2005 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Botella
- 91 WS
- 90 IWC
- 16 JR
- Variety
Pinot Noir
International Wine Cellar | Rating: 90
($39) Deep red. Spicy cherry and raspberry on the nose, with exotic cola and cinnamon qualities adding complexity. Sweet red berry and kirsch flavors are open-knit, juicy and lightly firmed by silky tannins. Gains a peppery, spicy quality on the finish, which is smoky, sweet, broad and long. |The lots for this bottling are chosen for being fruit-driven and requiring less time to open,| said winemaker Kris Curran.Author: Josh RaynoldsIssue: November/December 2007Wine Spectator | Rating: 91
Firm, ripe and spicy, with a mix of dark fruits, blackberry and wild berry, with an attractive floral scent. Gains richness and depth while holding its focus. The tannins provide structure and a nice mouthfeel. 1,250 cases made.Drink Dates: 2007-2011Author: James LaubeBurghound | Rating: 88
No review availableDrink Dates: 2009+Author: Allen MeadowsIssue: 4th Quarter, 2007Jancis Robinson | Rating: 16
Very spicy nose and palate; wild berries and subtle toast, vanilla and leafy notes. A fruit-driven, drink-soon wine with California ripeness and also a sense of sophistication. (LM)Drink Dates: 2007 - 2012Author: Jancis Robinson
Self | Rating: 93
Author: Tbone200Self | Rating: 92
Drink Dates: 2009-2015Author: Serl ZSelf | Rating:
Good to average Pinot. No flaws, just not as intense or complex as I would like. At worst a little boring.Author: KobySelf | Rating: 94
I might be wrong about Sea Smoke. Ripe style. The finish was disjoint for the first hour, then it blosson into great mineral finish after 2-3 hours. For young vines, this is very impressive. Will revisit Sea Smoke soon.Author: Seaway JSelf | Rating: 91
Nice showing. Much better than the Southing at the moment. Nice dark cherry and spice. Not too complex but still a very nice wine. Should continue to evolve over the next few year and be great.Drink Dates: 2008-2012Author: bkkchriss4Self | Rating: 91
Nice wine. Needed air-time and was a bit uneven but things settled down after hour in decanterAuthor: Southbound UnionSelf | Rating: 91
The Botella doesn'tquite possess the weight of the Southing, but is certainly one of the most supple, plush Pinot Noirs of the vintage. Soft, sultry textures of pure silk caress the palate, buffered by notions of raspberry, hard spices, sandalwood, black tea and cherries. This is a mouth-filling performance, with lush fruit and vivid, sweet flavors that glide their way to a soft finish.Drink Dates: 04-01-2008Author: Brad CoelhoSelf | Rating: 91
This is a polished, fragrant, well crafted wine, one with balanced fruit, tannin and acidity. Definitely large-scaled and New World in style - there's no mistaking this for burgundy. It's very ripe-tasting but not a flabby fruit bomb, has excellent focus and structure, and just enough tannin to pair well with well seasoned grilled meats. I enjoyed this as much as I did the 2003 of the same cuvee.Drink Dates: 2009-2014Author: PurpleTeethSelf | Rating: 88
Very |tight|, almost dried out with little fruit. Not up to the standard of other Sea Smoke pinots I've had.Drink Dates: 2008-2010Author: Steve BachmannSelf | Rating: 93
What a nice Pinot. The '05 Botella is a solid effort. When you factor in the release price, this wine is also an extraordinary value. The ruby color is beautiful in the glass and the Santa Rita Hills fruit dances on the palate. Excellent balance of acidity and fruit indicates that this wine should drink well over the next several years.Drink Dates: 2008-2012Author: Marty M272
Sea Smoke produces Pinot Noir grown exclusively on the south-facing hillsides of their estate vineyards. On summer evenings, the Santa Ynez River canyon funnels a cool maritime fog layer (sea "smoke") across the hillsides, slowing the ripening process and providing the extended maturation period essential to the development of top-quality Pinot Noir.
California is the heartland of wine production in the US, and the state that brought prestige to American wine thanks to the pioneers who built early wineries like Staglin, Beringer, Ridge, Mayacamas and Chateau Montelena in the 1800s. Its large geographic area ensures a great diversity in growing sites, varieties grown, and quality levels. Generalizations about the state's wines have numerous exceptions; however, a few key facts generally hold true—ample sunshine, dry weather during the growing season, and moderate winters prevail. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon continue to dominate the state's production—albeit in continually smaller percentages, as growers continue to diversify. More than 100 different varieties can be found throughout the state.
Pinot Noir is a delicate, thin-skinned grape that is notoriously difficult to grow but unmatched in its ability to reflect its terroir. It is early-budding and early-ripening, and thus requires a cool climate. To achieve its best expression and maintain its delicate flavor profile, Pinot Noir demands great care in the vineyard, particular attention to yield management, and careful handling in the winery. Growers blessed with the patience, skill, and terroir to produce world-class Pinot Noir are greatly rewarded. Not only are these wines complex, age-worthy, and delicious, they also command some of the world’s highest prices.
Old-World Pinot Noir most famously hails from Burgundy, where it is the only red variety permitted in the region. Techniques such as whole-bunch fermentation and barrel ageing, now common amongst high-quality Pinot Noir producers around the world, were pioneered by Burgundian winemakers. Age-worthy Pinot Noir from Burgundy tends to be high in acid, display low to medium tannins, and have red fruit flavors in youth that evolve into complex flavors of earth, game, cola, and truffle with age. Some of the most famous producers include Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Comte de Vogüé, Domaine Leroy, and Domaine Armand Rousseau.
New-World Pinot Noir tends to grow in warmer climates and on newer vines than in the Old Word, producing wine that is more fruit-forward with flavors of red cherry, cranberry, and raspberry. The highest-quality wines come from moderate regions in California, particularly Sonoma and Carneros, and top producers include Marcassin, Kistler, and Kosta Browne.
High acidity, low tannin, and low alcohol make Pinot Noir a versatile wine to pair. Spiced duck, fatty fish, grilled chicken, spicy foods, and anything with mushroom are just a few classic examples.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 830 bottles owned
- 324 collectors
- Average collector rating: 92
(Out of 324 collectors)