Harvest Moon Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 3-Pack
$53.99 $̶9̶7̶.̶0̶0̶ 44% off List Price
2011 Harvest Moon Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
CT link above
I’ve been waiting for this! I had two opportunities to taste this recently. First was at the winery during Barrel Tasting weekend. We had the pleasure of Randy’s attention and wisdom for a good hour or so, and he had the graciousness to open up a bottle of his first estate Zin. If you want to be convinced that Zins age (although after the SoCal tasting, no more convincing needed) then you should also pick up his Zin.
Anyway, back to this wine, the 2011 RRV Pinot Noir. Randy et al told us this was going to be an upcoming woot, so I got out the notebook to take some notes. Keep in mind this was midway through Sunday of a long weekend of tasting:
The bottle was freshly opened. Nose was slightly smoky, earthy, and a bit of cherry. Flavour was slightly vegetal with some minerality. No tannin to speak of. Some strawberry and cherry to round out the fruity aspect. The wine was very bright and light with a medium finish. It’s not the wine to lay down for a decade, but it’s lively and will not disappoint.
I tried this a few weeks ago. I’ll get my notes together in the morning.
But…but… I want them NOW! :wah:
I mentioned I had two chances to taste this wine. Turns out that I met a friend in the parking lot of Harvest Moon who handed me a bottle of this with a nudge and a wink.
Molarchae and I opened it a week ago and got to spend an evening with it. Although it didn’t really last the entire evening.
Pop n pour: brilliant purple, very light in colour, edge of the rim actually trended toward transparent and colourless. The wine was ever so slightly cloudy (fine particulate). Nose was earthy, slightly spicy with a hint of cherry. Palate was nice and balanced - plenty of acid but not too much. Very easy to drink with raspberry and bright cherry flavours and a decently long finish dominated by mushroom.
Pop + 15 minutes: More fruit forward on the palate, but followed up by more mushroom throughout the wine.
Pop + 45 minutes: The spicy notes and acid have moved a bit more to the front and the wine was getting more interesting.
I don’t have any notes past this point. Molarchae and I finished the bottle off without any real effort since it’s so easy drinking and perfectly balanced. And kudos to Randy for making an excellent RRV Pinot Noir with a) 12.5% alcohol and b) none of that cherry cola flavour that seems to dominate some of the more, um, bombastic examples from the AVA.
Bottom line: hard to imagine not liking this wine. Unless you hate mushrooms. This will be a great drinker this summer and next, maybe even until 2015. But there’s no need to wait on this one - it’s ready to go right now. Only woot PN I’ve had that would beat this value was D’Ontspille, and that’s Woot Cellars.
I will not be purchasing this one, since I walked out of Harvest Moon that afternoon with a case, while my compatriots bought another 1.5 cases.
Thanks WD, Neil, and Randy for making this woot happen. This should sell out by noon. and thanks, Randy, for spending so much time chatting with us at the winery during a busy barrel tasting.
I’ve got half a dozen different HM’s and good notes on both the Gewurtz and Zin I’ve opened so far.
Also a '09 PN, but yet unopened.
Interested in this but Klez’s remarks regarding aging cause pause. Would like some additional info from the winery to help with the decision, and those other promised TN’s.
A bit pricier than earlier, but the times change.
[QUOTE=rjquillin, post:7, topic:382954]
I’ve got half a dozen different HM’s and good notes on both the Gewurtz and Zin I’ve opened so far.
Also a '09 PN, but yet unopened.
Interested in this but Klez’s remarks regarding aging cause pause. Would like some additional info from the winery to help with the decision, and those other promised TN’s.
A bit pricier than earlier, but the times change.
[/quote]
Do you want/need all your wine to age for decades?
Greetings,
Thanks for stopping by. This RRV Pinot Noir deal is probably one of the best deal on woot 2013… This is not a sledgehammer Pinot Noir rather one with finesse and elegance… At 12%, this wine is packed full of perfumy rose pedal and spice. If you like more flowers-style over corporate wine spec style Pinots, this is your summer sipper.
I produced 180 cases more than in the past so I’m serving this one up now… The tannins are not massive, however the natural acidity will carry this wine for a few years. This wine promises NOT to disappoint…
[QUOTE=rjquillin, post:7, topic:382954]
I’ve got half a dozen different HM’s and good notes on both the Gewurtz and Zin I’ve opened so far.
Also a '09 PN, but yet unopened.
Interested in this but Klez’s remarks regarding aging cause pause. Would like some additional info from the winery to help with the decision, and those other promised TN’s.
A bit pricier than earlier, but the times change.
