2005 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Melville Vineyard
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Tasting notes
There are 5,100 bottles of this powerful Pinot Noir (15.5% alcohol), which is again very Burgundian, although it leans toward the more elegant, savory, sensual style of a domaine such as Dujac. Sweet notes of underbrush, cedarwood, black currants, cherries, flowers and forest floor jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, luscious, light on its feet 2005. This gorgeous, fully mature wine appears capable of lasting at least another decade.
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Robert Parker
Josh Raynolds
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Light red. Spicy strawberry and blood orange aromas are further enlivened by white pepper and a light kiss of fresh rose. Then broader and deeper in the mouth, offering ripe cherry and raspberry preserve flavors, with the orange quality repeating. Nicely balances richness and energy and finishes with impressive clarity and grip. This has serious presence and concentration, but leans more to elegance than to sheer power. Greg Brewer, who believes that "the human aspect is the most important and influential part of the concept of terroir," told me that the goal of Brewer-Clifton is to "minimize that aspect by staying as neutral as possible: same corks, same yeasts, same wood and so on. By keeping execution homogeneous we emphasize individuality, especially vineyard character."