CalStar is one of the many small, family owned producers making wine from fruit sourced from vineyards throughout Northern California. These small producers are often the force driving innovation, especially with Pinot Noir, and always a source of new, exciting wines. Owner/winemaker Rick Davis has experience working with many of the big names in California Pinot, and decided to set out on his own, with the goal of creating food friendly wines with some capability for aging. The 2006 Londer Vineyard Pinot certainly fits that bill.
The CalStar Londer Vineyard 2006 Pinot is light garnet in the glass, with a ruby core. Aromas of raspberry, strawberry, and mulling spice greet the nose. The palate is darker, with ripe Bing cherry, licorice, earth, pepper and spice. Good acidity carries these fruit flavors onto a long, smooth finish. One of the most distinctive features of this wine is its velvety texture, so “typical” of pinot noir, yet so hard to find. It keeps you coming back for sip after sip, letting each one linger on your tongue.
Sourced from the Londer Estate vineyard in Mendocino (an Estate which produces lovely wine themselves, CalStar’s 2006 Londer shows the potential for this cool, foggy region to produce Pinot Noir that is balanced and elegant, yet packed with flavor. This wine really expresses the earthy and spicy notes that Mendocino is known for, making it the perfect match for lamb, mushroom risotto, or any other flavorful, earthy dish. A steal at 30% off!
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clonal Composition: Pommard, 2A, 115 and Swan
Harvest Date: Sept. 15 to Oct. 10, 2006
Brix: 26.5
Oak Regime: 40% New, 60% French, 40% Hungarian
Date Bottled: July 19, 2007
Alcohol: 14.2
pH: 3.65
TA: 5.63 g/L
RS: Less than 0.1%
Release Date: April 1, 2008
Production: 110 cases
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.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
97 Points
Rich dark fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of baking spices, licorice, coffee, and chocolate that interlace seamlessly with complexity, creating a wine that is both structured and delightfully supple, achieving an ideal balance of tension and grace. Artfully composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with 17% Cabernet Franc, resulting in harmonious depth and freshness.
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
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
92 Points
Lofty aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of crushed violets, berry cobbler, cherry and creme brulee leading into crushed blackberry with cassis, mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice. Its all encompassing and bold mouthfeel are outstanding, as deep tannins dance around the palate, finishing with flavors of blackberry, fig, and pipe tobacco.
