2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir, Hein Vineyard, Anderson Valley
Tasting Notes
The wine expresses beautiful floral notes of dried rose petal and violets along with high-toned black and red fruit. The mouth is filled with dried cherry, pomegranate, and even hints of black tea. The wine has a lively finish and will continue to age gracefully for an additional 3-5 years based on our previous work with the vineyard.
The Hein Vineyard has always been a favorite of ours. Located in the far, deep northwestern corner of the Anderson Valley, with a southwest exposure, the location provides the perfect amount of sunshine, coupled with the cooling influences from the Pacific breezes that fill the valley every night. Having produced wines from the site each year since 2004, we’ve become accustomed to the lighter, more elegant style, which is brimming with violets and scents of wet earth on the nose. The palate is typically briary black fruit like blackberry, with hints of baked cherry pie, and a very pleasing length to the wine which is complemented by toasty oak and moderate tannins.
The 2018 vintage was one which enjoyed a consistent growing season, resulting in favorable crop loads in northern California. Anderson Valley enjoyed warm sunny days in late summer, allowing the fruit to develop fully before picking. The fruit was picked in early October, hand sorted in the winery, and after destemming, it was transferred to a 5 ton open top stainless steel tank for fermentation. The tank was punched down daily and pumpovers helped to add the complexity to the finished wine.
We used several new and neutral French oak barrels to age the wine. The wine was left to age for 16 months before going through the bottling process. As is typical of our wines, once they are in bottle for 3-5 years, they become a seamless expression of the vineyard. The 2018 Hein has reached that point and we are extremely happy with the finished product!
Specs
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Anderson Valley
Barrels: French Oak 25% New
Barrel Aging: 16 Months
Fermentation: Native Yeast
pH: 3.95
Total Acidity: 5.26
Alcohol Content: 13.9%
Case Production: 90
Winemaker: Roger Roessler
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir, Hein Vineyard, Anderson Valley Case:
12x 2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir, Hein Vineyard, Anderson Valley
Passionately Made Pinot Noir from the Heart of the Sonoma Coast
In 2015 we celebrated 15 years of winemaking. This evolution and adventure has taken us down many roads and produced some wines that we are truly proud of along the way.
In 2016, we were ready to turn the page on yet another exciting chapter and announced that our continued journey would be under a new banner, Roger Roessler Wines. My brother and partner Richard Roessler and I have taken our message full circle and look forward to continuing the work to bring you wines of distinction, working closely with growers and winemakers to produce wines — especially high-end Pinot Noir — that express the style of wine that we enjoy drinking and sharing with family and friends.
We invite you to join us and experience these amazing wines.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
“Wine is Coming Your Way!” is always the best subject line to find in one’s inbox. This was delivered the middle of last week and we gave it a couple days to acclimate. We still managed to taste over two nights in preparation for the listing going live.
Hein is a new one for us and the first impression was favorable. I opened the package to discover a simple, understated, yet elegant bottle that immediately got my QPR juices flowing. I do always try to avoid reading until after we’ve tasted but - having now imbibed - I can affirm the tasting notes on the back.
Initial Appearance
Him - light to medium bodied, garnet in color
Her - initially looked fuller bodied, but after a swirl realized it was lighter
Nose
Him - picking up berries (raspberry in particular) and maybe some plum and a hint of grass
Her - feeling the aroma of a warm, humid summer night from childhood … followed by spice, black pepper, and pine
^ probably the best note/observation of this whole post - it’s all downhill from here, folks
First Taste (PNP)
Him - initially tart like cranberry, very light, a little more heat than expected from 13.9% would indicate, some oak
Her - berry on the front of the tongue, not too much on the back
Post-Vinturi Taste
Him - picked up more herbacous and earthy notes on the nose, but the taste was similar
Her - picked up salami / cured meats, with a medium-light body, more fruity on the front and more flavor on the back of the tongue
Day 2 (+24h) Taste
Him - more cherry and raspberry on the nose, and more berry with a hint of cinnamon with a long finish that ended with hints of strawberry, smooth and very enjoyable
Her - more berry, more enjoyable just to sip as it opened up significantly - overall better than after PNP
As is usually the case(mates) with us, we went down the food pairing route with the rattage opportunity. I will admit we didn’t necesarily have the most pinot-friendly collection on hand this week. Nonetheless, it’s always interesting to see how different things come together.
