Etude, Forte Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

Perfect cork. Clear dark cherry colored with wide clear rim. Nose is subtle, but not without interest. Red fruit leather, pomegranate, cinnamon, teriyaki, tea leaves, and a touch of the SRA funk. Palate is surprisingly full for 12 years past vintage. Orange zest with a touch of pith, dried red fruit, herbs de Provence, light tannins, decomposed granite. Bright finish. Overall, this is probably past prime, but still enjoyed it tonight.

2012 vintage

"California dreaming"...big cherry cola fruit, typical Cali style. Not my thing typically, but just felt oh so good tonight. Big, oak-driven flavours, but smooth, blind I could have guessed cabernet and wouldn't necessarily be wrong. But, surprisingly, the right choice on this particular night.

2012 vintage

Smoked cherry and Strawberry confiture ala roll-up, wrapped by integrated but modernistic oak. Booze notes spring forward on the finish , passing the sweet spot ever so slightly. Medium+ With roasted duck it’s hard to put down, but drink in the upcoming year to savor the Carneros fruit.

2012 vintage

Pinot noir très coloré et avec beaucoup de matière. Un peu de sucre et d'alcool en bouche.

2012 vintage

Wonderful full and fruit forward crisp full body

2012 vintage

- Ruby color with medium forming legs - None

2012 vintage

Typical cali pinot. Notes of cola, cherry/raspberry and a touch of oak on the nose. A tad more restrained in the mouth. Very nice

2012 vintage

Full bodied and deep ruby colored. Borders on syrupy with extracted raspberry, cola, and vanilla. Finishes refreshingly with some herbaceousness and cool minerality. Easily the most impressive and full bodied Etude I've had.

2012 vintage

Not worth 38. But good

2012 vintage

PnP. Needed 20 minutes to develop in the glass. Dark color, almost Cabernet like. Thankfully, this drank true to a Napa style Pinot noir. Bit of earth, clove, and cola framed by cherry/raspberry fruit. Lovely texture. A touch short on the finish, otherwise a very nice effort for the tariff. Would buy again.

2012 vintage

Very nice, smooth, balanced.

2012 vintage

Holy good.

2012 vintage

Red cherries and strawberry. Very good!

2012 vintage

Excellent wine!

2012 vintage

PNP, dark ruby in the glass, soft bing cherry with a touch of sandal wood on the nose, med bodied, just short on the finish due to time open. Its a solid btl, would buy more. Drink now thru 2018. Paired perfectly with chicken pesto.

2012 vintage

Most of the under $30 wines are offensive in their inoffensiveness. This one was very unusual - musky, leather and cola spice. A fun pour.

2012 vintage

Nose of red cherry, wild berries, and cedar. Sexy, silky fruit in the mouth, but relatively straightforward and low in acidity. Cherry on the finish. Drink now through 2018.

2012 vintage

Bright red core fading into a clearer rim, nose of red berries. Taste was much different than the nose... On PnP, little to no fruit was evident, little structure to speak of, a lot of minerality, some acid, not much tannin... let it sit in the glass for thirty minutes before revisiting... more tannins and acidity present, but still no fruit, and a long, lingering bitter finish. Bottle did not appear to be flawed, but not my style of Pinot. …

2012 vintage

Nose: oaky, raisins, smells a bit Cab like. Taste: raisins and wood. If this was a blind taste I would say that this is a cab, Syrah blend. This is very different for a Pinot but good

2012 vintage

Garnet colored with nose of red berries, sandalwood and black cherries. The flavors are somewhat forward, red berries, spice, wood and a hint of forrest floor. Silky bodied with ample acidity, finish is clipped. A crowd pleasing wine but ultimately a bit boring.

2012 vintage

Reminds me of a Central Otago Pinot. Generous and warm. Waves of velvety fruit. Gingerbread oak. Quite yummy but not challenging.

2012 vintage

Initially a bit tight. Opened up after breathing. Light on the fruit, with an emphasis on the earthy flavors.

2012 vintage

Smooth - very earthy, no fruit, hint of oak

2012 vintage

Had this at Wildfish Scottsdale, while hosting our CEO and other leadership team members. This was a soft, medium bodied Pinot, with cherry and cola notes, and a nice finish that got longer as the night progressed. Many complements on this wine, and would definitely buy again.

2012 vintage

Never had this before….DARK and spicy pinot here! Smooth liqueured berry fruit, pure and ripe, not too dense as you would think. HUGE sandalwood spice….as well as forest, cola, dark chocolate covered strawberry, dried raspberry. Deep dark flavors….the spice is intense, little heat….somewhat disjointed. Very tasty flavors here….needs a little more polish…so maybe a few years will do good. Will buy a couple more($26) to see what happens.

2012 vintage

A semi-spicy nose that had wound up or not quite ripened fruit of cranberry, raspberry, and strawberry. On the first taste, wet leaves and forest floor. As the wine opened up, the fruit seemed to slowly ripen and cherries and other berries came out. Nice easy finish. Even on the third day this wine was holding up great. 90-92

2012 vintage

Medium dark ruby color; beets, tart cherry nose; beets, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish

2012 vintage

Medium dark cherry red color; beets, tart cherry nose; beets, tart cherry palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish

2012 vintage

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Etude, Forte Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

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