Full Review

Comartin Cellars

Comartin Cellars
2018 R-Bar-R Ranch Single Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork Turkey

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.2%
94 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$56

Comartin Cellars
2018 R-Bar-R Ranch Single Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork Turkey

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.2%
Garnet black color. Aromas and flavors of pomegranate caramel tart, pencil shavings and matcha, lava rocks, and boysenberry vinaigrette with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, intriguing, medium-length finish revealing notes of choke cherry and huckleberry puree and nuts with well-integrated, chewy tannins and light oak flavor. A bright and inviting Pinot Noir that bring loads of tangy fruit and mouthwatering acidity to the table.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth, New World & Savory
Aroma Aroma: pomegranate caramel tart, pencil shavings and matcha, lava rocks, and boysenberry vinaigrette
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of choke cherry and huckleberry puree and nuts
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Ham With Mostarda, Turkey Meatballs, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A bright and inviting Pinot Noir that bring loads of tangy fruit and mouthwatering acidity to the table.

The Producer

Porterhouse Winery

The Producer
2435 Briarwood Dr.
San Jose, CA 95125
USA
1 408-656-1230

Their Portfolio

89 Christeni Vineyards 2018 Parker McCollum - To Be Loved By You, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 14.4% (USA) $40.00.
91 Christeni Vineyards 2014 Anderson Red Blend, Napa Valley 14.6% (USA) $42.00.
90 Christeni Vineyards 2017 Parker McCollum - Probably Wrong, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast 14.4% (USA) $45.00.
86 Christeni Vineyards 2020 Parker McCollum - To Be Loved By You, Sauvignon Blanc, El Dorado 12.8% (USA) $30.00.
BR Christeni Vineyards 2019 Parker McCollum - To Be Loved By You, Central Coast 13.8% (USA) $30.00. - Bronze Medal
88 Christeni Vineyards 2019 Parker McCollum - To Be Loved By You, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 14.4% (USA) $45.00.
94 Comartin Cellars 2018 R-Bar-R Ranch Single Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 14.2% (USA) $56.00.
92 Comartin Cellars 2018 Cuvée Cassidy, Santa Ynez Valley 14.4% (USA) $44.00.
92 Comartin Cellars 2019 R-Bar-R Ranch, Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 13.9% (USA) $49.00.
91 Comartin Cellars 2020 R-Bar-R Ranch Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 14.4% (USA) $64.00.
88 Comartin Cellars 2021 R-Bar-R Ranch, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 14.4% (USA) $64.00.
90 JDR Wines 2013 Sonoma Valley 15.5% (USA) $45.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2014 Alko Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.4% (USA) $85.00.
93 Porterhouse Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 14.4% (USA) $49.00.
94 Porterhouse Winery 2016 Reserve Lot Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley 14.4% (USA) $60.00.
91 Porterhouse Winery 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley 14.4% (USA) $85.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2017 Reserve Black Label Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley 14.4% (USA) $55.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2018 Black Label Reserve Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley 14.4% (USA) $60.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley 14.4% (USA) $95.00.
91 Porterhouse Winery 2018 Blackridge Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains 14.5% (USA) $70.00.
93 Porterhouse Winery 2016 Creekside Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $58.00.
90 Porterhouse Winery 2019 Blackridge Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains 14.5% (USA) $70.00.
93 Porterhouse Winery 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.4% (USA) $100.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $100.00.
92 Porterhouse Winery 2019 Blackridge Vineyard Reserve Black Label Red Blend, Santa Cruz Mountains 13.9% (USA) $90.00.
91 Porterhouse Winery 2019 Blackridge Vineyard Black Label Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains 13.9% (USA) $90.00.

Pinot Noir

Wine Glass Burgundy.jpg
Serve in a Burgundy Wine Glass
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most fascinating red varieties. While many red grapes produces wines of power and youthful intensity, a wine made from Pinot Noir is often more refined with higher acidity and lower levels of tannins. The spiritual home for Pinot Noir is Burgundy, where it is produced in many styles, from very light to examples that can age for two to three decades.

Pinot Noirs tend to have aromas and flavors red cherry fruit, while some offer notes of wild strawberry, plum or even floral notes such as carnation and red roses. As tannins in Pinot Noir are not as pronounced as in a grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo, most Pinot Noirs can be enjoyed upon release, which is usually two to three years after the vintage.

Burgundy works extremely well for Pinot Noir, as it is a cool climate; a warm or hot climate would not bring out the perfumes of the variety. Thus growers in several countries have planted Pinot Noir in their coolest regions, looking to emulate Burgundy. These include the Willamette Valley in Oregon; Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills in California (among others); Central Otago in New Zealand; Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys in Chile and the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden in Germany (where the grape is known as Spatburgunder). The concept of terroir – a wine is the producet of its specific environment – is most often associated with Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noirs tend to pair well with poultry (duck a l’orange is a classic match), game birds and even certain types of seafoods (as tannins are low), such as salmon, tuna and halibut.