The 2018 Pinot Noir delivers the subtle elegance that can only come from sustainably farmed, cold-climate vineyards. Key aromatics include cherries, plums and raspberries with notes of mocha, vanilla and smoky oak. The palate is rich, smooth and silky with a lingering bright red fruit finish. This is the perfect wine to serve with salmon, pork, lamb or soft cheeses.
District 7 is all that Monterey as a winegrowing region has to offer. The number refers to our official regional designation within the state of California, but
District 7 is much more than just a prime number. Most experts recognize Monterey County as one of the most beautiful and diverse winegrowing regions in the world with complex soils and coastal weather patterns. Our winemaking team reaps the benefits of the exceptional fruit we produce, creating wines that are fruit forward, true to varietal character and a delicious reflection of Monterey.
Of all the grape varieties, Pinot Noir is perhaps the most sensitive to its terroir. It responds to every fold in the earth and every suggestion in the weather. We harvest 100% of our Pinot Noir from sites located on the northern benches of Monterey’s Salinas Valley. Here the cool, windy, foggy conditions produce wines of great character, texture and structure.
Winemaking Notes
Each of our estate vineyards is harvested block by block based on flavor and ripeness rather than statistical analysis. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were destemmed, crushed and fermented in open-top fermenters. Regular punch downs of the cap over the 2-3 weeks of fermentation and maceration ensured full extraction of the color and flavors. The wine was aged with a combination of new and seasoned oak to retain the fruit and enhance complexity.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Monterey
Barrel Regime: French oak, 12 months, 25% new
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.71
TA: 5.4 g/L
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
6x 2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Monterey
Case:
12x 2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Monterey
Al Scheid first saw untapped potential in Monterey County in 1972 when the wine region was in its infancy. What started as a grape growing operation that sold 100% of its production to other wineries today has evolved into a grapes-to-glass family business that crafts authentic and elegant wines. Our Scheid Family Wines portfolio now includes five unique and distinctive labels: Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, VDR and Stokes’ Ghost.
With 12 estate vineyards comprised of 4,000 acres located along a 70-mile spread of the Salinas Valley, the array of microclimates and soils give us an incredible selection to work with each vintage. While our wealth of vineyard resources is exceptional, it is our employees that are at the heart of everything we do. Much of our workforce has been with us for over 25 years, with several of our vineyard managers employed for over 40 years.
The Scheid family – Al, Scott, Heidi and long-time COO Kurt Gollnick – along with our dream team of employees, are passionate about crafting the best wine possible and honoring our commitment to be good stewards of the land and supporters of our local community. We are proud to produce authentic products that sit on your dinner table and invite conversation, connection and warmth.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations) 2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir - $25 = 20.82%
I can think of no better way to celebrate National Drink Wine Day than to have a Lab Rat bottle arrive perfectly timed at the doorstep to allow for the mandatory celebrations to begin. If you do not already know, Monterey County Pinot Noir is “a thing”. If you are familiar with Carmel Road or La Crema you already know what I am talking about. According to The Prince of Pinot website, Monterey County Pinots in the $25 and under category are being recognized as delivering remarkable value and qpr. This wine is no exception. There are no surprises here, a very typical Pinot Noir of the region displaying the expected varietal and regional characteristics.
Now for the details…nice label with screw cap bottle. This wine is ready to drink now. The color is the expected ruby translucent. Blackberry, plum, cherry, and lavender on the nose. The first taste is very well balanced. Smooth, mild silky tannins, dry with hints of strawberry, cherry, and plum, and medium bodied. The finish was not overpowering but was pleasant and a bit longer than expected with a bit of acid, spice, and bramble. Food pairings easily cut though any of the lingering acidity of the finish.
On to the food pairings. Pinot may be the easiest wines to pair with, except for Champagne which also is Pinot derived. I started with some string cheese because that is what I had. The easy drinkability paired nicely with the creaminess of the cheese. The next pairing was smoked turkey with mashed potato, gravy, and string beans. Pinot always pairs well with poultry and this pairing worked as well. The last pairing was with a chocolate torte and the Pinot aced all the pairings.
