2007 Windward Barrel Select Monopole Pinot Noir (94 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Friday, December 21, 2012

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Windward Vineyard

WINE NAME

Barrel Select Monopole

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Estate grown and bottled

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

Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.3%

PRICE PAID

$61.78 (includes sales tax and shipping); regular retail price for non-wine club members is $72

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

We received this bottle in November 2012 from Windward’s wine club

BOUQUET

This wine has a GORGEOUS floral bouquet, exhibiting violets and other flower elements, along with red fruit, spices, earth, and just a hint of oak on the nose.

 

TASTING NOTES

Since the world didn’t (hasn’t yet?) exploded or been invaded by aliens or our sun hasn’t gone super nova, Arthur and I decided to celebrate by having a wonderful bottle of red wine with our dinner at home.  And what better way to celebrate our continued existence than with a bottle of fabulous Pinot Noir? 

Windward is a small, 15-acre vineyard/winery on the west side of Paso Robles, which is, generally speaking, NOT what I would call “Pinot Country.”  Yes, California has several incredible Pinot-producing regions, but Paso isn’t one of them (it’s tough to beat the Russian River Valley and the Santa Rita Hills for phenomenal Pinots, to name a couple).  But some how, some way, Marc and Maggie are able to coax every last ounce of quality from their Pinot grapes to assemble, by far, the best Pinot Noir that has/can/been made in Paso Robles.

Paso is much more famous for their Zins and Rhone varietals, but Windward Pinots can match and/or exceed some of the best Pinots on the planet.  This Pinot has remarkable depth, elegance, nuance, and complexity, fronted first by delicious red and black fruit like plums, black cherries, black berries, and raspberries, supported by black pepper and savory herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme.  There is the PERFECT amount of oak (it’s there, but in the background, not calling attention to itself but lending support and encouragement to the fruits, spices, and earthiness, kind of like Bill Wyman with the Rolling Stones), along with an earthy, terrior-driven creamy loaminess that adds heft and complexity to the flavor profile.

This Pinot is flawlessly well-balanced, with sweet, juicy, delicious fruit, nice zingy acidity, creamy oak and earthy elements, a gorgeous nose, a smooth, elegant, lingering finish, and a flavor profile with depth and complexity that 90+% of the world’s Pinots must envy. 

Depending on the weather/rain/other variables for a given vintage, Windward’s Pinots can be extraordinarily Burgundian-like (i.e. 2006 vintage (light-bodied, feminine, delicate, fantastic beyond belief)) or North Sonoma Coast-like (i.e. 2007 vintage (intense, brooding, dark, deeply flavored and masculine in style)).  But whatever the weather was like before, during, and/or after harvest, Marc Goldberg is an absolute master of the Pinot Noir grape.  Considering the quality of Pinot Noirs that Marc and Maggie can muster in a region that is NOT conducive to world-class Pinots is truly amazing.  I’m beginning to wonder what Marc and Maggie could do with the Chardonnay grape since they can perform unbelievable miracles with the Pinot Noir grape in a non-Pinot region.  Marc/Maggie: please contact Tablas Creek for some Chardonnay cuttings; I’m POSITIVE that you would/could probably make world-class Chardonnays in Paso as well.

 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this fabulous wine with a huge rib eye steak generously seasoned with Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, and a mild sprinkling of Herbs de Provence and absolutely smothered with a mushroom medley.  Thanks to Pinot’s earthy herbaceousness, the wine paired brilliantly with the mushroom-smothered rib eye.  Because the 2007 vintage is very Sonoma Coast-like, I would steer clear of duck, salmon, chicken, and scallop dishes, which the 2006 vintage would pair beautifully with.  With the serious, dark, brooding, spicy 2007 vintage, I would stick with red meats to pair with this Pinot, such as lamb (racks/shanks/chops) and beef (just about any version will do).

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking gorgeously right now, but thanks to its structure, I would imagine this wine will continue to age gracefully and beautifully for another ten to twenty years.

SCORE (on a 100-point scale)

94

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

GOOD – EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.windwardvineyard.com/