Wine and Tasting Notes
Packed with summer ripen strawberries accented by Bing cherries and elegant tannins, this refined pinot noir is a beauty. The mouthfeel is velvety and the finish lingers pleasantly. Drink now through 2023.
Suggested Food Pairing
This pinot noir will complement a variety of dishes such as Fennel-Garlic Pork Roast, Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts, or Leek and Pecorino Wood Fire Pizza. This wine is also excellent on its own.
Specifications
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.7
2016 Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, Napa Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
This small production wine is dense and powerful, featuring an alluring combination of briny minerality and Bing cherries. Touches of French oak and spice add complexity to this textured wine.
Suggested Food Pairing
The 2016 Carneros Pinot Noir is a great match for crab or salmon cakes with fresh herbs or arancini di riso with fontina cheese and wild mushrooms. This wine is also excellent on its own.
Specifications
Appellation: Los Carneros, Napa Valley
Barrel Regime: 100% French oak barrels
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.6
2016 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
Bright cherry, wild strawberry aromas come together to reveal a palate that shows jammy, tart Bing cherry, and complex baking spice flavors yet the bright acidity lingers. Drink now through 2023.
Suggested Food Pairing
This delicious pinot noir will complement hearty mushroom dishes such as pappardelle with wild mushrooms. Another classic pairing for this Russian River Pinot Noir is seared duck breast with cherries and port sauce.
Specifications
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Alcohol: 13.66%
pH: 3.56
2016 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
This elegant wine overflows with cherry, plum, and raspberry aromas and beautifully ripe pure flavors along with bergamot tea that adds complexity and interest. The silky-smooth texture keeps you wanting more.
Suggested Food Pairing
Try this pinot noir with sesame crusted seared ahi tuna over arugula salad. The elegant tannins of this wine will pair with wide variety of cuisines from spicy to comfort foods. Also perfect for sipping on its own.
Winery: Meadowcroft Wines
Owner: Tom Meadowcroft
Location: Sonoma, CA
Meadowcroft is the namesake of Winegrower Tom Meadowcroft. The meaning of Meadowcroft is a fertile field or meadow and croft refers to a cultivated area that has been nurtured over time. The honeybee on the label symbolizes this conscientious work and the process of transformation from wine grapes into an outstanding wine.
A Toast from the Winemaker…
As the winemaker I am ever in the pursuit of creating wines infused with an explosive strength of diverse character that strike a soulful chord. The zeal of creativity with which I am driven is inspired by the rich cultural experience from where Meadowcroft Wines originates. I proudly focus on a wide array of beautiful varietals, from our Cabernet Sauvignon which is grown on our estate vineyard property located on the esteemed Mount Veeder in Napa, to Bordeaux grapes scrupulously sourced from sustainable vineyards around Dry Creek, Carneros and Alexander Valley, I happily direct a global dialogue into my winemaking process. My hope is to create wines with a Sonoma pulse that express the complexity found in European varietals. I invite you to raise a glass of Meadowcroft and wish you bountiful gatherings and many happy toasts!
Cheers!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Meadowcroft Mixed Pinot Noirs - $40 = 17.76%
So yeah, as @ilCesare noted, @coffeemate12 and I were lucky enough to get tapped on the e-shoulder for some labrattage. We received 2 bottles total. One was the Anderson Valley and one was the Carneros/Napa Valley. Under the best of times, there’s no way the wifely one and I could kill a bottle each (anymore) but we also don’t typically have wine left over for the next night when we pop a cork. Call it a character flaw.
So we invited a married couple whom we hadn’t seen in awhile over for dinner and told them to be ready to take notes. Our friends are primarily cocktail drinkers but they were willing to jump in…for science! We bought some Costco herb buttered salmon to bake and we also made some pork tenderloin in the Instapot. Roasted some mushrooms and asparagus and threw in a side of rice. We went all in with the typical Pinot pairings.
We poured the wines side by side for each of us. The Anderson Valley immediately evoked cries of “ooh, Jolly Rancher” on the nose. The Carneros was more muted and earthy. If you like your Pinots funky and barnyardy, this ain’t them. That’s not a bad thing but occasionally it’s fun to smell the funk.