[/quote]
Hello Woot Folk,
I am offering today my small production Estate Russian river Valley Pinot Noir. Harvest Moon is proud to craft elegant, low-acohol wines from our fog-drenched vineyards in the heart of the Russian River Valley. With only moderate sugars, my four-man crew and I are some of the first to harvest Pinot capturing the perfumed, rose and spice that comes with a 12% alcohol Pinot Noir. When reviewing ths wine, think Flowers rather than a NYC corporate Pinot. This is not a Pinot acting like a big bad syrah… Light body and light color are to be expected with this complex and layered style. Worth the taste. I’ll buy back any bottles you are not happy with… randy@harvestmoonwinery.com
The 2011 growing season brought about some of the coolest weather patterns in almost 40 years. with the fog lingering till after lunch vs burning off at 9 AM kept the earth cooler than normal. In 2011, our July afternoons peaked out at a mere 72 compared to the typical 85-87 degrees. This very cool, long season allowed the sugars to very slowly ripen and the tartaric and citric acids to soften… couple this with thin skins, the aromas and flavors are delicate yet vibrant and pronounced. This is a pinot meant to be consumed within a few years.. or your first spring BBQ… Enjoy and ask Questions!!!
It’s great to have Harvest Moon back on woot. Thanks Randy for this offering! I’m surprised that you ended up with 180 cases more in 2011 when most producers suffered losses. As I understand it a lot of folks pruned leaf cover to help grapes ripen, since it was so cool. Then a late heat wave burned the exposed fruit. Since you were going for a lower ABV, did you avoid pruning? Also, did you add vines or just reserve more of this Pinot for your estate bottling?
Just got back from the Oregon coast and having more than my fair share of Pinot (well, not really). We liked the 2010 local vintages, can anyone tell me how this RRV Pinot would compare?
[QUOTE=klezman, post:8, topic:382954]
Do you want/need all your wine to age for decades?
[/quote]
Ha, no, but I could see how it would seem like that. I am so behind the curve on bottles I need to consume that when adding additional I do hope for a drink-by date of at least a few years out. And I have enjoyed those other HM’s.
I’m low on Pinot, so this sounds like a great time to stock up. In for two!
Thanks for stopping by. You are talking about the 2010 vintage where it was also a cool growing season but on August 22nd, we had a huge heat spell that caused major sun burn after 75% of us pulled afternoon leaves to get some sun in and mother nature handed our butts to us. That’s where we lost tonnage. 2011 was the coolest summer patterns in 40 years. The tonnage was up because I picked up an additional vineyard. The 2011 is an awesome wine.
[QUOTE=pcuccaro, post:11, topic:382954]
It’s great to have Harvest Moon back on woot. Thanks Randy for this offering! I’m surprised that you ended up with 180 cases more in 2011 when most producers suffered losses. As I understand it a lot of folks pruned leaf cover to help grapes ripen, since it was so cool. Then a late heat wave burned the exposed fruit. Since you were going for a lower ABV, did you avoid pruning? Also, did you add vines or just reserve more of this Pinot for your estate bottling?
[/quote]
Cool sumer weather brought us a very long growing season bringing the sugars to only moderate maturity which for me was excellent. There were many growers and winefolk who got caught with their pants down by not harvesting, looking for the breakneck sugars which they never got as the rain came and stayed… I participated in a documentary where I was driving around with the film maker
as others were harvesting in downpour…
Some consider the 2011 vintage an “off” year… not me. thin skins from cool summer brought light color and light body but very intense perfumes and red apple potporri… This wine is something more akin to sonoma coast pinots… a mere 12% vs the monster pinots that are in my neighborhood.
[QUOTE=abyra, post:12, topic:382954]
Just got back from the Oregon coast and having more than my fair share of Pinot (well, not really). We liked the 2010 local vintages, can anyone tell me how this RRV Pinot would compare?
[/quote]
Brief review and recommended food pairings with this wine:
[QUOTE=Cesare, post:2, topic:382954]
Harvest Moon Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 3-Pack
$53.99 $̶9̶7̶.̶0̶0̶ 44% off List Price
2011 Harvest Moon Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
CT link above
Winery website
[] Every winery needs a separate license from each state which is why your state isn’t listed.
[]Wine Woot is no longer able to ship to Virginia. Click here for more info.
[*]Sales tax is now calculated and charged at checkout for your location.
[/quote]
I call BS on that one. I have visited this winery and they have shipped wine to my house in Indiana.
[QUOTE=randyzin, post:10, topic:382954]
The 2011 growing season brought about some of the coolest weather patterns in almost 40 years. with the fog lingering till after lunch vs burning off at 9 AM kept the earth cooler than normal. In 2011, our July afternoons peaked out at a mere 72 compared to the typical 85-87 degrees. This very cool, long season allowed the sugars to very slowly ripen and the tartaric and citric acids to soften… couple this with thin skins, the aromas and flavors are delicate yet vibrant and pronounced. This is a pinot meant to be consumed within a few years.. or your first spring BBQ… Enjoy and ask Questions!!!
[/quote]
Randy,
some notes from your vintners book would be great here, harvest brix, pH, TA and cooperage perhaps?
Harvest was at the end of the first week in September 2011. Brix came in around 22.1, ph was around 3.4 and TA was approximately .62 at crush. No tartaric acid or water was added… There are nearly NO winery producing Pinot Noir who can say they neither acidulate or hydrate their Pinot Noir. cheers
[QUOTE=rjquillin, post:19, topic:382954]
Randy,
some notes from your vintners book would be great here, harvest brix, pH, TA and cooperage perhaps?
[/quote]