Smoked Cheddar - nope, overpowers the wine
Garlic Cheddar - see above
Sharp Cheddar - very nice, the creaminess is balanced by the acidity and the cheddar comes back through on the finish
Tennessee Whiskey BellaVitano - nice, picked up some vanilla and cherry flavors mid-palate
Uncured Genoa Salame - good, neither overpowered the other, a solid if unspectacular pairing
Cranberry Jalapeno Chicken Meatballs - surprisingly good, picked up some cherry
Strawberry Jam - brought out some off-dry notes, nice berry flavor (her favorite)
Fresh Blackberries - totally overpowered the wine
Semisweet Chocolate - picked up some darker berry
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Dijon/Balsamic Glaze - made these on Day 2; the wine really cut through and played off the flavors well (his favorite)
Overall
This one notably improved in all facets with some time to breathe - I’d definitely recommend that you open in advance and/or decant to appreciate all it has to offer. Restrained yet complex, as conflicting as that may sound. You can really appeciate how the terrior has produced such a balanced pinot here.
I do wish we’d had a more suitable meal to pair as this would no doubt shine with the traditional salmon, roasted potatoes, etc. However, based on my experience with the Brussels sprouts, it has the legs to shine alongside sweet and acidic flavors.
Truly a quality wine with serious QPR at the Casemates offer. A solid deal $25/bottle or less, in my assessment.
@sdilullo great job Lab Rats! As you mentioned the food options might have missed the mark a bit. The wine always worked well for me with Old Amsterdam. Phenomenal aged Gouda! That aside, I loved your notes on everything, The fresh Blackberries must have blown away the wine! Anderson Valley is known for producing Burgundian Pinots which typically do well with savory dishes. It would do well with Lamb or maybe some slow roasted short ribs that use some Asian spice. I’m a fan of Brussel Sprouts and as long as th balsamic doesn’t overpower them, they woul be a good choice.
Maybe most inspiring was the Day 2 notes. This wine can still use more time in the bottle, It needs a good 45 minutes to open up to really enjoy it. AND never be shy about going back for anything that’s been neglected the next day!
Cheers!!
@PNOTPDCR Indeed I wish we’d had the pairings better lined up to see the wine truly shine. Nonetheless, very much enjoyed it - thanks for chiming in and, of course, for making it available to the unwashed masses!
@klezman
I’ve enjoyed those '09 and '09 Hein Vineyard Roessler from '16 and '17 when @winedavid49 was blowing them out. Still have a few if CT isn’t too whacked up.
@rjquillin@Winedavid49 I think some of it may be up in your locker by me.
This is such a tempting offer, but the year of garagiste purchases the just showed up cautions discretion.
2018 Roessler, Hein Vineyard Pinot Noir
It might just be good…
Classy lookin’ bottle and labels.
It’s got some age on it.
Pulled the cork, and the composite cork was well-stained.
Good smell from the bottle.
Poured a couple of glasses. Used the big-ass glasses to give it a chance.
The color is dark for a Pinot.
*Let me say, I/we am/are not Pinot fans at all. I’ve had a couple that I’ve liked, but they were expensive. Here’s where we’re coming from: Yesterday we drank a Caymus Cab. And we drink our wine before dinner. Yeah, that kinda wine drinkers.
Sniffy-sniff. I got a melange of red fruits, and I distinctly got the impression of dust, (before I read the back label). Nice!
First taste (SWMBO) “Pretty fruity.”
Good mouth-feel. Again, indistinct red fruits and a lot of high notes…rose petals. Not too acidic, and just course enough tannins that I know I’m drinking real wine.
SWMBO again, “reminds me of Paisano”, yeah, what we used to smuggle into the nursing home for her Nani.
The nose again…very nice.
I like it!
This is one of the best Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted.
Some might say it’s a Cab-lovers Pinot Noir.
More impressions tomorrow. Let’s see how it holds up, indicating cellarability.
OK, it’s tomorrow…well, it’s really today now.
I thought the wine had gone a little flat, lost some of those pretty high notes, but SWMBO thought if was “better” on the 2nd day. Not really a lot of change in either direction though.
My guess on price? I think this is going to be an expensive one. I’m going for a $20+ price tag…perhaps as much as $25/bottle.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir - $70 = 23.33%
@mrn1 hey buddy. The longest I’ve had a Hein lay down was just over 10yrs. I have a vertical of the Hein going back to 2014 I believe. It varies from vintage to vintage. I just opened my last 2018 in my cellar last night. I think this particular vintage is showing peaking right now. All the notes are in beautiful harmony and nicely balanced. It should remain this way for a few more years. RR wines tend to age more gracefully for a Pinot Noir. This one is medium-light bodied overall with plenty of bright red berries damp hay and unobtrusive structure. It’s a fantastic Pinot at an unbeatable price, even at tasting room prices. Comparable Pinot that come to mind immediately would be Sojourn (2-3x the price), Walt (2x the price), Corner 103. All great wines but the Roessler Hein at this price is an automatic case! Spoil yourself with a high quality every day sipper.
