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January/February, 2004
| vintage: |
2002 |
 |
rating: |
89 pts. |
Full, deep red. Sappy aromas of maraschino cherry, wild strawberry, sassafras, herbs and mint, all lifted by a note of orange peel. Concentrated, dense and fat, with strong wild berry flavors accented by mint. Seems a bit axtractive for this relatively inexpensive early release but manages to maintain its freshness. Offers almost Burgundian texture and weight, and very good persistence. A superb value.
December 23, 2003
| vintage: |
2002 |
|
rating: |
88 pts. |
I have always enjoyed Saintsbury's lighter-styled, fruity Pinot Noir Garnet. No one does it as well as this estate, and the 2002 Pinot Noir Garnet is a great example of a reasonably priced Pinot that shows off this grapes's varietal character. Made in a fruit-forward, delicious, accessible style, this medium to deep ruby-colored 2002 offers an atractive nose of raspberries, cherries, dried herbs, and cola. Drink this plush offering over the next 1-2 years.
November 2003
| vintage: |
2002 |
|
rating: |
N/A |
A recent study commissioned and executed by Wilder on Wine proved unequivocally that makers of pinot noir have on average 37% more grey hairs and 21% more furrowed brows than do winemakers focused on other varietals.
Pinot noir is a damn difficult grape to work with, and it usually costs more because you never know how much wine you’ll get, or how good it’ll be. A heavy rain or cold shock during the harvest and you could have a little bit of sucky wine. (But when it’s good it’s like nothing else on Earth!)
Oh, and as a wine maker you stress and fret over it from vineyard to vat to barrel to bottle. If ever a high price for wine was warranted, it’s for great pinot noir. That’s what makes the 2002 Garnet such a killer find.
This is a great pinot and it costs so little, there’s no way the wine maker is going to pay for that botox treatment (you know, for the wrinkles).
For around $15, you get a ruby colored youngster with a nose full of white pepper and almost-marjoram (which is almost a real herb). There’re also buckets of cherry, a touch of plum and a big dose of minerals.
Though it’s a bit alcoholic on the palate, I wouldn’t call it “out of balance.” The cherry is sweet and the oak and earth keep it from being too sweet. Remember too that this is a brand-spankin’ new wine, and a year from now both the acidity and maybe the sweetness will soften a little.
I wouldn’t keep it for much longer than a couple years, though. This isn’t a wine to age. This is a wine to open with friends, drink with dinner, and run back to the store to grab more of the next day.
Or, heed this advice, save the gas money and buy two bottles on your first store trip. Seriously, considering all the worrying the wine maker must have done, I think it’s the least you can do.
Cheers, TSW |
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