All considered the District 7 Pinot Noir was a welcome surprise on National Drink Wine Day but the quality and value were not at all surprising. It hit all the expected bases for a Monterey County Pinot. It can be sipped on its own or paired with either a casual or fancy meal. Other pertinent reviews can also be found online at the Reverse Wine Snob and Wine Enthusiast. Cheers and happy belated National Drink Wine Day!
…and that Wine Enthusiast review…
90 Points Editors’ Choice. This label by the Scheid family offers great value. It begins with aromas of scorched earth, charred wood and dark red fruit on the nose. Ripe and dark cherry aromas meet with cola and charred mesquite on the smoky palate. MK 12/1/20
Tasting Panel TP 92
Scents of cherry, cinnamon, and cedar are pure pleasure. Within the round, voluptuous mouthfeel, cinnamon and hints of oregano and white pepper season a plethora of red berries: cranberry, raspberry, and pomegranate. Aged one year in (25% new) French oak.
and Decanter chimes in with:
87 Points. Fresh nose of redcurrant and pomegranate, hint of tomato leaves. Soft, fruit driven palate of ripe blackcurrants and a slightly rocky minerality. Good finish
Drinking Window 2020 - 2025 12/14/20
Ugh. I slept on it and decided to go for a case, only to discover there are no more. Any chance more will be added? I mean, I have no space for a case, so I’ll have to drink down the case of SH Barbera I received yesterday.
@a5meiser@pmarin Not the best viewpoint, but my guess (with the hint of orange on the belly) would be a ring-necked snake (one of the smaller snake species).
@chipgreen@salcorn Right! It’s Ariana Grande from a music video, I think. All of the giphy for that order number have brought up Ariana Grande for me. See if this one’s better?
/giphy unpleasant-grand-lemming
Just got my first vaccine appointment for Thursday so that most likely means summer pool parties which of course means I need another case. Thanks for the restock!
/giphy mimicking-oval-bike
I’m curious - I waffled pretty hard on this - I loathe the Nacina that also comes out of this area though from what I can find not quite the same region so for 100 I’ll take a flier. Hell one bottle from my Antica Terra allocation is more than this case!
Thanks for getting more cases so I can adventure on in the name of science!
@pete0744
YW. I haven’t had the Nacina branded SLH Pinot but I bought the “Highlands Project” Pinot also by Dan Tudor and was not a big fan. Surprised, because I normally enjoy SLH Pinots.
@Turner103200 If it’s corked then it’s corked - sometimes that comes across as just dull and flat at levels of TCA too low to perceive as TCA. But this is under screwcap, so I discounted that as a possibility.
I hope you got a bad bottle, too, but not sure what faults or spoilage you could be referring to without more data.
@Turner103200 A friend of mine got his before mine, says he gets a lot of smokiness out of it on day one. Smoothed out on day two and just tasted like a basic pinot.
@deadlyapp@Turner103200 I got my case yesterday, just tried first taste, it’s got a bit of a smoky acrid smell at first, (“scorched earth, charred wood” one of the reviews mentioned and I’d add burnt plums) -but- the mouth taste is very well balanced -but- there’s an acidic bite in the finish, reminded me of grapefruit finishes from some Sauvignon Blancs -but- it mellows out quickly in the glass after about 15 minutes and finishes very easily, although still a little burn in the smell. I left the bottle open and will see how it goes with tonight’s chicken.
I feel the same first glass took about 40 minutes to be drinkable, then I just had a glass day 2 and it is like a notch below a house red. Strong sulfur smell that never quite fades. The price point is what the price point is.
Long time wine.woot, left after the amazon purchase, new to casemates, because I’m down to about 17 of the 460 bottles I ordered from woot. Just had a 2007 inzinerator last week it was wonderful, but nearing the end.
@exsanguinate Just polished off the bottle I had opened the other evening. Well, it is what it is. Understandably, it’s an $8 bottle, but retail is too high (my opinion, before everyone gets all offended) for this level of quality and the review wasn’t exactly, well…whatever, doesn’t matter. Anyways, this is my opinion before I get blasted with messages about price point and all of that. Seems like someone always get offended by negative reviews and comments. But that is how it goes sometimes. Cheers everyone. Stay safe and enjoy.