On the palate, the Anderson Valley was definitely the more fruit forward of the two. Loads of sour cherries with a slight astringent character. By comparison, the Carneros was more complex and subtle with the fruit. More layers were present and the finish was longer with a bit more spice.
The wines paired fantastically with the food. They both continued to evolve over the course of dinner but the conversation flew too much for the taking of additional notes.
Of the two wines, the Carneros was the favorite. But one of our friends summed it up nicely. He said “if I was going to drink multiple glasses of the wine I would choose the Carneros, but if I was only going to have one, I’d go with the Anderson Valley; it’s more flavorful”. Since I rarely have just one glass, I guess that means more Carneros for me!
Can’t wait to hear what other ratters have to say about the other two wines!
This is my first lab rat mission, so go easy. We received the Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley bottles while our daughter was visiting from DC. These were enjoyed out on the deck on a gorgeous far-Northern California evening with a selection of local cheddars, olives, crackers and artisan chocolates.
We began with the Russian River Valley. The nose was very subdued and hard to nail down. Consensus was a light cherry and blueberry. Fruity, but far from over the top. Taste was initially a bit tart but mellowed quickly with our snacks. Unfortunately, the fruitiness also dissipated quickly. The noticeable tannins should give this wine a nice shelf life. There was a significant amount of heat that lingered for quite a while. What struck us most was how well it complimented the habanero cheddar. We agreed that this would pair nicely with most spicy dishes.
Next, we popped open the Sonoma Coast. Our initial impressions included aroma of cocoa, prune and cherry. The tasting impression was that this variety is much more flavorful, bigger and more cab-like than the RRV. This wine was smoother in heat and tannins. It complimented all of our snack board except for the chocolates. Not sure what to make of that. The delicious fruitiness remained much longer than that of the RRV.
Bottom line - we all enjoyed both Pinots very much, but the Sonoma Coast was the clear favorite.
Would this be comparable to the Roessler Pinot Noir deals back from Wine Woot? Getting to try 4 different Pinots from different areas but the same winemaker?
@winer Email me with your address and I’ll add you to the list! ariana@winecountryconnect.com. We have quite a long list, so patience is always appreciated!
@KNmeh7@winer There is no signup sheet as we are trying to make sure all Kickstarter backers get the opportunity first. I do have a separate list going for those who have reached out via email. Shoot me an email and you will be added.
My wife and I have purchased over 40 cases of wine from this site since late January. That is from ~63 offers, some which were not offered to GA. THIS is the first I have heard of it.
Seems to me that we should have been automatically added to the list.
@jeffreywsnyder It was well publicized that only party-level backers would be on the initial list to rat, however after a while, in the different threads, there have been several mentions of the opportunity for everyone else to get on the list, and Ariana has put up that sign-up address before.
It might have been well publicized on the Kickstarter site/board, but since there was no advantage to me to participate in the Kickstarter as all Meh.com VMPs were automatically included in Casemates, so I never witnessed it.
As you might suspect, I read just about everything posted on the Casemates board, but although I have seen comments from individuals indicating a desire to be Rats, I do not recall seeing anything about how to BE one.
I just searched for the email address in the “Search Casemates” search box and saw references to stickers, tickets and gatherings, but nothing about a Rat signup procedure.
@jeffreywsnyder If you didn’t follow the kickstarter closely, you probably missed the bit about why the kickstarter could be worthwhile, even for those of us who were already VMPs on meh. One was that if you were interested in laying out an extra $100, I think it was (above the VMP cost), you got a party pack (selection of wine and other goodies) which also put you on the list to be a lab rat. At that time, that was the only announced way to become one. Another neat thing about getting VMP via the kickstarter was that people who did (or was it only existing meh VMPs who did, can’t remember now) got a few $10 Casemates coupons, which, assuming one uses them to order from the site, serve to lower the year’s cost for VMP shipping.
