2008 Windward Vineyard Monopole Pinot Noir

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, June 2, 2013

VINTAGE

2008

WINERY/PRODUCER

Windward Vineyard

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

Monopole

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Estate grown and bottled

REGION/APPELLATION/A.V.A. (American Viticultural Area)

Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.3%

PRICE PAID

$30.40 ($36.52 with sales tax and shipping; $38 full retail price)

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

We got this bottle from the winery’s wine club in March, 2013.  Windward occasionally ships older, “library” wines to their wine club members, such as this bottle.

BOUQUET

Windward, by FAR the best Pinot maker in Paso Robles (not a typically ideal appellation for world-class Pinot Noir), makes consistently fantastic Pinots. 

This wine has an earthy, mostly red-fruited bouquet that also exhibits spicy (black pepper and savory herbs), slightly oaky, and a couple of dark-fruited elements. 

The 2006 Windward Pinot was a classic Burgundian, light-bodied, gorgeous Pinot.  The 2007 Windward Pinot had an almost Northern Sonoma Coast, dark, rich, spicy profile that could not have been more different from the 2006 (2007 was an extremely dry year, resulting in wines that were uncommonly dark, rich, and spicy).  This 2008 appears to be somewhere between the 2006 and the 2007 vintages.  Let’s see how it tastes………

 

TASTING NOTES

Once again, Marc and Maggie (Windward’s proprietors) have made another delicious, elegant, deeply-flavored, complex, fantastic Pinot. 

As the color and bouquet suggested, this wine is indeed somewhat of a cross between the 2006 and 2007 vintages, though much closer to the 2007 than the 2006 (the 2006 was opaquely red, whereas the 2007 (and the 2008) are much darker, bordering on VERY dark red, if not almost purple/black).  This wine does have some red fruits in its flavor profile (sour cherries and raspberries), along with some dark/black fruits as well (plums and blackberries), in addition to a TON of savory herbs and a healthy dose of Paso earthiness.  The barrels used in the winemaking process have added a bit of oak with just a hint of a rumor of a suggestion of some vanilla as an undercurrent.

This is a very well-balanced, smooth, delicious Pinot with the right amount of acidity and alcohol, along with a flavor profile that runs deep and complex.  Again, this is a dark, rich, spicy, almost North Coast-esque Pinot Noir.  And that is NOT a bad thing when it’s done properly/correctly.  Not exactly Burgundian, but delicious and yummy in so many wonderful ways!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Arthur’s homemade Duck Confit, along with a potato and mushroom stirfry utilizing some of the duck fat from the Duck Confit.  As any/everybody knows, Pinot pairs beautifully with duck and mushrooms.  The 2008 Windward Pinot was no exception.

Because this is a dark, rich, spicy Pinot, it would also pair well with grilled steaks smothered in a peppery mushroom medley, a beautifully-spiced rib roast, pot roast, and just about any other red meat dish.  Because this Pinot is rich, dark, and spicy, do NOT pair this wine with salmon or other seafoods, which pair beautifully with truly light-bodied Burgundian Pinots (as in the 2006 Windward Pinot).

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking fantastically right now and thanks to it’s soft, elegant tannins and well-balanced acidity, it should continue to drink well for another 10+ years.

SCORE (on a 100-point scale)

90

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.windwardvineyard.com/