Opened tonight with a simple chicken dinner.

1998 David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
nose: slightly smoky, very classic PN fruit, pencil lead, a hint of TCA
palate: smooth, good acidity, moderately deep fruit, a trace of oak,
long, smooth finish

Jean and I both got a hint of cork taint when it was first opened, but
the fruit wasn't obscured so we drank on. As it sat open, it seemed
early on to get corkier, but then that went away, so we were left
wondering if it was just a green element to the wine. In any event,
this was a very pretty wine and it avoided the overripeness so prevalent
in the RRV. Dr. Bruce has really found his touch with Pinot Noir.
Overall, a very pleasant experience.

Mark Lipton