to see how their Pinot Noir vein progresses.
De Loach has been a superior producer of fine Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs forever, and their 2003 and 2005 vintages offered ripe full fruit, great legs, easy pairings with a wide variety of foods, and a constant value in the $20-$30 range for fine California Pinots. I had high hopes for the 2007, and while the wine was good, it didn’t live up to past memories. The tasting notes from Wine.com suggest cola, gingerbread spice, and cardamom in the wine’s flavor and aroma profile. I can’t say that these descriptions match my appetite for wine. Perhaps a fizzy soft-drink, but not a $20-$25 wine (store price).
All in all, the 2007 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was not a bad wine. It was smooth, paired fine with dinner, and sipped moderately well. But, it wasn’t full. It seemed a bit light, and didn’t impress me sufficiently to motivate me to bring home a bottle or two. With so many other wines available even at the average grocery, let alone a fine wine shop, I will likely spend elsewhere for now and wait for the next De Loach offering to see how their Pinot Noir vein progresses.
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