Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. With a meal that
fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:

1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves

I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
from 2000. This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
savory secondary aromas. The acidity was high enough to lessen the
association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. However,
this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. This will easily
make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

So far this year, my most memorable would be Reverie Reserve 1998 and 1999.

But the year is young!!!

"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
> these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. With a meal that
> fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:
>
> 1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
> nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
> palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves
>
> I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
> from 2000. This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
> Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
> savory secondary aromas. The acidity was high enough to lessen the
> association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
> suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
> bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
> early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. However,
> this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
> Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. This will easily
> make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

DaleW wrote:
> On Apr 13, 9:43�pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
>> Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
>> these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. �With a meal that
>> fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:
>>
>> 1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
>> nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
>> palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves
>>
>> I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
>> from 2000. �This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
>> Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
>> savory secondary aromas. �The acidity was high enough to lessen the
>> association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
>> suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
>> bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
>> early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. �However,
>> this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
>> Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. �This will easily
>> make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.
>>
>> Mark Lipton
>> --
>> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com
>
> Saintsbury is probably my favorite California PN producer (I've had
> limited exposure to some other contenders like Arcadian, Rhys, etc).
> But have generally thought I preferred the standard Carneros and the
> Reserve to the more expensive Brown Ranch. But I think I have only had
> young,.
>
I've had good luck with the Saintsbury also. (I think we have this
conversation
here every once in a while...)

I had the Brown Ranch once, at some cousins of Adele's. One of those
situations
we've all been through: "We know how much you love wine, and we've been
saving
this bottle for 10 years..." In a cupboard, of course. The bottle had
been given by
the vineyard, for some connection I don't remember, and these folks of
course don't
drink much wine. (I should mention that the cupboard was in Marin
County on a canal,
so the temperature extremes were probably not too bad.)

Anyway in short it was excellent, I remember it with pleasure but no
details. (Not even
sure what year it was.)

-E

On Apr 13, 9:43�pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
> these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. �With a meal that
> fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:
>
> 1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
> nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
> palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves
>
> I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
> from 2000. �This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
> Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
> savory secondary aromas. �The acidity was high enough to lessen the
> association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
> suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
> bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
> early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. �However,
> this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
> Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. �This will easily
> make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

Wow, that's quite an indorsement. I haven't found too many New World
PN's that I'd put into that category but I have found that I prefer
them with a little age.

On Apr 13, 9:43�pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
> these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. �With a meal that
> fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:
>
> 1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
> nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
> palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves
>
> I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
> from 2000. �This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
> Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
> savory secondary aromas. �The acidity was high enough to lessen the
> association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
> suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
> bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
> early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. �However,
> this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
> Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. �This will easily
> make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

Saintsbury is probably my favorite California PN producer (I've had
limited exposure to some other contenders like Arcadian, Rhys, etc).
But have generally thought I preferred the standard Carneros and the
Reserve to the more expensive Brown Ranch. But I think I have only had
young,.

I have a mini-vertical ('94-96) of the Reserve I should drink up
soon.

Thanks for notes,. Happy Spring!

Forgot to ask, was the a Pagan ritual, the right of spring dinner....what a
sight you guys running around nude drinking pinot. :-)




"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> Tonight, I prepared a dinner in celebration of the arrival of Spring in
> these parts: roast duckling, asparagus and morels. With a meal that
> fairly cried out for Pinot Noir, I opened:
>
> 1999 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir (Carneros)
> nose: bright raspberry, pencil lead, later tea leaves and minerals
> palate: deep raspberry fruit, bright acidity, savory, tea leaves
>
> I served this blind to Jean who, to her credit, guessed an Oregon PN
> from 2000. This wine had many of the characteristics I associate with
> Grand Cru Burgundy from the Cotes de Nuits: bright raspberry fruit and
> savory secondary aromas. The acidity was high enough to lessen the
> association with California, even though the intensity of fruit would
> suggest a California origin. My earlier encounters with the Brown Ranch
> bottling from one of our favorite CA producers had all been in their
> early development, and the density and oakiness put me off. However,
> this bottle at age 9 has thoroughly convinced me of the quality of the
> Brown Ranch bottling, at least in a year like 1999. This will easily
> make my list of most memorable bottles of '08.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com