@exsanguinate I should say, 99 percent of the wine I have bought from Casemates (or the previous site, I’ve been a long time follower - over 15 years - and have recently gotten my 80 year old parents to purchase from here!) has been great.
@deadlyapp@stolicat@Turner103200 Just had my first taste and this echoes my experience. The “scorched earth” description nails it. It’s not quite sulfury, more like tire smoke. It does fade in the glass, I hope it’ll round off by tomorrow. Very light bodied for the color, even for a pinot noir.
@deadlyapp@dwdyer@Turner103200 “tire smoke” - unfortunately, yeah.
It was a poor companion to a simple roast chicken the first night, second night much improved with Pasta Drop spaghettini and rustic tomato sauce, mixed vegetable salad with evoo and pecorino - flavors had blended together in a lovely mix, the finish was clean and not sharp at all, but still, that nose …
So, got a case, just need to know to open it the day before drinking.
@Turner103200 You misunderstood my initial comment. I was responding to the fact that you said it was “ehh”. Which I interpreted as “meh”. Which is exactly what I’d expect from the wine.
But you had specific issues with it, which is a different story. And if you’d just said you didn’t like it I sure wouldn’t say anything about that.
In any case, sorry for the misunderstanding.
The other descriptions sound like this is a really reductive wine. Maybe it needs a mollydooker shake or a vinturi.
@klezman@Turner103200 I’ve had some pretty decent wines at the $8 price point (or below) with Cheer from over here the most recent example. Pinot is probably tougher at the price point, but even there I found the Windrun offering quite nice for under $9/per.
@Turner103200 My first thought tasting this was that something went wrong somewhere. Chilling more and aerating the second attempt at a glass later helped a small degree, it dulled some of the rank flavor, but not the rank smell. I don’t know if screw caps can be “corked”? I don’t have the wine vocabulary to describe what I’m tasting and smelling, but IMHO wine should never be unpleasant, especially when given a good chance, but this is that. I’d rather drink boxed wine. Apologies to the winery for my blunt opinion, but this is bad.
@deadlyapp@dwdyer@stolicat@Turner103200 You described it perfectly. I just signed in here tonight to check if I’d just gotten a batch of bad bottles (I’ve opened and dumped 3 out of the twelve so far) because I just can’t drink it.
I’m not a snob by any means and I can’t remember the last time I dumped a bottle, but something about this flavor turns my stomach and it’s up there with one of the worst wines I’ve ever had because it’s not just boring–it’s offensive. You nailed it: Sulfurous tire fire and vinegar is what I’m getting.
It reminds me of drinking the first batch from friends who have gotten into brewing their own.
I caved and poured the remaining 9 bottles down the drain last night because I couldn’t bring myself to give them away.
After pouring, I’m convinced that the whole batch has some sort of contamination. Far too many bottles fizzed on opening and pouring and we had to air out the house because of the overwhelming smell of cat urine.
@dwdyer@goffstock@pupator@stolicat@Turner103200 I haven’t opened a second bottle since drinking my first (unoffensive) bottle. I’m hoping I missed the ruined wine lottery but not holding my breath. I’ll be interested if enough people say something about this wine that CM does something.
@deadlyapp@dwdyer@goffstock@pupator@Turner103200 We’ve now opened 4 bottles, and the smell and fizz has been consistent. I think that’s a good enough sample to say the whole case is going to be that way.
It becomes a bit more tolerable if you pour the glass a few hours before consuming, or let the bottle sit open overnight, but then that smell is in the air and you can add “stale” to its bouquet. May try the blender next, but pretty much given up on finding a reasonable way to render it drinkable.
@deadlyapp@dwdyer@goffstock@nmfong@pupator@Turner103200 tried the blender - poured two glasses from the room temp bottle opened yesterday, poured one of them into the blender and ran for 20s as suggested by @KNmeh7 in the blender thread. Thing fizzed up like a strawberry soda, took about a minute to subside.
Result?
Mellowed it a bit, no particular change in color or clarity although it left persistent tiny frothy bubbles around the edge, but still smelled like something burning under the freeway, still had that cheap cough medicine note but not as pronounced. All in all, still drain-worthy.
I may try again with a longer runtime. I’ve got 8 bottles left.