The fact that I saw the various posts suggesting or stating that others could also become rats is probably evidence that I spend way too much time reading the chat on this site. I’m going to respectfully decline the opportunity to search the site to find those posts for you.
@InFrom@jeffreywsnyder I am also going to decline to search through old posts to prove that point but I have seen WD respond to people (on several different occasions) to email him when they asked “How do I become a labrat?”. I don’t specifically remember Ariana doing it but she probably has too. I think you can just click on a user’s screen name to see their posting history so the evidence is there for anyone who does want to search for it.
Hi Cellar Rats! Tom Meadowcroft here. Funny that we are into the animal world, as last week I was commenting about mythological creatures and wine. I was musing about Gremlins and the Gremlins that come out in our cellar at night. I think the Gremlins are stealing wine out of our barrels at night and feasting on our Pinots, as they seem to prefer this varietal more than others! What you will find in each of these Pinots being offered are rich aromatics ranging from wild strawberry and red cherry, to dusty earthy, and mushroom notes.
I was tapped to Rat the 2016 Meadowcroft Russian River Velley Pinot Noir. I was supported in this endeavor once again by @Hey_Zeus and my still lovely wife. We popped and poured at cellartemp to start, and tasted in Schott Zwiesel Burgundy stems. Upon opening we noted vanilla and toast from the barrel aging influence (in a good way), we smelled aromas of cola and spice notes as well. As we swirled the wine in our glasses we saw a beautiful deep red color (this will not be confused with a Burgundy profile), there is noticeable extraction and body. This reminded me of some of Brian Lorings PN’s on several levels.
As it warmed and we tasted we noted moderate acidity and decent length on the finish. There are red fruits including strawberry and black cherry, and some black fruits present, as well as some smoke on the finish.
This is a well made and elegant Pinot that straddles the modern extraction camp and the more subtle burgundy camp. My better half and I prefer the more extracted fruit forward profile, yet this was rich enough and with enough body to please us. At this price it’s an excellent value and fun to get all 4 profiles to compare and contrast. Thanks Casemates!
Labrat here…enjoyed this bottle with my neighbor on a sunny afternoon on the patio. We received the bottle of Meadowcroft Anderson Valley. At first sniff, you are tickled with black cherry nuances. And with our eager first sip, we said hello to a young and tangy, pickled cherry flavor. As it aerated, the flavor became less acidic. Our honest opinion is that it needed one more year in the bottle. I would snap up the deal and stick it in my wine cooler for a year. The cork is just reason enough to buy the wine Cheers!
I agree, about the acid levels, that are robust and give the wine great energy today. A touch of the future does linger as a smoothness as you let the wine linger on your palette. I hope you all can enjoy a bottle in the near future and then stash some away to be enjoyed in 2020 or after as well.
@tommeadowcroft thanks for jumping on board. Do you mind expanding from what vineyards the grapes were sourced? Also, is your style more toward the new world winemaking? Someone mentioned Loring Wine Company. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with LWC but we just came back from visiting them yesterday and my wife loved Brian’s stuff. Any similarities in style? Thanks
@tommeadowcroft one more thing. What percentage of barrels were new vs neutral? I am very sensitive to any oak influence. How much did each bottling see?
In regards to Loring Wines I have not tasted these. My style is to evoke some of the wonderful Burgundies I used to be able to afford 30 years ago. There is a core of fruit, that is enveloped in exotica that I would describe as earthy, hints of warm spice, sometimes a smokey black tea note as well. In some of these Pinots you will see some light coffee notes as well. The really wonderful thing is to let the wine open up and see it evolve over a dinner…or lunch!
Regarding your sensitivity to oak, Lost Highway, I certainly appreciate your concern. I too can feel at times a reaction to Oak. I am aware that the toasting of the sugars in the oak, and the charring of the lignin in the oak staves does affect each one of us differently or not at all. Our use of new oak is about 30-35% new and the balance are neutral. So it is there, yet our wine making philosophy is to have new oak to compliment the wonderful aromatics and structure of the wine, and compliment not a main dish! Cheers my friends! I’m off to lunch and birthday cake for me!
