Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic Block

Cherries, raspberries, a hint of cola, and some forest notes on the nose. Classic CA Pinot flavors on the palate with red berries, cherries, and cedar. Good structure and acidity. Nice finish. Very well made wine, overall.

Vibrant acidity. Strawberries, cedar, spices, underbrush and mushrooms. This is the style of Cali Pinot I enjoy. No heat or high alcohol. Great food wine.

Could use more time. Raspberries, coffee beans, cedar and earthy. Medium finish.

Pinot Noir (Edina Country Club) : Hot and brooding. Not that interesting.

Edina Country Club Domestic Pinots : Dark. Sweet, some heat. Decent and finely grained tannins. A few comment that you can't miss with Santa Cruz mountain pinot.

Domestic Pinot Noir (Edina, MN) : dark red color. followed one glass for an hour. This didn't work for me. Ripe, very hot nose and palate, raspberry, sweet, cranberry, a little green. Very similar to my only other experience with this producer.

Light color and weight belie density and complexity -- tea, wet rocks, cinnamon complementing bright (but not austere) cranberry fruit. Great Santa Cruz Pinot.

Earthy, tart red cherry and cranberry notes up front. Subtle spice as well. Kind of a short finish, decent.

Bright red raspberry/strawberry fruit with smoke and earth. Decent finish.

incredibly light garnet, very clear. Crushed red erries, some earth, some flowers... very delicate and feminie, high toned bright red fruits, some more earth on the palate, with some tannic backbone that quite masked. pretty tight and austere on the pop and pour but this opened up nicely over a few hours. Absolutely no candied california fruit flavor or aromas on this. would love to try it again in 5 years as there seesm to be a ood updside potential …

Very light cherry in color, this wine shows strawberry, asian spices, pekoe tea and tart cranberry on the nose. The mouth feel is light in feel and texture and brings added elements of forest floor. The finish is smooth and medium in length with the tart cranberry and cherry coming out strong. Purchased for $42US, this is a dead ringer for Burgundy. Light in style and taste and only 12.4% abv, this wine in an enjoyable treat and an excellent …

Pre-release (Fall 2014 release) - light red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, rosehips nose; tasty, light-medium bodied, tart cherry, rosehips, tart red fruit palate; medium-plus finish (12.4% alcohol) 91+ points

Visit to Varner: Great Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnays (Varner Winery, Portola Valley, California) : Barrel sample - medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; floral, hibiscus, lilly nose; tight, tart red fruit, hibiscus, mineral, cranberry palate; medium-plus finish 90-91+ points (reminiscent of a German Spatburgunder at this point; 12.4% alcohol)

Tasted from barrel with Bob Varner, the final of three single-vineyard efforts. Extremely primary at this stage, but already exhibiting classic Varner purity of fruit and detailed notes of cherry skin, red floral and herbs. Structured, medium acidity and a tart, crancherry finish. It appears that all of the 2011 offerings will have structure to make it through the end of the decade, if so desired - perhaps beyond. Impossible to assign a rating at this point. I'll try to …