@winesnob Knowing you’re a big Roessler fan, I figured you would recommend grabbing a case. I did, and I’m also involved in a split w/ my NE OH CaseMate pals. Love me a great Pinot! Thanks for your insight!!!
Does anyone remember if I remember correctly the Pinot clear out about 8-10 years ago? They were from numerous different vineyards(different colored labels) but were all I believe under the Roessler label. Is this offering at all associated with that random Pinots deal. That wine/deal was one of the best I’ve ever had on this website.
@stickyfingers1 Memory could be failing, but from what I recall…
Those sales were inventory clean-out due to the winery being sold and re-branding by the new owners.
This offer looks to be by the same winemaker that sold the brand and is now producing from some of the same vineyards under new labels. Hein was one of the vineyard designate bottles that was sold in those sales in '16 and '17 on w.w. and offered here.
I loved Roessler Pinot Noir when they had just the Roessler label. And I’m a sucker for Anderson Valley. In for a case. If anyone near SF wants 3 bottles I’m willing to share (a little).
I see the 2018 Lennox for 19.95 at Invino with free shipping with 6 bottle order. Lennox is listed at $60 at winery website versus $54 Hine (Hein). I am not very familiar with Pinot Noir in general and would be interested in opinions of Lennox versus Hine (Hein) (both are 2018) deals.
@free2day33611 Both Lennox and Hein are comparable. They are also the two svd’s that show up most often on flash sites. I may give a slight edge to Lennox but love them both. My private notes call out more florals on Hein, more berry flavors in Lennox. A quick look at Invino shows Hein there as well , and '22 Red Birds. We need a mixed case of the remaining Roesller stock here, including any Grenache or old Rhapsody’s left hangingn around!
Good morning Pinot lovers! 7 am here in Vietnam and i apologize for being late to the party! I’m 14 hours ahead of you\or 13… i get confused! Happy to be working with WineDavid again. The comments bring back memories of “vintages” gone by! Since I’m still waking up, i will work on more replies after i get my day going. Suffice to say, thanks for all the support! The Hein truly is an all time favorite! Not the big fruity, jammy, over the top Ca Pinot, it is definitely a Burgundy fan favorite. Having worked with fruit from Oregon (Dick Shea) to Santa Barbara (Sanford & Benedict, Clos Pepe, etc) and most places in between, this is one I will always pull when I’m enjoying something savory that brings out the complex nuances that make it such a pleasure to enjoy. I hope you are able to grab some and lay down a few. This one will be great as it continues its life in the bottle for years to come!
Cheers!
@PNOTPDCR Still enjoying my few remaining 2009s! Happy to see you back and I hope it’s not a one-time occurrence. I need to work down the cellar so I can buy next time. It’s always a happy night in our house when I open a Roessler!
2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir, Hein Vineyard, Anderson Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$550.80/Case for 12x 2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir, Hein Vineyard, Anderson Valley at Roger Roessler Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Mar 11 - Tuesday, Mar 12
2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $99.99 $25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $229.99 $19.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
“Wine is Coming Your Way!” is always the best subject line to find in one’s inbox. This was delivered the middle of last week and we gave it a couple days to acclimate. We still managed to taste over two nights in preparation for the listing going live.
Hein is a new one for us and the first impression was favorable. I opened the package to discover a simple, understated, yet elegant bottle that immediately got my QPR juices flowing. I do always try to avoid reading until after we’ve tasted but - having now imbibed - I can affirm the tasting notes on the back.
Initial Appearance
Him - light to medium bodied, garnet in color
Her - initially looked fuller bodied, but after a swirl realized it was lighter
Nose
Him - picking up berries (raspberry in particular) and maybe some plum and a hint of grass
Her - feeling the aroma of a warm, humid summer night from childhood … followed by spice, black pepper, and pine
^ probably the best note/observation of this whole post - it’s all downhill from here, folks
First Taste (PNP)
Him - initially tart like cranberry, very light, a little more heat than expected from 13.9% would indicate, some oak
Her - berry on the front of the tongue, not too much on the back
Post-Vinturi Taste
Him - picked up more herbacous and earthy notes on the nose, but the taste was similar
Her - picked up salami / cured meats, with a medium-light body, more fruity on the front and more flavor on the back of the tongue
Day 2 (+24h) Taste
Him - more cherry and raspberry on the nose, and more berry with a hint of cinnamon with a long finish that ended with hints of strawberry, smooth and very enjoyable
Her - more berry, more enjoyable just to sip as it opened up significantly - overall better than after PNP
As is usually the case(mates) with us, we went down the food pairing route with the rattage opportunity. I will admit we didn’t necesarily have the most pinot-friendly collection on hand this week. Nonetheless, it’s always interesting to see how different things come together.
