2002 Pinot Noir West Block
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Tasting notes
Deep red; less bright than the Little Hill. Aromas of cherry, root beer, mocha and oak, with a floral overlay. Fat, sweet and fruit-driven, with flavors of raspberry, black cherry, sassafras and spices. Thicker than the Little Hill bottling but more loose-knit, without quite the same mid-palate energy. Finishes with firm, slightly drying tannins and very good length.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2002 Pinot Noir West Block Vineyard is a powerful, broad effort from a vineyard planted by Joe Rochioli in 1970. Sweet smoky, black cherry, raspberry, and blackberry aromas soar from the glass. Notions of forest floor, Asian spice, and smoked game also make an appearance in this big, rich, but impeccably well-balanced, opulent Pinot. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Not yet released. Tel. (707) 433-2305; Fax (707) 433-2358
The 1961 Barbaresco from Giuseppe Mascarello is a rare old bird. It has a pale colour, to the point that you would think it’s a Rosé. The nose has a disarming citric quality, unerringly fresh, though I could never describe it as complex. The palate is similar to the aromatics: very fresh and precise, arguably missing grip and body that must have slipped away with time (indeed, this bottle shed an extraordinary amount of sediment). This is more a curiosity now, but a drinkable curiosity.