2017 Center of Effort Pinot Noir, Estate Grown, Edna Valley
92 points - Vinous 91 points - Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Deep, dense red. Aromas of ripe red plum, espresso, loamy earth, and dried cherry. Flavors echo ripe plum, with new leather orange zest and rose hips. Lush, smooth palate feel, and is quite concentrated.
The signature bottling of Pinot Noir from our Estate Vineyard is always crafted to be mid-weight, aromatic, and complex, with the structure to reward proper cellaring. 2017 was a growing season with some difficult moments. Poor conditions at flowering set us up for a tiny crop right from the start, and despite moderate weather through the summer, a labor day heat spike stalled the vines and further diminished the crop, which came in at just 1.3 tons per acre. Low yields contributed to very low pH, high acidity, and quality tannins. We expect this vintage to be quite long-lived.
Center of Effort, where the guiding forces of skillful cultivation, artful winemaking and a passion for excellence come together and create the magic in the bottle.
The estate at Center of Effort has origins that date back to 1978 when it was originally The Lawrence Family Winery. Founder Jim Lawrence was one of the first vintners to grasp the potential of the Edna Valley. In time, the Lawrence estate became an epicenter of the local wine community, serving as a magnet for some of the region’s brightest winemaking talents.
Today the vision of owners, Bill and Cheryl Swanson, is an established artisan winery that will maximize the estate’s potential and be unique within the beautiful Edna Valley. The name Center of Effort references a sailing term which is the point on the sail where the forces come together and act as a whole. Through skillful cultivation, artistic winemaking, and a passion for excellence, these forces join to create a wine that is classic, timeless and exudes a sense of place and purpose.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WV, WY
2017 Center of Effort Estate Pinot Noir
3 bottles for $54.99 $18.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Pop and Pour (Sunday evening)
Appearance: Clear, deep garnet. Deeper than what I would normally think of as “pinot red”. No bricking, no sediment.
Nose: Dark cherry and plum. A little earthy. Smells like it will have a little “zing”. There is a vague floral note which I cannot pinpoint other than I don’t think it is the violet I normally find with a lot of pinots.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Similar to the nose. Ample cherry/plum fruit. Nice acid backbone (the “zing” I was anticipating). Definitely has an earthy element. Smooth and lush, fairly acidic. There are definitely tannins…I’ll call it medium tannin. Not super astringent/drying, but not quite in the velvety realm…yet. I imagine this could age and improve for a few years, at minimum. It is perfectly drinkable/enjoyable now though.
~3 Hours
Nose: Seems to have lost a bit of the fruit, leaving the earthy notes to move forward. Now also has a fairly prominent pepper note (black/white pepper/peppercorn, not green pepper).
Taste/Mouthfeel: Again, echoes the nose with a fading of fruit and prominence of the earthy/peppery notes. There is still fruit present, just less prominent than the initial taste.
Consumed with dinner of…pizza! An OK pairing, but perhaps not ideal. I think this wine would like something more meaty, less tomato-ey. Re-corking the bottle to continue tasting tomorrow (Monday).
Day 2
Nose: Similar to end of Day 1, but now with a slight coffee note. Fruit seems to come and go depending on how aggressively I swirl.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Acid still prominent (perhaps too prominent for my taste).
Day 3
Nose: Well, not as earthy and fruit seems to come and go depending on how aggressively I swirl. Definite floral note.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Unchanged
General/Overall: Nice pinot offered at a very reasonable price. I was hoping/expecting to “love” it…but can’t seem to get past “like”. A definite strong “like”!! Wondering if a bit more time in a cellar would help. I think the acid is what has me thrown off a bit. This pinot seems to definitely need some food. Perhaps my palate is a bit “off” having recently had one of the nasty GI bugs going around?
As always, thanks to WD, Alice, and the crew at WCC for the opportunity to participate in this fabulous community. I’m heading to bed now but will be around off and on tomorrow (gotta work!) and all evening in case I can provide any additional info!
That Wine Enthusiast review…
91 Points. Sandalwood, dark-cherry and cranberry aromas kick off the nose of this bottling. There’s a decent tension to the palate with earthy flavors of rust that lead into blood-orange rind and more tart red-fruit elements. The tannins stay squeaky through the finish. MK 5/1/22
Vinous:
92 Points. Brilliant garnet. A complex bouquet evokes red and blue fruits, potpourri and baking spices, and a smoky mineral quality builds in the glass. Lively, mineral-accented raspberry, cherry-vanilla and floral pastille flavors display very good depth and building sweetness. Unfurls slowly with air and finishes with repeating smokiness, gentle tannins and sappy, red-fruit-driven persistence. JR 12/2020. Drink 2021-2027
He goes on to say:
In spite of producing some of San Luis Obispo’s best wines in recent vintages, Center of Effort continues to fly under most California wine lovers’ radar. Their top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings can be among the standouts of a given vintage, as is the case in 2018, and, perhaps even more intriguing to me, the Estate Grown Chenin Blanc is a truly excellent example of that variety, which is rarely found in the United States these days.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2017 Center of Effort Estate Pinot Noir - $60 = 27.26%
Thanks for the fun opportunity! Dealing with family medical emergency so apologize for the late post and short hand notes.