Overall
This one notably improved in all facets with some time to breathe - I’d definitely recommend that you open in advance and/or decant to appreciate all it has to offer. Restrained yet complex, as conflicting as that may sound. You can really appeciate how the terrior has produced such a balanced pinot here.
I do wish we’d had a more suitable meal to pair as this would no doubt shine with the traditional salmon, roasted potatoes, etc. However, based on my experience with the Brussels sprouts, it has the legs to shine alongside sweet and acidic flavors.
Truly a quality wine with serious QPR at the Casemates offer. A solid deal $25/bottle or less, in my assessment.
@sdilullo
Excellent notes! Was sold at the warm humid nights.
@sdilullo great job Lab Rats! As you mentioned the food options might have missed the mark a bit. The wine always worked well for me with Old Amsterdam. Phenomenal aged Gouda! That aside, I loved your notes on everything, The fresh Blackberries must have blown away the wine! Anderson Valley is known for producing Burgundian Pinots which typically do well with savory dishes. It would do well with Lamb or maybe some slow roasted short ribs that use some Asian spice. I’m a fan of Brussel Sprouts and as long as th balsamic doesn’t overpower them, they woul be a good choice.
Maybe most inspiring was the Day 2 notes. This wine can still use more time in the bottle, It needs a good 45 minutes to open up to really enjoy it. AND never be shy about going back for anything that’s been neglected the next day!
Cheers!!
@PNOTPDCR Indeed I wish we’d had the pairings better lined up to see the wine truly shine. Nonetheless, very much enjoyed it - thanks for chiming in and, of course, for making it available to the unwashed masses!
Another great wine at a great price!
@klezman
I’ve enjoyed those '09 and '09 Hein Vineyard Roessler from '16 and '17 when @winedavid49 was blowing them out. Still have a few if CT isn’t too whacked up.
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 I think some of it may be up in your locker by me.
This is such a tempting offer, but the year of garagiste purchases the just showed up cautions discretion.
/giphy minimalist-possible-prison
2018 Roessler, Hein Vineyard Pinot Noir
It might just be good…
Classy lookin’ bottle and labels.
It’s got some age on it.
Pulled the cork, and the composite cork was well-stained.
Good smell from the bottle.
Poured a couple of glasses. Used the big-ass glasses to give it a chance.
The color is dark for a Pinot.
*Let me say, I/we am/are not Pinot fans at all. I’ve had a couple that I’ve liked, but they were expensive. Here’s where we’re coming from: Yesterday we drank a Caymus Cab. And we drink our wine before dinner. Yeah, that kinda wine drinkers.
Sniffy-sniff. I got a melange of red fruits, and I distinctly got the impression of dust, (before I read the back label). Nice!
First taste (SWMBO) “Pretty fruity.”
Good mouth-feel. Again, indistinct red fruits and a lot of high notes…rose petals. Not too acidic, and just course enough tannins that I know I’m drinking real wine.
SWMBO again, “reminds me of Paisano”, yeah, what we used to smuggle into the nursing home for her Nani.
The nose again…very nice.
I like it!
This is one of the best Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted.
Some might say it’s a Cab-lovers Pinot Noir.
More impressions tomorrow. Let’s see how it holds up, indicating cellarability.
OK, it’s tomorrow…well, it’s really today now.
I thought the wine had gone a little flat, lost some of those pretty high notes, but SWMBO thought if was “better” on the 2nd day. Not really a lot of change in either direction though.
My guess on price? I think this is going to be an expensive one. I’m going for a $20+ price tag…perhaps as much as $25/bottle.
@FritzCat I enjoyed the real-time review, and the story of “used to smuggle into the nursing home for her Nani”
@FritzCat curious - do u drink your coffee with cream and/or sugar but not black, right?
@tercerowines I like my coffee like I like my women…
Bitter.
I drink my coffee black.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2018 Roger Roessler Wines Pinot Noir - $70 = 23.33%
Automatic case buy!!! Might even get two cases. Don’t sleep on this wine!