@stolicat Thanks for trying. I split this case with a couple non-CM friends so I’ve only got 2 more to pour (out). They’re “not interested in future deals I find,” and I don’t blame them.
I put an entire bottle in our Vitamix and brought it up to full speed for about 25 seconds.
I checked the bottle upon opening and it smelled like a tire fire, but not the worst bottle I’ve opened.
After whizzing, it smells…ok-ish. At least I can smell wine. More like charred plums now.
In the glass it’s like a garden-variety pinot but sweeter smelling than it should be, aerating in the mouth it gets vinegary and there’s that tire fire, just like a block away instead of the back yard. Sipped, it’s bitter and remarkably flat. Kinda like box wine that been in the sun.
So, that was fun, but I don’t recommend it. I was hoping for something I could maybe cook with but I no.
I’ve seen some mixed reviews but I just opened my first bottle and am rather OK with it. It has a bit of a barnyard smell to it with the normal pinot notes. The taste I didn’t pick up any smoke though, a touch of eucalyptus maybe, a bit of an acidic finish, but on the whole just a muted pinot without a lot of excitement. About what I expected from an $8 wine. I’m happy with the the purchase. We’ll see if there’s just mixed quality bottles over time.
Just opened our first bottle, definitely barn yard in the nose, which I like in a Pinot. Slight acidic finish, a bit thin, but this far exceeds my expectations for an under $10 house Pinot. My wife is a big fan. Drinking it on the cool side right out of the cellar, so maybe that’s something.
So, how did this happen? Great reviews yet not so great wine? Actually, this wine is not good at all, imo. My worst purchase here by far over the past 15 years.
I also recommend certain folks refraining from making remarks regarding not so favorable reviews on wines offered here. I’ve seen this creeping in recently. Keep the site honest. That’s what will keep it successful.
This is the worst wine i have purchased from Casemates. Has a strong smell of formaldehyde when opened. Tried 2 bottles and both just as bad. May throw the rest away.
@bunnymasseuse I will contact them. I had 3 people try this wine and they all made unsolicited comments about the offensive smell as soon as i gave them the glass. I am not picky on a wines taste so can drink pretty much anything. Just don’t like sour milk, rotten eggs or District 7.
@s2k2473 I’ve tried several bottles and it’s bad, bad. Unfortunately, I bought 2 cases and intended to split with a neighbor that I was trying to get involved at Casemates. I can’t even bare to give it to them. Any luck contacting support?
i bought 2 cases…
got a email saying something about they couldn’t verify our age or some shit?
i have bought lots of wine here…so i don’t know…
was bummed at first… not getting it…
but after folks comments…
feel like a lucky one not getting it!
I wanted to post as this is still one of my favorite purchases on Casemates so far. It’s definitely earthy, so maybe not the pinot noir for everyone. But I think it’s drinking away above it’s price point. Glad I got a case and wish I had more. Thanks, Casemates!
2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Monterey
Tasting Notes
90 Points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast
92 Points, The Tasting Panel
Winemaking Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$217/Case at District 7 for 12x 2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Monterey
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Mar 18 - Monday, Mar 22
District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $94.99 $7.92/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations) 2018 District 7 Estate Grown Pinot Noir - $25 = 20.82%
I can think of no better way to celebrate National Drink Wine Day than to have a Lab Rat bottle arrive perfectly timed at the doorstep to allow for the mandatory celebrations to begin. If you do not already know, Monterey County Pinot Noir is “a thing”. If you are familiar with Carmel Road or La Crema you already know what I am talking about. According to The Prince of Pinot website, Monterey County Pinots in the $25 and under category are being recognized as delivering remarkable value and qpr. This wine is no exception. There are no surprises here, a very typical Pinot Noir of the region displaying the expected varietal and regional characteristics.
Now for the details…nice label with screw cap bottle. This wine is ready to drink now. The color is the expected ruby translucent. Blackberry, plum, cherry, and lavender on the nose. The first taste is very well balanced. Smooth, mild silky tannins, dry with hints of strawberry, cherry, and plum, and medium bodied. The finish was not overpowering but was pleasant and a bit longer than expected with a bit of acid, spice, and bramble. Food pairings easily cut though any of the lingering acidity of the finish.