@tommeadowcroft
Tom- if I hadn’t read your breakdown on the oak program I would have guessed very much along these lines. It’s there to enhance and deepen the overall profile, however not to overpower the fruit and terrior. Very elegant and well made wines. I did a Sonoma tour a couple years ago and we stopped at Meadowcroft for a full tasting- we enjoyed it very much!
I’ll be talking about Vineyards and Terroirs at a workshop soon. My main focus for you to think about now is how the people, the growers, and then the inspired winemaking follows. In essence, so many areas are suitable for growing wine grapes, and then one needs to apply excellent viticulture practices to bring out the character of a particular place. If you run across a wine from a vineyard that is not good, then perhaps the grower has not found the right direction to harness their place, and then perhaps uninspired winemaking may follow this as well. All the best to you all, Tom
John thank you for your comments off the Pinot. I encourage you all to come taste our wines at the Meadowcroft tasting room when you are near. Thank you all at Casemates! Cheers, Tom
2016 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Wine and Tasting Notes
Packed with summer ripen strawberries accented by Bing cherries and elegant tannins, this refined pinot noir is a beauty. The mouthfeel is velvety and the finish lingers pleasantly. Drink now through 2023.
Suggested Food Pairing
This pinot noir will complement a variety of dishes such as Fennel-Garlic Pork Roast, Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts, or Leek and Pecorino Wood Fire Pizza. This wine is also excellent on its own.
Specifications
2016 Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, Napa Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
This small production wine is dense and powerful, featuring an alluring combination of briny minerality and Bing cherries. Touches of French oak and spice add complexity to this textured wine.
Suggested Food Pairing
The 2016 Carneros Pinot Noir is a great match for crab or salmon cakes with fresh herbs or arancini di riso with fontina cheese and wild mushrooms. This wine is also excellent on its own.
Specifications
2016 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
Bright cherry, wild strawberry aromas come together to reveal a palate that shows jammy, tart Bing cherry, and complex baking spice flavors yet the bright acidity lingers. Drink now through 2023.
Suggested Food Pairing
This delicious pinot noir will complement hearty mushroom dishes such as pappardelle with wild mushrooms. Another classic pairing for this Russian River Pinot Noir is seared duck breast with cherries and port sauce.
Specifications
2016 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
Wine and Tasting Notes
This elegant wine overflows with cherry, plum, and raspberry aromas and beautifully ripe pure flavors along with bergamot tea that adds complexity and interest. The silky-smooth texture keeps you wanting more.
Suggested Food Pairing
Try this pinot noir with sesame crusted seared ahi tuna over arugula salad. The elegant tannins of this wine will pair with wide variety of cuisines from spicy to comfort foods. Also perfect for sipping on its own.
Specifications
Price Comparison
$532.75/case at Meadowcroft (for different vintages, including shipping)
Video
About The Winery
Winery: Meadowcroft Wines
Owner: Tom Meadowcroft
Location: Sonoma, CA
Meadowcroft is the namesake of Winegrower Tom Meadowcroft. The meaning of Meadowcroft is a fertile field or meadow and croft refers to a cultivated area that has been nurtured over time. The honeybee on the label symbolizes this conscientious work and the process of transformation from wine grapes into an outstanding wine.
A Toast from the Winemaker…
As the winemaker I am ever in the pursuit of creating wines infused with an explosive strength of diverse character that strike a soulful chord. The zeal of creativity with which I am driven is inspired by the rich cultural experience from where Meadowcroft Wines originates. I proudly focus on a wide array of beautiful varietals, from our Cabernet Sauvignon which is grown on our estate vineyard property located on the esteemed Mount Veeder in Napa, to Bordeaux grapes scrupulously sourced from sustainable vineyards around Dry Creek, Carneros and Alexander Valley, I happily direct a global dialogue into my winemaking process. My hope is to create wines with a Sonoma pulse that express the complexity found in European varietals. I invite you to raise a glass of Meadowcroft and wish you bountiful gatherings and many happy toasts!