@winesnob I was going to text you to get your thoughts. As I assumed!!! What would you guess the cellar life is?
@mrn1 hey buddy. The longest I’ve had a Hein lay down was just over 10yrs. I have a vertical of the Hein going back to 2014 I believe. It varies from vintage to vintage. I just opened my last 2018 in my cellar last night. I think this particular vintage is showing peaking right now. All the notes are in beautiful harmony and nicely balanced. It should remain this way for a few more years. RR wines tend to age more gracefully for a Pinot Noir. This one is medium-light bodied overall with plenty of bright red berries damp hay and unobtrusive structure. It’s a fantastic Pinot at an unbeatable price, even at tasting room prices. Comparable Pinot that come to mind immediately would be Sojourn (2-3x the price), Walt (2x the price), Corner 103. All great wines but the Roessler Hein at this price is an automatic case! Spoil yourself with a high quality every day sipper.
@winesnob Knowing you’re a big Roessler fan, I figured you would recommend grabbing a case. I did, and I’m also involved in a split w/ my NE OH CaseMate pals. Love me a great Pinot! Thanks for your insight!!!
hmmm… light bodied? medium bodied? Cab lover’s pinot? No offense to anyone but not a Caymus cab fan. Thinking of using a coupon on a 4 pack but…
@kaolis Yeah, the two rats have rather different impressions…
Does anyone remember if I remember correctly the Pinot clear out about 8-10 years ago? They were from numerous different vineyards(different colored labels) but were all I believe under the Roessler label. Is this offering at all associated with that random Pinots deal. That wine/deal was one of the best I’ve ever had on this website.
@stickyfingers1 Memory could be failing, but from what I recall…
Those sales were inventory clean-out due to the winery being sold and re-branding by the new owners.
This offer looks to be by the same winemaker that sold the brand and is now producing from some of the same vineyards under new labels. Hein was one of the vineyard designate bottles that was sold in those sales in '16 and '17 on w.w. and offered here.
See upthread post as well.
@stickyfingers1 Absolutely! that was one of my favorites too!! Same winemaker I believe.
I loved Roessler Pinot Noir when they had just the Roessler label. And I’m a sucker for Anderson Valley. In for a case. If anyone near SF wants 3 bottles I’m willing to share (a little).
@winecatlady I’m interested! I’m in Oakland, how would you want to arrange hand-off and payment?
This is a great wine. Have not drank this vintage yet, but have had 2013-2017 @winedavid49 need to put together a mixed case offering
/giphy limited-pure-custard
Any southern MI splits? I am considering grabbing a case of this Roessler Pinot
@ttboy23 do it! You won’t regret it
@winesnob I
Pinot
I see the 2018 Lennox for 19.95 at Invino with free shipping with 6 bottle order. Lennox is listed at $60 at winery website versus $54 Hine (Hein). I am not very familiar with Pinot Noir in general and would be interested in opinions of Lennox versus Hine (Hein) (both are 2018) deals.
@free2day33611 Both Lennox and Hein are comparable. They are also the two svd’s that show up most often on flash sites. I may give a slight edge to Lennox but love them both. My private notes call out more florals on Hein, more berry flavors in Lennox. A quick look at Invino shows Hein there as well , and '22 Red Birds. We need a mixed case of the remaining Roesller stock here, including any Grenache or old Rhapsody’s left hangingn around!
Good morning Pinot lovers! 7 am here in Vietnam and i apologize for being late to the party! I’m 14 hours ahead of you\or 13… i get confused! Happy to be working with WineDavid again. The comments bring back memories of “vintages” gone by! Since I’m still waking up, i will work on more replies after i get my day going. Suffice to say, thanks for all the support! The Hein truly is an all time favorite! Not the big fruity, jammy, over the top Ca Pinot, it is definitely a Burgundy fan favorite. Having worked with fruit from Oregon (Dick Shea) to Santa Barbara (Sanford & Benedict, Clos Pepe, etc) and most places in between, this is one I will always pull when I’m enjoying something savory that brings out the complex nuances that make it such a pleasure to enjoy. I hope you are able to grab some and lay down a few. This one will be great as it continues its life in the bottle for years to come!
Cheers!
@PNOTPDCR Still enjoying my few remaining 2009s! Happy to see you back and I hope it’s not a one-time occurrence. I need to work down the cellar so I can buy next time. It’s always a happy night in our house when I open a Roessler!
/giphy lockable-solid-boa
@kitkat34
/giphy flatulent-salty-slug