On to the food pairings. Pinot may be the easiest wines to pair with, except for Champagne which also is Pinot derived. I started with some string cheese because that is what I had. The easy drinkability paired nicely with the creaminess of the cheese. The next pairing was smoked turkey with mashed potato, gravy, and string beans. Pinot always pairs well with poultry and this pairing worked as well. The last pairing was with a chocolate torte and the Pinot aced all the pairings.
All considered the District 7 Pinot Noir was a welcome surprise on National Drink Wine Day but the quality and value were not at all surprising. It hit all the expected bases for a Monterey County Pinot. It can be sipped on its own or paired with either a casual or fancy meal. Other pertinent reviews can also be found online at the Reverse Wine Snob and Wine Enthusiast. Cheers and happy belated National Drink Wine Day!
@surfyguitar good work!
…and that Wine Enthusiast review…
90 Points Editors’ Choice. This label by the Scheid family offers great value. It begins with aromas of scorched earth, charred wood and dark red fruit on the nose. Ripe and dark cherry aromas meet with cola and charred mesquite on the smoky palate. MK 12/1/20
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/district-7-2018-estate-grown-pinot-noir-monterey/
offhand don’t see the Tasting Panel notes, and only Reverse Wine Snob notes seem to be for the 2017…
fwiw
back label per producer website
Tasting Panel TP 92
Scents of cherry, cinnamon, and cedar are pure pleasure. Within the round, voluptuous mouthfeel, cinnamon and hints of oregano and white pepper season a plethora of red berries: cranberry, raspberry, and pomegranate. Aged one year in (25% new) French oak.
and Decanter chimes in with:
87 Points. Fresh nose of redcurrant and pomegranate, hint of tomato leaves. Soft, fruit driven palate of ripe blackcurrants and a slightly rocky minerality. Good finish
Drinking Window 2020 - 2025 12/14/20
@kaolis anything blackcurrant makes me happy so I have to be in.
cheap Pinot? Hit me babe!
/giphy washable-jealous-peanut
maybe I’ll splurge in another case…
/giphy snobbish-competitive-gremlin
/giphy snarky-corny-spider
Very strong every day sipper right here! That’s a crazy deal!
/giphy noble-compliant-flag
WTF? Armenia?
/giphy special-bountiful-secretary
/giphy handsomely-wobbly-doctor
You had me at PN with a good QPR
/giphy willing-melodic-plastic
/giphy righteous-responsive-hunter
/giphy owlish-humdrum-railway
Well, I slept on whether to buy yet another case, went to work, came home, it’s still here, and such a deal …
/giphy comfortable-royal-alligator
@stolicat good call. this really is a screamer.
@Winedavid49 I have no room. None. But I am buying it anyway.
/giphy momentous-tan-idea
/giphy operatic-grating-prose
/giphy cowardly-longing-meerkat
That’s hard to pass up. Can’t wait to try it.
I’ve had their SB as well which we enjoyed, hope that shows up some day.
Well. I couldn’t stay away. Looks like I’m forcing a buddy into a split!
/giphy shrill-tremendous-chimpanzee
What…Cases sold out??? Please bring them back so I can order…
I second NatasG’s emotion: any chance of reviving the case deal for those of us late to the party?
I would love to purchase a case! Are they coming back?
more cases, please!
Ugh. I slept on it and decided to go for a case, only to discover there are no more. Any chance more will be added? I mean, I have no space for a case, so I’ll have to drink down the case of SH Barbera I received yesterday.
@RDUORDMDWGSO
Thanks for opening up the cases again!! Got mine.
I’m thinking that you need to tape two 6/boxes together and call it a case. I’d love to buy a dozen bottles, but not at the 2× 6 bottle price.
@winedavid49 @wccwinegirl
Note the above requests for case redistribution.
I just got a case so someone was listening.
/giphy surprised-decisive-koala
Teach me to sleep on a deal (I’m out of room and just bought the Pedroncelli rose case on Saturday). Thanks for the re-load of cases!
/giphy physical-fruity-anaconda
@a5meiser wow… so many questions about the microsnake.
@a5meiser @pmarin Not the best viewpoint, but my guess (with the hint of orange on the belly) would be a ring-necked snake (one of the smaller snake species).