Cheers!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jul 16 - Tuesday, Jul 17
@tommeadowcroft is here waxing poetic about Gremlins.
(Click their username for recent activity.)
@javadrinker shared the Anderson Valley and the Carneros/Napa Valley with @coffeemate12 and some friends.
@smittypap pops a few corks for their first Lab Rat Report on the Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley.
@johnnelson7333 finds the 2016 Meadowcroft Russian River Valley Pinot Noir to be rich enough and with enough body to please.
@grishamazing thinks the Meadowcroft Anderson Valley needs 1 more year in the bottle.
Meadowcroft Mixed Pinot Noirs
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $184.99 $15.42/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Meadowcroft Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
2016 Meadowcroft Pinot Noir Carneros
2016 Meadowcroft Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
2016 Meadowcroft Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
Are we expecting any rodents to chime in?
@karenhynes Yes. Looks like Java has an Anderson
@ilCesare What are you, clairvoyant?
@ddeuddeg @ilCesare Haha, I tipped my hand with the CellarTracker add in but I waited until today. Yes, we ratted.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Meadowcroft Mixed Pinot Noirs - $40 = 17.76%
So yeah, as @ilCesare noted, @coffeemate12 and I were lucky enough to get tapped on the e-shoulder for some labrattage. We received 2 bottles total. One was the Anderson Valley and one was the Carneros/Napa Valley. Under the best of times, there’s no way the wifely one and I could kill a bottle each (anymore) but we also don’t typically have wine left over for the next night when we pop a cork. Call it a character flaw.
So we invited a married couple whom we hadn’t seen in awhile over for dinner and told them to be ready to take notes. Our friends are primarily cocktail drinkers but they were willing to jump in…for science! We bought some Costco herb buttered salmon to bake and we also made some pork tenderloin in the Instapot. Roasted some mushrooms and asparagus and threw in a side of rice. We went all in with the typical Pinot pairings.
We poured the wines side by side for each of us. The Anderson Valley immediately evoked cries of “ooh, Jolly Rancher” on the nose. The Carneros was more muted and earthy. If you like your Pinots funky and barnyardy, this ain’t them. That’s not a bad thing but occasionally it’s fun to smell the funk.
On the palate, the Anderson Valley was definitely the more fruit forward of the two. Loads of sour cherries with a slight astringent character. By comparison, the Carneros was more complex and subtle with the fruit. More layers were present and the finish was longer with a bit more spice.
The wines paired fantastically with the food. They both continued to evolve over the course of dinner but the conversation flew too much for the taking of additional notes.
Of the two wines, the Carneros was the favorite. But one of our friends summed it up nicely. He said “if I was going to drink multiple glasses of the wine I would choose the Carneros, but if I was only going to have one, I’d go with the Anderson Valley; it’s more flavorful”. Since I rarely have just one glass, I guess that means more Carneros for me!
Can’t wait to hear what other ratters have to say about the other two wines!
This is my first lab rat mission, so go easy. We received the Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley bottles while our daughter was visiting from DC. These were enjoyed out on the deck on a gorgeous far-Northern California evening with a selection of local cheddars, olives, crackers and artisan chocolates.
We began with the Russian River Valley. The nose was very subdued and hard to nail down. Consensus was a light cherry and blueberry. Fruity, but far from over the top. Taste was initially a bit tart but mellowed quickly with our snacks. Unfortunately, the fruitiness also dissipated quickly. The noticeable tannins should give this wine a nice shelf life. There was a significant amount of heat that lingered for quite a while. What struck us most was how well it complimented the habanero cheddar. We agreed that this would pair nicely with most spicy dishes.
Next, we popped open the Sonoma Coast. Our initial impressions included aroma of cocoa, prune and cherry. The tasting impression was that this variety is much more flavorful, bigger and more cab-like than the RRV. This wine was smoother in heat and tannins. It complimented all of our snack board except for the chocolates. Not sure what to make of that. The delicious fruitiness remained much longer than that of the RRV.
