Uncorked Ventures: Chronicle Wines 2009 Anderson Valley Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir

Hello Friends,

Today’s Quick Sip is Chronicle Wines' 2009 Anderson Valley Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir. I received this wine from a small, family-owned and operated California-based business called Uncorked Ventures. The business is run by two brothers-in-law, Matt Krause and Mark Aselstine, and specializes in offering small-production, hard-to-find wines from California, Oregon, and Washington. And judging by the two wines I received, these two young men, who are wine enthusiasts themselves, have a knack for seeking out wines with some bottle age on them too -- which is something you typically don’t find with most wine clubs. For example, the second bottle I received is a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, which I hear is drinking nicely right now. If you enjoy discovering good quality wines from small producers, then check out the Uncorked Ventures homepage for further information. Mark is also pretty active on Twitter so you can send him a tweet at @wineclubguy if you have any comment or questions. As for the Pinot Noir, please check out my tasting note below. Mike Hengehold and James MacPhail of Chronicle Wines did a nice job with this bottling.

Chronicle Wines 2009 Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir

Review: Chronicle Wines' 2009 Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir (SRP $54): Grown at elevations between 800 and 1200 feet, the Cerise Vineyard benefits from cool coastal breezes and fog that help moderate day time temperatures during summer months. In the glass, inviting dark stone fruit and black cherry aromas lead the way, followed by notes of warm wood spice, fennel seed, and deep earth tones. The aromas come through on the palate with a round, textured mouth-feel and soft, yet balanced acidity, ending with a lasting, full finish. Overall, this is a well-structured, forward, and bolder expression of Pinot Noir that shows good range and harmony all the way through. Approximately 132 cases of this wine were produced. Region: Anderson Valley, California. (ABV 14.1%, aged 16 months in French Oak of which 35% was new, cork enclosure.) 91 Points. Click here to find this wine. 

Corks Out, Ready to Sip! 

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: This wine was provided for review. Thoughts are my own.

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