YEAH…Cases are available again…Thanks Casemates!
/giphy violent-friendly-expansion
Yay
/giphy cramped-goodhearted-barnacle
Well that’s disappointing . . . “settled” for 6 bottles since a case wasn’t available, now it’s too late to cancel and repurchase.
@meresda Try contacting CS.
Yay! Cases are back!
/giphy unpleasant-grand-lemming
@salcorn
How does “unpleasant-grand-lemming” conjure up fembots?
@chipgreen @salcorn Right! It’s Ariana Grande from a music video, I think. All of the giphy for that order number have brought up Ariana Grande for me. See if this one’s better?
/giphy unpleasant-grand-lemming
@chipgreen @salcorn Meh on that one.
@salcorn @TimW
Another fembot!
@chipgreen the “Lemmings” are on top
Just got my first vaccine appointment for Thursday so that most likely means summer pool parties which of course means I need another case. Thanks for the restock!
/giphy mimicking-oval-bike
@halwarning yes!!
No O-H-I-O…? Awwe.
@cleluvswootwine I know! Hey Scheid, can you hear us? We want your wine!
Cases seem to be gone again. Great deal at the case price…
Got 'em. Thanks!
Yea, Meh! Thank you for the additional cases!
Add more cases, and I’m usually a sucker.
/giphy ambulatory-furious-lasagna
/giphy gaping bodacious grade
I’m curious - I waffled pretty hard on this - I loathe the Nacina that also comes out of this area though from what I can find not quite the same region so for 100 I’ll take a flier. Hell one bottle from my Antica Terra allocation is more than this case!
Thanks for getting more cases so I can adventure on in the name of science!
@pete0744
Isn’t Nacina from the Santa Lucia Highlands?
@chipgreen I just mapped it. Yep
somehow I thought they were Monterey! Thanks Chip!
@pete0744
YW. I haven’t had the Nacina branded SLH Pinot but I bought the “Highlands Project” Pinot also by Dan Tudor and was not a big fan. Surprised, because I normally enjoy SLH Pinots.
I just got my case. I’m hoping I opened a bad bottle. It’s…well…ehh.
@Turner103200 What were you expecting at $8/bottle or $18-ish retail? All I’d be hoping for at that price is something that tastes like Pinot…
@klezman Apparently something other than what I tasted or I wouldn’t have commented. And let’s not jump to conclusions, perhaps it was a bad bottle.
@Turner103200 If it’s corked then it’s corked - sometimes that comes across as just dull and flat at levels of TCA too low to perceive as TCA. But this is under screwcap, so I discounted that as a possibility.
I hope you got a bad bottle, too, but not sure what faults or spoilage you could be referring to without more data.
@Turner103200 A friend of mine got his before mine, says he gets a lot of smokiness out of it on day one. Smoothed out on day two and just tasted like a basic pinot.
I’ll get mine tomorrow and will see how it fares.
@deadlyapp @Turner103200 I got my case yesterday, just tried first taste, it’s got a bit of a smoky acrid smell at first, (“scorched earth, charred wood” one of the reviews mentioned and I’d add burnt plums) -but- the mouth taste is very well balanced -but- there’s an acidic bite in the finish, reminded me of grapefruit finishes from some Sauvignon Blancs -but- it mellows out quickly in the glass after about 15 minutes and finishes very easily, although still a little burn in the smell. I left the bottle open and will see how it goes with tonight’s chicken.
@Turner103200
I feel the same first glass took about 40 minutes to be drinkable, then I just had a glass day 2 and it is like a notch below a house red. Strong sulfur smell that never quite fades. The price point is what the price point is.
Long time wine.woot, left after the amazon purchase, new to casemates, because I’m down to about 17 of the 460 bottles I ordered from woot. Just had a 2007 inzinerator last week it was wonderful, but nearing the end.
@exsanguinate Just polished off the bottle I had opened the other evening. Well, it is what it is. Understandably, it’s an $8 bottle, but retail is too high (my opinion, before everyone gets all offended) for this level of quality and the review wasn’t exactly, well…whatever, doesn’t matter. Anyways, this is my opinion before I get blasted with messages about price point and all of that. Seems like someone always get offended by negative reviews and comments. But that is how it goes sometimes. Cheers everyone. Stay safe and enjoy.