I was impressed by the heavy bottle and only 22 barrels produced!
First day
At pop and pour
Beautiful Ruby color.
Wood on nose! Oak. Smells like plums (from my father).
Light body. See pic of glass below.
Smells like it would have a bite to it and could lay down a couple years. Smells pricier than my daily drinker budget.
A bit acidic at first sip. Almost fizzy.
Strawberry. Ripe juicy summer berries.
Vanilla. Not a lot of funk, which I prefer.
Not dry, which I also prefer. Acidic and berry finish. Could use some air.
An hour later: Opens a little with air. Cherries! And fig. I’d still call this fruit forward. And maybe a fuller light body. Still smells like plum. I can smell spice now and some smoke (in a good way).
Storing on counter recorded overnight.
Day 2
Better than day 1. Similar flavors as day 1. Ready to drink. Lots of dark fruit. Maybe vanilla. Still a little acidic. I like it. This seems like a day 2 wine. I don’t think it will make it to day 3.
Day 3 (today)
Just had a few sips. The wine is fine and drinkable. Usually I toss wine at this price point on the third day. So this would be a great price for a mid-week wine that stretches over a few days. The acid is basically gone and fruit totally took over. With a full mouth, I’m getting some wood and smoke (in a good way). The finish is the best on day 3.
After a few more sips over 15 min, I think day 3 is my favorite. The wine is drier. Likely most would enjoy day 2 more.
Wow- solid price! I was expecting something more around $20/bottle at the Casemates price and wasn’t planning to purchase. At this price, I say to pick up a case. It’s good. It’s not amazing but it’s definitely solid. And I appreciate that you can drink it over several days.
@james He eats super ripe, dark small plums. I’m not sure what variety they are. I think his nose just smelled sweet fruit and told him “plums!” Rather than it actually smelling like plums. But once he said it, I couldn’t shake it, so possibly something reminiscent. He didn’t have a taste as he’s the one with the health emergency.
2017 Center of Effort Pinot Noir, Estate Grown, Edna Valley
92 points - Vinous
91 points - Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$660.00/Case for 12x 2017 Center of Effort Pinot Noir, Estate Grown, Edna Valley at Center of Effort
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WV, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 23 - Tuesday, Jan 24
2017 Center of Effort Estate Pinot Noir
3 bottles for $54.99 $18.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
These have always tempted me but I’ve never tried them. Who has? Thoughts?
@klezman Same here and this looks like a pretty nice deal, but no ship friendly states for me.
@klezman their Chardonnay is really good and I’m not a huge fan of Chardonnay!
2017 Center of Effort Pinot Noir, Edna Valley
Pop and Pour (Sunday evening)
Appearance: Clear, deep garnet. Deeper than what I would normally think of as “pinot red”. No bricking, no sediment.
Nose: Dark cherry and plum. A little earthy. Smells like it will have a little “zing”. There is a vague floral note which I cannot pinpoint other than I don’t think it is the violet I normally find with a lot of pinots.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Similar to the nose. Ample cherry/plum fruit. Nice acid backbone (the “zing” I was anticipating). Definitely has an earthy element. Smooth and lush, fairly acidic. There are definitely tannins…I’ll call it medium tannin. Not super astringent/drying, but not quite in the velvety realm…yet. I imagine this could age and improve for a few years, at minimum. It is perfectly drinkable/enjoyable now though.
~3 Hours
Nose: Seems to have lost a bit of the fruit, leaving the earthy notes to move forward. Now also has a fairly prominent pepper note (black/white pepper/peppercorn, not green pepper).
Taste/Mouthfeel: Again, echoes the nose with a fading of fruit and prominence of the earthy/peppery notes. There is still fruit present, just less prominent than the initial taste.
Consumed with dinner of…pizza! An OK pairing, but perhaps not ideal. I think this wine would like something more meaty, less tomato-ey. Re-corking the bottle to continue tasting tomorrow (Monday).
Day 2
Nose: Similar to end of Day 1, but now with a slight coffee note. Fruit seems to come and go depending on how aggressively I swirl.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Acid still prominent (perhaps too prominent for my taste).