Bottom line - we all enjoyed both Pinots very much, but the Sonoma Coast was the clear favorite.
great labrattage!
Would this be comparable to the Roessler Pinot Noir deals back from Wine Woot? Getting to try 4 different Pinots from different areas but the same winemaker?
@stickyfingers1 The Roesseler Pinots were more of the earthy, barnyard, and saddle leather aromas more resembling a Burgundian offering.
@billmort @stickyfingers1 They were also single vineyard wines.
Thanks for the rattage guys, I’m in for a case. How do I sign up to be a rat?
@winer Email me with your address and I’ll add you to the list! ariana@winecountryconnect.com. We have quite a long list, so patience is always appreciated!
@arianaWCC @winer Woah. So the people who backed the kickstarter in the labrat tier, I understand are labrats. But there is a signup sheet? Since when?
@KNmeh7 @winer There is no signup sheet as we are trying to make sure all Kickstarter backers get the opportunity first. I do have a separate list going for those who have reached out via email. Shoot me an email and you will be added.
@arianaWCC
WTH
There is a LIST
And we have to APPLY to be on it
My wife and I have purchased over 40 cases of wine from this site since late January. That is from ~63 offers, some which were not offered to GA. THIS is the first I have heard of it.
Seems to me that we should have been automatically added to the list.
@jeffreywsnyder at what level did you back the kickstarter?
@jeffreywsnyder It was well publicized that only party-level backers would be on the initial list to rat, however after a while, in the different threads, there have been several mentions of the opportunity for everyone else to get on the list, and Ariana has put up that sign-up address before.
@jeffreywsnyder @jml326
VMP, not Kickstarter.
@InFrom
It might have been well publicized on the Kickstarter site/board, but since there was no advantage to me to participate in the Kickstarter as all Meh.com VMPs were automatically included in Casemates, so I never witnessed it.
As you might suspect, I read just about everything posted on the Casemates board, but although I have seen comments from individuals indicating a desire to be Rats, I do not recall seeing anything about how to BE one.
I just searched for the email address in the “Search Casemates” search box and saw references to stickers, tickets and gatherings, but nothing about a Rat signup procedure.
Maybe I just missed it. Please show me where.
@jeffreywsnyder If you didn’t follow the kickstarter closely, you probably missed the bit about why the kickstarter could be worthwhile, even for those of us who were already VMPs on meh. One was that if you were interested in laying out an extra $100, I think it was (above the VMP cost), you got a party pack (selection of wine and other goodies) which also put you on the list to be a lab rat. At that time, that was the only announced way to become one. Another neat thing about getting VMP via the kickstarter was that people who did (or was it only existing meh VMPs who did, can’t remember now) got a few $10 Casemates coupons, which, assuming one uses them to order from the site, serve to lower the year’s cost for VMP shipping.
The fact that I saw the various posts suggesting or stating that others could also become rats is probably evidence that I spend way too much time reading the chat on this site. I’m going to respectfully decline the opportunity to search the site to find those posts for you.
@InFrom @jeffreywsnyder I am also going to decline to search through old posts to prove that point but I have seen WD respond to people (on several different occasions) to email him when they asked “How do I become a labrat?”. I don’t specifically remember Ariana doing it but she probably has too. I think you can just click on a user’s screen name to see their posting history so the evidence is there for anyone who does want to search for it.
Hi Cellar Rats! Tom Meadowcroft here. Funny that we are into the animal world, as last week I was commenting about mythological creatures and wine. I was musing about Gremlins and the Gremlins that come out in our cellar at night. I think the Gremlins are stealing wine out of our barrels at night and feasting on our Pinots, as they seem to prefer this varietal more than others! What you will find in each of these Pinots being offered are rich aromatics ranging from wild strawberry and red cherry, to dusty earthy, and mushroom notes.
