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Balletto 2009 Winery Block Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $34
Shows the ripe fruit of Balletto’s Pinot Noirs, with bright, forward raspberries and cherries. But there’s an appealing earthiness, something like wild mushrooms sautéed in olive oil. Oak adds the perfect touch of buttered toast. Drink now–2015.
— S.H.
(4/1/2012)
Balletto 2007 Burnside Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- Cellar Selection
- $34
If you open this bottle before late 2009, you’ll find a tightly wound wine marked by acidity and tannins. In other words, not showing its best. Inside the structure is remarkably ripe fruit, along the lines of cherries, currants, pomegranates and cola. It’s a big, exuberant wine, but it does need time, and has the balance to achieve it.
— S.H.
(5/1/2009)
Balletto 2009 Burnside Road Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $40
So delicious and easy to drink, it’s complexities are almost unappreciated. Lush, ripe raspberry, cherry and cola flavors flatter the palate, finished with smoky toast and exotic spices. Extra points for crisp acidity and lovely tannins.
— S.H.
(4/1/2012)
Balletto 2009 BCD Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $34
Give this wine a year or three in the cellar, unless you like your Pinots a little on the tough side. Tannins and earthiness currently dominate the polished raspberry and cherry flavors. If you do drink it now, decant for a few hours, but not overnight.
— S.H.
(4/1/2012)
Balletto 2005 Estate Syrah (Russian River Valley)
- $24
Spicy and fruity, with flashy black and red currant, mocha, licorice, cedar, smoky vanilla and cinnamon-pepper flavors, this single-vineyard Syrah shows real class. Dry and softly tannic, it scores high on the deliciousness scale.
— S.H.
(6/1/2008)
Balletto 2010 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $28
This is an uncomplicated, delicious Pinot Noir. What you taste is what you get. It’s all about flashy raspberry, strawberry and cherry jam, toasted oak and spice flavors, wrapped into Pinot’s inimitably silky texture.
— S.H.
(4/1/2012)
Balletto 2007 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $24
Balletto’s style is typically earlier picked, drier and more acidic and lower in alcohol than many other Russian River Pinots. The 2007 is quite a good wine along those lines. The great structure houses flavors of currants, Dr. Pepper cola and spice, while the firm tannins give a chewy leathery feel. Should develop through 2013.
— S.H.
(5/1/2009)
Balletto 2007 Winery Block Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
- $34
A big, tough, young wine that’s a little rustic now, but could develop soft, mellow complexities in the bottle. The acids and tannins now gang up on the berry and currant flavors, dominating them. Give it until after 2009.
— S.H.
(5/1/2009)
Showing items 1
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17
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