@exsanguinate I should say, 99 percent of the wine I have bought from Casemates (or the previous site, I’ve been a long time follower - over 15 years - and have recently gotten my 80 year old parents to purchase from here!) has been great.
@deadlyapp @stolicat @Turner103200 Just had my first taste and this echoes my experience. The “scorched earth” description nails it. It’s not quite sulfury, more like tire smoke. It does fade in the glass, I hope it’ll round off by tomorrow. Very light bodied for the color, even for a pinot noir.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @stolicat yes, exactly. Tire smoke! I also find it extremely, well, blah. Kinda like a flat beer. Just not happening, even at $8.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @stolicat think I’ll take my case to work and put a “for free” sign on it.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @Turner103200 “tire smoke” - unfortunately, yeah.
It was a poor companion to a simple roast chicken the first night, second night much improved with Pasta Drop spaghettini and rustic tomato sauce, mixed vegetable salad with evoo and pecorino - flavors had blended together in a lovely mix, the finish was clean and not sharp at all, but still, that nose …
So, got a case, just need to know to open it the day before drinking.
@Turner103200 You misunderstood my initial comment. I was responding to the fact that you said it was “ehh”. Which I interpreted as “meh”. Which is exactly what I’d expect from the wine.
But you had specific issues with it, which is a different story. And if you’d just said you didn’t like it I sure wouldn’t say anything about that.
In any case, sorry for the misunderstanding.
The other descriptions sound like this is a really reductive wine. Maybe it needs a mollydooker shake or a vinturi.
@klezman @Turner103200 I’ve had some pretty decent wines at the $8 price point (or below) with Cheer from over here the most recent example. Pinot is probably tougher at the price point, but even there I found the Windrun offering quite nice for under $9/per.
@Turner103200 My first thought tasting this was that something went wrong somewhere. Chilling more and aerating the second attempt at a glass later helped a small degree, it dulled some of the rank flavor, but not the rank smell. I don’t know if screw caps can be “corked”? I don’t have the wine vocabulary to describe what I’m tasting and smelling, but IMHO wine should never be unpleasant, especially when given a good chance, but this is that. I’d rather drink boxed wine. Apologies to the winery for my blunt opinion, but this is bad.
@Shinytrinket Kept it in the fridge overnight, capped, poured through the Vinturi, let the chill fall off of it, and it’s not bad.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @stolicat @Turner103200 You described it perfectly. I just signed in here tonight to check if I’d just gotten a batch of bad bottles (I’ve opened and dumped 3 out of the twelve so far) because I just can’t drink it.
I’m not a snob by any means and I can’t remember the last time I dumped a bottle, but something about this flavor turns my stomach and it’s up there with one of the worst wines I’ve ever had because it’s not just boring–it’s offensive. You nailed it: Sulfurous tire fire and vinegar is what I’m getting.
It reminds me of drinking the first batch from friends who have gotten into brewing their own.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @goffstock @stolicat @Turner103200
You can put me in this camp too. First undrinkable case I’ve ordered.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @pupator @stolicat @Turner103200
I caved and poured the remaining 9 bottles down the drain last night because I couldn’t bring myself to give them away.
After pouring, I’m convinced that the whole batch has some sort of contamination. Far too many bottles fizzed on opening and pouring and we had to air out the house because of the overwhelming smell of cat urine.
What a waste of money.
@dwdyer @goffstock @pupator @stolicat @Turner103200 I haven’t opened a second bottle since drinking my first (unoffensive) bottle. I’m hoping I missed the ruined wine lottery but not holding my breath. I’ll be interested if enough people say something about this wine that CM does something.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @goffstock @pupator @Turner103200 We’ve now opened 4 bottles, and the smell and fizz has been consistent. I think that’s a good enough sample to say the whole case is going to be that way.
It becomes a bit more tolerable if you pour the glass a few hours before consuming, or let the bottle sit open overnight, but then that smell is in the air and you can add “stale” to its bouquet. May try the blender next, but pretty much given up on finding a reasonable way to render it drinkable.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @goffstock @pupator @stolicat @Turner103200 Did you try the blender technique? We were also sorely disappointed, wondering if there’s a way to salvage the case…
@deadlyapp @goffstock @nmfong @pupator @stolicat @Turner103200 I’m definitely going to try it just for grins later this week.