I was tapped to Rat the 2016 Meadowcroft Russian River Velley Pinot Noir. I was supported in this endeavor once again by @Hey_Zeus and my still lovely wife. We popped and poured at cellartemp to start, and tasted in Schott Zwiesel Burgundy stems. Upon opening we noted vanilla and toast from the barrel aging influence (in a good way), we smelled aromas of cola and spice notes as well. As we swirled the wine in our glasses we saw a beautiful deep red color (this will not be confused with a Burgundy profile), there is noticeable extraction and body. This reminded me of some of Brian Lorings PN’s on several levels.
As it warmed and we tasted we noted moderate acidity and decent length on the finish. There are red fruits including strawberry and black cherry, and some black fruits present, as well as some smoke on the finish.
This is a well made and elegant Pinot that straddles the modern extraction camp and the more subtle burgundy camp. My better half and I prefer the more extracted fruit forward profile, yet this was rich enough and with enough body to please us. At this price it’s an excellent value and fun to get all 4 profiles to compare and contrast. Thanks Casemates!
Labrat here…enjoyed this bottle with my neighbor on a sunny afternoon on the patio. We received the bottle of Meadowcroft Anderson Valley. At first sniff, you are tickled with black cherry nuances. And with our eager first sip, we said hello to a young and tangy, pickled cherry flavor. As it aerated, the flavor became less acidic. Our honest opinion is that it needed one more year in the bottle. I would snap up the deal and stick it in my wine cooler for a year. The cork is just reason enough to buy the wine
Thanks for all the labrat reports. Very helpful!
I agree, about the acid levels, that are robust and give the wine great energy today. A touch of the future does linger as a smoothness as you let the wine linger on your palette. I hope you all can enjoy a bottle in the near future and then stash some away to be enjoyed in 2020 or after as well.
@tommeadowcroft thanks for jumping on board. Do you mind expanding from what vineyards the grapes were sourced? Also, is your style more toward the new world winemaking? Someone mentioned Loring Wine Company. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with LWC but we just came back from visiting them yesterday and my wife loved Brian’s stuff. Any similarities in style? Thanks
@tommeadowcroft one more thing. What percentage of barrels were new vs neutral? I am very sensitive to any oak influence. How much did each bottling see?
In regards to Loring Wines I have not tasted these. My style is to evoke some of the wonderful Burgundies I used to be able to afford 30 years ago. There is a core of fruit, that is enveloped in exotica that I would describe as earthy, hints of warm spice, sometimes a smokey black tea note as well. In some of these Pinots you will see some light coffee notes as well. The really wonderful thing is to let the wine open up and see it evolve over a dinner…or lunch!
@tommeadowcroft thanks. Any info on vineyard sources?
Regarding your sensitivity to oak, Lost Highway, I certainly appreciate your concern. I too can feel at times a reaction to Oak. I am aware that the toasting of the sugars in the oak, and the charring of the lignin in the oak staves does affect each one of us differently or not at all. Our use of new oak is about 30-35% new and the balance are neutral. So it is there, yet our wine making philosophy is to have new oak to compliment the wonderful aromatics and structure of the wine, and compliment not a main dish! Cheers my friends! I’m off to lunch and birthday cake for me!
@tommeadowcroft
Tom- if I hadn’t read your breakdown on the oak program I would have guessed very much along these lines. It’s there to enhance and deepen the overall profile, however not to overpower the fruit and terrior. Very elegant and well made wines. I did a Sonoma tour a couple years ago and we stopped at Meadowcroft for a full tasting- we enjoyed it very much!
Happy Birthday, Tom!!!
What are vineyard sources for each? Thanks
I’ll be talking about Vineyards and Terroirs at a workshop soon. My main focus for you to think about now is how the people, the growers, and then the inspired winemaking follows. In essence, so many areas are suitable for growing wine grapes, and then one needs to apply excellent viticulture practices to bring out the character of a particular place. If you run across a wine from a vineyard that is not good, then perhaps the grower has not found the right direction to harness their place, and then perhaps uninspired winemaking may follow this as well. All the best to you all, Tom
Any SoCal/San Diego interest in a 3-way?
John thank you for your comments off the Pinot. I encourage you all to come taste our wines at the Meadowcroft tasting room when you are near. Thank you all at Casemates! Cheers, Tom