Joseph Phelps, Pastorale Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Nice tart fruits with a soft finish

2017 vintage

This benefited much from the 2 hour decant. Little to no sediment. Smooth and well integrated tannins. Dark fruits, alcohol (relatively) low at 14% Very nice

2017 vintage

Excellent Pinot with nice fruit.

2017 vintage

Tasted like great good grapes were used and aged well. Most memorable bottle of wine I consumed this year

2011 vintage

It has mellowed in the three years since my previous go. Still quite big but the alcohol didn't overpower. It's structured such that it punches above its weight when pairing.

2017 vintage

Hitting its stride now. Lots of dark fruit on the nose with some earthy elements - maybe leather. The taste followed with beautiful full bodied dark fruit with some beautiful layered tannins that led you to a glorious finish. The acid balance here made this finish spectacular. A great wine and a beutiful example of Napa Cabernet!! My steak was all that better!!!

2011 vintage

Simply stunning!

2011 vintage

Tart Cherry with a nice balanced finish. Light and refreshing with a citrus influence.

2017 vintage

Hot earth aromas with cola. Orange peel bitterness on the palate which lingers on. Thinner in texture than I expected given the 14% alcohol but that finally comes through with the kirsch element of ripe cooked cherries.

2017 vintage

I am getting a floral bouquet on the nose. Very fragrant. Some dark fruit, some hint of minerality. On the palate, very balanced. Nicely done wine. Table mate tasted some bell pepper but I didn’t get it at all. Really good wine.

2011 vintage

Popped and poured at 7:30pm. No decant. Spectacular from start to finish. Tasting note is during last glass at 10:15p. Nose is somewhat subtle compared to palate experience, but there is spice, deep purple fruit, unsweetened chocolate, marinated rhubarb, and something darker and more brooding that is difficult to name, but announces that this wine is not to be trifled with. Melon, ripe raspberry, earth, young forrest greenery, and a hint of fiddleheads intermixes with the most beautiful mix of …

2011 vintage

At Dormie

2011 vintage

Good a little light

2011 vintage

Clear very deep garnet with some rim browning. Chocolate, tar, braised fennel medium acids, medium tannins pomegranate. Long balanced finish.

2011 vintage

Definitely better on day #2 as it becomes very balanced, smooth yet lively and more flavors show up. Probably a 92 on day one (with decanting as air improves it) and 94 on second day. A little sweet and slightly disjoined initially (but still flavorful and interesting). Restrained yet beautiful (compared to bigger, darker styled Sonoma pinots). Can taste the stem treatment (in a good way) on the finish. Just wondering if it's truly worth over $90/btl (with tax and …

2017 vintage

Wish I had tasted blind. It would have lowered expectations. It's too big in every way right now, but it still knits together well. Just not well enough at this price point. The tasting notes to date describe this wine well. But there is one more bottle. I'll earmark 2024 and have another go then.

2017 vintage

Probably just a little past it’s prime, but still pretty well structured. First taste had a ton of tight sourness - big cranberry. That slowly turned into Rasberry and Granny Smith apple over the next 30 minutes. Dusty herbality in the background.

2011 vintage

Drank over two days. Deep purple in glass; dark berries, plum and mocha on palate. Somewhat reserved on nose. Lingering finish. This is a good wine in a trying vintage. My only point of reference at this time is 2010 Backus, and this pales by comparison. Hopeful that later vintages will approach 2010, rather than 2011.

2011 vintage

Gift from PW. This is a fairly unique wine in that it's bold pinot noir that, as Galloloni notes, shares both the high / sour acidity and high alcohol of a nebbiolo (but not its tannins). Seems well made and is pretty tasty with that California fruit, but the acidity and alcohol make for a pretty strong wine, which is not something I look for in a pinot noir. Though Phelps fans may not find this as generous as other …

2017 vintage

Red cherry, potpourri, good amount of acidity, balance on the palate. Well made pinot. A little expensive.

2017 vintage

Earthy. Strawberry, raspberry. Long finish. Roots. Very nice.

2017 vintage

My preferred joseph phelps Pinot reminds me of Burgundian wines, nice earthy notes

2017 vintage

Classic Oakville profile. Dark fruit with mocha, tobacco and earth. Excellent, full bodied with a long lingering finish. We drank this side by side with a 2011 Phelps Insignia. The profiles after time were quite similar. I would have to say that the Insignia was a touch more complex due to the blend but the Backus was spectacular, particularly for 2011.

2011 vintage

Coravined one glass and tasted single blind with J. Rochioli RRV 2017 and Arista Toboni 2017. Bright red fruit nose with a metallic mineral quality. Tangy raspberry palate with fairly high acidity. Not as generous as the others. May improve with some more age.

2017 vintage

Cherries and raspberries on nose and palate. An elegant wine with a medium finish. Fruit dominates, tannins mildly evident. Paired with a butternut squash soup at Phelps’ suggestion. Will evolve over next few years.