@deadlyapp @dwdyer @goffstock @nmfong @pupator @Turner103200 tried the blender - poured two glasses from the room temp bottle opened yesterday, poured one of them into the blender and ran for 20s as suggested by @KNmeh7 in the blender thread. Thing fizzed up like a strawberry soda, took about a minute to subside.
Result?
Mellowed it a bit, no particular change in color or clarity although it left persistent tiny frothy bubbles around the edge, but still smelled like something burning under the freeway, still had that cheap cough medicine note but not as pronounced. All in all, still drain-worthy.
I may try again with a longer runtime. I’ve got 8 bottles left.
@stolicat Thanks for trying. I split this case with a couple non-CM friends so I’ve only got 2 more to pour (out). They’re “not interested in future deals I find,” and I don’t blame them.
@deadlyapp @goffstock @KNmeh7 @nmfong @pupator @stolicat @Turner103200
I put an entire bottle in our Vitamix and brought it up to full speed for about 25 seconds.
I checked the bottle upon opening and it smelled like a tire fire, but not the worst bottle I’ve opened.
After whizzing, it smells…ok-ish. At least I can smell wine. More like charred plums now.
In the glass it’s like a garden-variety pinot but sweeter smelling than it should be, aerating in the mouth it gets vinegary and there’s that tire fire, just like a block away instead of the back yard. Sipped, it’s bitter and remarkably flat. Kinda like box wine that been in the sun.
So, that was fun, but I don’t recommend it. I was hoping for something I could maybe cook with but I no.
Oh no. What’s ehhh about it? My case arrives tomorrow.
I’ve seen some mixed reviews but I just opened my first bottle and am rather OK with it. It has a bit of a barnyard smell to it with the normal pinot notes. The taste I didn’t pick up any smoke though, a touch of eucalyptus maybe, a bit of an acidic finish, but on the whole just a muted pinot without a lot of excitement. About what I expected from an $8 wine. I’m happy with the the purchase. We’ll see if there’s just mixed quality bottles over time.
Just opened our first bottle, definitely barn yard in the nose, which I like in a Pinot. Slight acidic finish, a bit thin, but this far exceeds my expectations for an under $10 house Pinot. My wife is a big fan. Drinking it on the cool side right out of the cellar, so maybe that’s something.
So, how did this happen? Great reviews yet not so great wine? Actually, this wine is not good at all, imo. My worst purchase here by far over the past 15 years.
I also recommend certain folks refraining from making remarks regarding not so favorable reviews on wines offered here. I’ve seen this creeping in recently. Keep the site honest. That’s what will keep it successful.
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/district-7-estate-grown-pinot-noir#60334266a137860011e97e18
This is the worst wine i have purchased from Casemates. Has a strong smell of formaldehyde when opened. Tried 2 bottles and both just as bad. May throw the rest away.
@s2k2473 have you contacted Casemates about it? There is a big difference between taste preferences and real issues with the wine that was delivered.
@bunnymasseuse I will contact them. I had 3 people try this wine and they all made unsolicited comments about the offensive smell as soon as i gave them the glass. I am not picky on a wines taste so can drink pretty much anything. Just don’t like sour milk, rotten eggs or District 7.
@s2k2473 I’ve tried several bottles and it’s bad, bad. Unfortunately, I bought 2 cases and intended to split with a neighbor that I was trying to get involved at Casemates. I can’t even bare to give it to them. Any luck contacting support?
i bought 2 cases…
got a email saying something about they couldn’t verify our age or some shit?
i have bought lots of wine here…so i don’t know…
was bummed at first… not getting it…
but after folks comments…
feel like a lucky one not getting it!
I wanted to post as this is still one of my favorite purchases on Casemates so far. It’s definitely earthy, so maybe not the pinot noir for everyone. But I think it’s drinking away above it’s price point. Glad I got a case and wish I had more. Thanks, Casemates!
@jchasma thanks. i think this may be a hit and miss wine. some may have been exposed resulting in some bad to very bad experiences.