Day 3
Nose: Well, not as earthy and fruit seems to come and go depending on how aggressively I swirl. Definite floral note.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Unchanged
General/Overall: Nice pinot offered at a very reasonable price. I was hoping/expecting to “love” it…but can’t seem to get past “like”. A definite strong “like”!! Wondering if a bit more time in a cellar would help. I think the acid is what has me thrown off a bit. This pinot seems to definitely need some food. Perhaps my palate is a bit “off” having recently had one of the nasty GI bugs going around?
As always, thanks to WD, Alice, and the crew at WCC for the opportunity to participate in this fabulous community. I’m heading to bed now but will be around off and on tomorrow (gotta work!) and all evening in case I can provide any additional info!
That Wine Enthusiast review…
91 Points. Sandalwood, dark-cherry and cranberry aromas kick off the nose of this bottling. There’s a decent tension to the palate with earthy flavors of rust that lead into blood-orange rind and more tart red-fruit elements. The tannins stay squeaky through the finish. MK 5/1/22
Vinous:
92 Points. Brilliant garnet. A complex bouquet evokes red and blue fruits, potpourri and baking spices, and a smoky mineral quality builds in the glass. Lively, mineral-accented raspberry, cherry-vanilla and floral pastille flavors display very good depth and building sweetness. Unfurls slowly with air and finishes with repeating smokiness, gentle tannins and sappy, red-fruit-driven persistence. JR 12/2020. Drink 2021-2027
He goes on to say:
In spite of producing some of San Luis Obispo’s best wines in recent vintages, Center of Effort continues to fly under most California wine lovers’ radar. Their top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings can be among the standouts of a given vintage, as is the case in 2018, and, perhaps even more intriguing to me, the Estate Grown Chenin Blanc is a truly excellent example of that variety, which is rarely found in the United States these days.
fwiw
@kaolis “squeaky” tannins??
@TimW I’m just the messenger sir…
@kaolis
Squeaky tannins was a new one to me!
Sounds yummy and affordable. Full here and I am doing dry January but I am tempted. Any more rats?
The community price at CellarTracker is $50.71 for this wine!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2017 Center of Effort Estate Pinot Noir - $60 = 27.26%
2017 Edna Center of Earth Pinot Noir
Thanks for the fun opportunity! Dealing with family medical emergency so apologize for the late post and short hand notes.
I was impressed by the heavy bottle and only 22 barrels produced!
First day
At pop and pour
Beautiful Ruby color.
Wood on nose! Oak. Smells like plums (from my father).
Light body. See pic of glass below.
Smells like it would have a bite to it and could lay down a couple years. Smells pricier than my daily drinker budget.
A bit acidic at first sip. Almost fizzy.
Strawberry. Ripe juicy summer berries.
Vanilla. Not a lot of funk, which I prefer.
Not dry, which I also prefer. Acidic and berry finish. Could use some air.
An hour later: Opens a little with air. Cherries! And fig. I’d still call this fruit forward. And maybe a fuller light body. Still smells like plum. I can smell spice now and some smoke (in a good way).
Storing on counter recorded overnight.
Day 2
Better than day 1. Similar flavors as day 1. Ready to drink. Lots of dark fruit. Maybe vanilla. Still a little acidic. I like it. This seems like a day 2 wine. I don’t think it will make it to day 3.
Day 3 (today)
Just had a few sips. The wine is fine and drinkable. Usually I toss wine at this price point on the third day. So this would be a great price for a mid-week wine that stretches over a few days. The acid is basically gone and fruit totally took over. With a full mouth, I’m getting some wood and smoke (in a good way). The finish is the best on day 3.
After a few more sips over 15 min, I think day 3 is my favorite. The wine is drier. Likely most would enjoy day 2 more.
Wow- solid price! I was expecting something more around $20/bottle at the Casemates price and wasn’t planning to purchase. At this price, I say to pick up a case. It’s good. It’s not amazing but it’s definitely solid. And I appreciate that you can drink it over several days.
Just had a sip left in the glass from an hour ago and it didn’t quite make it. Seems like you need to drink it on day 3 and not let it sit out.
@jchasma Got me wondering what your father’s plums smell like
@james He eats super ripe, dark small plums. I’m not sure what variety they are. I think his nose just smelled sweet fruit and told him “plums!” Rather than it actually smelling like plums. But once he said it, I couldn’t shake it, so possibly something reminiscent. He didn’t have a taste as he’s the one with the health emergency.
I’ll try another sip tonight to see if it really lasts a full three days. It’s still sitting corked on my counter.
Dirt cheap…
Thanks for the rattage! Picking up a case but if anyone in Dallas wants to split give me a shout.
/giphy lagging-mammoth-hyena
