Winery - Halleck
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Strong in fruit and oak, and not showing much subtlety at this time, although it’s quite rich and showy. Dry and firm in the mouth, with huge cherry, black raspberry, red plum, Dr. Pepper and sandalwood flavors. Could grow more complex by mid-2010 and hang in there for a few years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here’s a big, bold Pinot Noir, the kind that’s been much discussed in critical circles over the years for not being “typical.” No, it’s not Burgundy. It could almost be Grenache, it’s so rich and ripe in almost sweet cherry-filled chocolate candy flavors. But there’s no denying the deliciousness factor, while the acidity is just right to make it clean and balanced.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the most structurally tannic of Halleck’s current trio of Pinots, although it’s easy enough to drink tonight. Those tannins frame ripe flavors of cherry jam, cola, rhubarb pie, mocha, new oak and Asian spice, and the texture is pure silk and satin. Deliciously gentle, it’s a wine that changes in the glass as it airs and warms.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Tons of fruit in this soft, ripe wine. The flavors run from red cherries and cranberries to red plums and pomegranates, with smoky notes of sandalwood and peppery spices. Doesn’t seem terribly complex now, but could develop bouquet after 2011.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is a very fine Sauvignon Blanc. It reminds me of Rochioli’s, so ripe and complex in apple, peach, citrus and melon flavors, although this one’s sweeter. A touch of oak adds smoky cream and vanilla. For the technically minded, the acidity is 7.7 grams per liter, which is quite high for a California wine.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Halleck has established itself as a notable Pinot player in the valley, crafting wines made solidly in the New World style of soft, ripe, complicated flavors. Here the fruit brims in cherries, pomegranates, root beer, cola and new oak, wrapped into a classically silky, seductive mouthfeel. Undoubtedly this wine is best in its youth.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A little too sweet and candied for true greatness, this Pinot, from the Sebastopol area in the southwest Russian River Valley, has LifeSaver flavors of cherries, raspberries, cola and vanilla.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A pace off the 2005, this single-vineyard wine, from the Sebastopol area, shows enormously ripe, powerful flavors of cherries, blackberries, raspberries, cola and vanilla. Fortunately, acidity is quite high, giving all that rich flavor a crisp bite.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Although this is from the Sonoma Coast appellation, it’s high elevation, so the vineyard is often above the fog that plagues the lower Russian River Valley. As a result, the wine is quite ripe and forward in jammy raspberries, cherries, licorice and cola. New French oak adds the usual smoky, vanilla accents.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Made entirely from the French Dijon clone 777, this is a very pure Pinot Noir that relies on flavor, rather than subtlely, for success. And there’s no shortage of flavor. Cherries, raspberries, cola, vanilla, honey, smoky oak and spice flood the mouth, while the finish is dry and balanced. Good as it is, the challenge is to build in additional layers of depth and complexity.
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