2017 vintage

Just a beautiful pinot that is still singing. Classy, silky, balanced and just plain delicious. Black cherry with some orange fruits peaking through. Some spice. Sad to see it go!

2011 vintage

92+!

2017 vintage

Not an ordinary Pinot. Nose of bright fruit with a floral essence. Flavors of currant, black raspberry and red cherry. A beautiful acid balance with a nice finish of bright fruit.

2017 vintage

Drank over 3 days -- held up well the whole time. IMO this one comes down to its style and whether that resonates with the drinker. This has black cherry and darker fruits with notes of orange rind, tea, pepper and spices. Mostly fruit and spiciness on the nose. Lighter bodied, silky with lots of fine tannins and acid on the bright finish. I personally like Maxem better because of its bigger body and deliciousness but the Pastorale is a …

2017 vintage

Seems a little closed at the moment. Earthy, nice floral note, dark fruits, hint of spice. Medium plus finish, nice wine. QPR is so so.

2017 vintage

Better than the previous bottles I have consumed. It was opened 7 hours before dinner. Again the nose is spectacular. Berries, plums and chocolate. The palate was dark berries, tobacco, mocha with hints of menthol coming out on the long full finish.

2011 vintage

Intense flavor right out of the bottle. Dark fruits dominated. Soft tannin, balanced acidity. Herbal aftertaste. Graphite. Vegetal in a good way. Lingering. Very well made wine in a challenging year.

2011 vintage

Clear pale garnet with slight pale garnet. Pencil shavings, black raspberry, toasted oak. Low acids, low acids. White pepper. Medium balanced finish.

2011 vintage

Drinking very well at the 8 year mark. 2.5 years since my last bottle and this was the backup bottle to the Quarter Moon of the same vintage. That bottle was turning south but this bottle was singing. Dark red cherry, red plums and spice dominated the palate. The finish was smooth and full. it saved the evening.

2011 vintage

Opened 8 hours prior to dinner, it has one of the most beautiful noses you could ask for in a bottle of wine. The palate is a different story, yes there are dark berries, yes there is tobacco, yes there are hints of mocha but again as in the last bottle the flavors are all muted. The finish is decent. Do not take me wrong as my good friend and co-drinker Micheal stated " it is a good bottle of …

2011 vintage

Dark cherries, raspberry, smoke, and berry notes on the nose. Dark berries, cherries, and pomegranate with medium acidity on the palate. Good finish.

2011 vintage

The first of 6 bottles consumed by our group last night. Opened 5 hours before serving. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was blueberry, mocha and some oak. Flavors were somewhat muted. The finish was of decent length. Perhaps this bottle coming from a tough vintage just needs more time. While a good bottle of wine I was not overly impressed especially at this price point.

2011 vintage

Joseph phelps 2011 PNP but over 2 hours Only 60 bottles made. Powerful, but tight, vegetal, coffee, tobacco, dried violet on nose quite a bit of acid. Seems a little awkward. Not the greatest vintage to compare. Seems much younger than 6 years.

2011 vintage

Ii

2011 vintage

Very floral. Nice balance. Time to drink.

2011 vintage

Almost two years since I last tried a bottle. Nothing has really changed, red fruit on the nose, the palate is red berries and spices. A nice lingering finish.

2011 vintage

No detailed notes... but nice floral/soft berry nose. Hint of acidity to keep it bright. Very nice... but over priced.

2011 vintage

A little lighter than the Quarter Moon drunk on the same night paired with pork tenderloin. Dark berries, lingering finish.

2011 vintage

Beautiful dark black cherry color, very smooth and full of body and flavor after about an hour decanted. What a pleasure!

2011 vintage

Devin and I held an impromptu Christmas Veranda Time and were pleasantly surprised to have 35 people show up despite some surprise rain and week before the Big Day. We opened a total of six wines, three white, three red, trying to cover all the bases not knowing what pot luck side dishes would arrive. The main staple was a tomato based chicken orzo soup that was a hit. The Red hit of the night was this Sonoma Pinot Noir. …

2011 vintage

Didn't take notes, but we all agreed it was good and better than expected

2011 vintage

Clear dark garnet. Nose of black cherry, spice, and vanilla. Medium palate of black cherry, blackberry, spices, and vanilla. Excellent length with some black licorice. Refreshing acidity. Mild Pinot tannins.

2011 vintage

Slow oxed for 2 hours. Red berries, cola, aroma od flowers. Wonderful!

2011 vintage

Wine started out with lots of Oak. As time went on it seemed to become very thin, flabby and become very sweet. Was very tight. Perhaps needs more time in the bottle. Myself and my wife did not care for this at all. We didn't finish the bottle.

2011 vintage

Clear dark garnet with a violet hue. Nose of flowers, vanilla, black cherry, & spice. Ripe juicy palate of black cherry, cola, spice, and minerals. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Lovely, balanced Cali Pinot.

2011 vintage

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Joseph Phelps, Pastorale Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

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