2002 Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2002 Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge, which I questioned last year because I thought it was picking up some volatile acidity, tasted superb. It offers black raspberry, blueberry, violet, and subtle damp forest floor notes, beautiful acidity that buttresses its superb richness, intensity, and ripeness, medium to full body, and a stunning finish. This Pinot has done a complete turnabout in bottle and is showing fabulously well, at the same time making me feel like a knucklehead for my comments last year. It should drink well for 7-8 years. Tel. (707) 258-3608; Fax (707) 942-5633
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Good bright red-ruby. Deep aromas of dark raspberry, smoke, truffle and porcini mushroom. Then highly concentrated, sweet and high-pitched, with a bright, sappy quality that comes as a surprise after the lower-toned aromas. Wonderfully dense, lush wine with intriguing saline and earthy nuances. Perhaps best today on the lush, fine-grained aftertaste, which features outstanding sappy length. This vineyard, developed jointly by Turley, Wetlaufer and the Martinelli family (Turley also makes a Blue Slide pinot under the Martinelli label), is increasingly looking like one of California 's handful of grand cru sites for pinot noir.