2008 Lynmar Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (90 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, August 12, 2012

VINTAGE

2008

WINERY/PRODUCER

Lynmar Estate

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

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

Russian River Valley, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.7%

PRICE PAID

$36 (full retail price is $40; wine club member price is $36 (10% discount); final price with tax and shipping totaled $42.65)

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received this bottle from the winery’s wine club in May 2011

BOUQUET

The nose exhibits classic RRV elements of red fruit (raspberries, plums, and sour cherries), spices (black pepper and savory herbs), earth, and oak. 

TASTING NOTES

This is a fabulous sub-$40 RRV Pinot.  Lynmar bottles estate-sourced fruit but also sources Pinot grapes from other RRV and Sonoma County vineyards.  I’m assuming that since this wine is simply designated as a “RRV” bottling that some (most? all?) of the fruit used in this wine was sourced from other vineyards/wineries.

This is a beautifully well-balanced, classic RRV Pinot Noir, exhibiting gorgeous fruit (black and sour cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and plums), an abundance of savory herbs (black pepper along with a cornucopia of herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage), soft, silky, creamy oak (which also contributed a touch of vanilla and smoke), as well as the perfect amount of acidity and briskness that keeps this medium-bodied beauty well-balanced and in-check. 

Along with the above descriptors, this Pinot also possesses that essence of RRV Pinot (“je ne sais quoi” as the French would say).  Pinot Noir expresses a phenomenal exuberance of terrior (another French term, meaning, roughly, “a sense of place”) in the Russian River Valley, as well as the Santa Rita Hills AVA outside of (north) Santa Barbara.  I can almost always tell immediately if a Pinot Noir comes from the RRV or the Santa Rita Hills, and this elegant, delicious, well-balanced, spicy, fruity Pinot is no exception. 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with grilled, wild-caught Sockeye salmon filets spiced with freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper, as well as Herbs de Provence, in addition to a Rachel Ray chicken breast recipe featuring rosemary, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.  The Lynmar Pinot went pretty well with the salmon and chicken, thanks to it being a light-bodied red with an abundance of savory herb notes.  This wine would also pair well with lamb (racks, chops, shanks, leg, etc.) and just about any pork dish.

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking very well right now and should continue to age/mature well for another 10 years or so.

SCORE (on a 100-point scale)

90 Points

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

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.lynmarwinery.com/30years.html