94
points
Carr 2005 Turner Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
-
$35
This wine is a blend of Dijon clones, which bring pure, jammy fruit. Paired with the older Pommard, the result is a meaty, full-bodied Pinot. There’s an earthiness to the cherries and berries, and the wine is complex and probably ageworthy for six to eight years. This polished wine exemplifies the art of blending, although it’s a single-vineyard wine that vividly…
— S.H.
(4/1/2007)
91
points
Carr 2005 Three Vineyards Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
-
$30
Carr’s 2005 Turner Vineyard was a very exciting discovery for me, and while their Three Vineyards isn’t quite in the same league, it’s still a seriously good wine. Shows full-throttle Santa Rita atttibutes of crisp balance, intensely ripe fruit, great mouthfeel and limited ageability. The palate loves the cherries, raspberries, cola, spicy vanilla and smoky flavors…
— S.H.
(7/1/2007)
91
points
Carr 2009 Kessler-Haak Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
-
$50
A big, tough, resilient Pinot Noir, hefty in tannins and bone dry. Not showing much delicacy now, but it sure is complex, offering waves of wild cherries, tobacco, cola, smoked meat, herbs and spices. Purists will criticize it for being too Rhône-like. Give it a decant and drink over the next few years.
— S.H.
(10/1/2011)
91
points
Carr 2009 Turner Vineyard Pinot Gris (Sta. Rita Hills)
-
$20
Racy in acidity, this unoaked wine was bottled early to preserve fresh fruitiness. It’s clean and dry in the mouth, with fine, delicate flavors of citrus fruits, apricots, white peaches, green apples and a touch of honeysuckle and stony minerals. A brilliantly racy wine that needs no wood to be opulent and compelling.
— S.H.
(10/1/2010)