Gold Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal - 2008 West Coast Wine Competition
Canihan Wines is based in the southern end of the Sonma Valley, where their estate vineyards have a climate much more similar to Carneros than to the rest of the Valley to the north. This makes it ideally suited for cooler climate varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In exceptional vintages, Canihan will select a small number of barrels to go into their Exuberance line of reserve wines, which represent the finest that this organically farmed vineyard has to offer. With plenty of structure and intensity, these wines are perfectly suited to cellaring, and we were fortunate enough to pick up the last few cases of their 2005 Exuberance Pinot Noir, which is aging beautifully.
The 2005 Exuberance Pinot Noir Alexandra's Reserve is pale garnet in color, with just a touch of bricking at the rim, which is appropriate for a wine of this age. The nose offers intense aromas of dark berries, spice, earth, and dried flowers. The palate has beautifully integrated with age, showing cherry, berry, vanilla, mint, baking spice, and a touch of toasty oak, finishing with smooth tannin. After 7 years of aging it has integrated and softened, resulting in a lovely wine sure to delight Pinot Noir fans. And best of all, we are able to offer it at an incredible 33% off. This wine doesn't need any more cellaring, and once you have tasted it, you won't want to wait to open your next bottle anyway.
100% Estate Grown
100% Dijon Clones 115, 667 & 777
Harvested on September 28, 2005
Aged 12 months in 100% French Oak
13.7% Alcohol
Total Acid: 0.54g/100ml
3.87 pH
Bottled on September 19, 2006
200 Cases Produced
96 Points
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, floral violet and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather. Smooth tannins, firm structure and silky texture coat the palate on route to a long, generous finish.
90 Points
Rich and voluptuous with ripe raspberry, cherry, and plum, layered with hints of lavender, fig compote, and exotic spice. Concentrated and complex, the palate is a balanced interplay cocoa, and a hint of espresso, creating both richness and intrigue. Vibrant acidity and silky tannins that contribute heft and length that coat the palate with luscious ripeness that keeps on giving.
Inky, plush, and cellar-worthy
The nose is an aromatic riot—a decadent mashup of blackberry, black cherry, and plum swirled with whimsical notes of red licorice, vanilla, and cocoa. A savory dust of spice, cedar, and a gentle kiss of oak adds a sophisticated edge to this fruit-forward powerhouse.
93 Points
Deep red hue and hints of violet teasing the senses with seductive aromas of dark fruits, wild berries, cocoa, baking spices, leather, and cigar box. Filled with saturated flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cherry cola, ripe plum, chopped mint leaves, while the palate unfolds with rich tannin, juicy acidity, and flavors of cherry gastrique, berry coulis, herb mélange, and licorice.
98 Points
Deep purple hue and an alluring aromatic profile of fresh blue fruits and delicate violets. On the palate, it delivers a seamless and layered texture, framed by supple, polished tannins and a refined sense of balance. Elegantly structured, it offers remarkable purity and finesse, finishing with graceful length and poise.
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
91 Points
Shimmering ruby-purple hue. The nose is a walk through a damp Sonoma forest—mossy bark and wild earth—brightened by high-toned notes of cranberry sauce and blood orange. On the palate, it's generously long in the mouth, with good concentration. It's a masterclass in tension: intense, cherry and red current fruit meets dark spice and fine, sandy tannins.
94 Points
Deep red-purple with aromas of black currents, blackberry, plum, chocolate, earthy forest floor, licorice, graphite, and subtle floral notes of violet, spice and cracked pepper. The palate is full, structured and balanced with blackberry, currant, black cherry fruit with notes of earth, firm acid and silky tannins. Finishes big with blackberry fruit and peppery spice.
96 Point Vintage
Entices with aromas of Bing cherry, raspberry, and cedar spice. Indicative of the cool vintage, the wine carries a freshness throughout. The palate offers a harmonious balance between bright red fruit, spice, and nicely woven tannins.
