Waltzing Bear
Showing 1 thru -9 of 10
Waltzing Bear 2003 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- $42
The vineyard is near Bien Nacido and owned by one of its senior executives. The wine is extremely dry, with high acidity and soft, silky tannins. Qualitatively, it feels austere in the mouth, with dried fruit character and a firmness that borders on minerality, but there’s a complexity that makes it interesting to drink.
— S.H.
(8/1/2006)
Waltzing Bear 2005 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- $45
Grown just down the hill from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, this Pinot shows many of the same characteristics. It’s dry, balanced and ripe, with blackberry, black cherry and orange flavors enriched with dusty Asian spices. With a fine, silky mouthfeel, it should develop over the next 4–6 years.
— S.H.
(11/1/2008)
Waltzing Bear 2003 Cargasacchi Jalama Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)
- $42
Medium-ruby in color, with an inviting aroma of dried cherry, cinnamon, cola and smoky oak, this Pinot shows classic varietal structure and elegance. It’s very, very dry, with a silky texture and penetrating acidity. Rather austere and angular now, the wine needs decanting or short-term aging.
— S.H.
(8/1/2006)
Waltzing Bear 2005 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
- $45
Ripeness of fruit and considerable alcohol combine to make this Pinot Noir fat and rich. It’s a little soft, but seduces for palate-filling cherry and black raspberry flavors, with oak providing a smoky, pie-crust edge.
— S.H.
(11/1/2008)
Waltzing Bear 2003 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
- $45
Typical Garys’ Pinot, a big, dry, high-alcohol wine ripe in cherry-berry fruit character, fairly hefty in tannins for a Pinot and crisp in coastal acidity. You wouldn’t call this wine elegant, but it’s admirable for its Santa Lucia-esque muscularity. Should benefit from three to five years’ aging.
— S.H.
(8/1/2006)
Waltzing Bear 2006 Dancing in the Moonlight Viognier (Paso Robles)
- Online Exclusive
- $19
A lovely Viognier, with relatively low alcohol and crisp acidity that are unusual for a Paso Robles white wine. This dry wine features flavors of peaches, green apples, pineapples and honey.
— S.H.
(11/1/2008)
Waltzing Bear 2005 Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- $45
Pretty oaky, this Pinot stars caramelized wood, blackberry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It’s a big, bold, powerful wine, with that young, jammy directness you either like or don’t. Should benefit from mid-term aging through 2011.
— S.H.
(12/1/2008)
Waltzing Bear 2005 Cargasacchi Jalama Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)
- Online Exclusive
- $45
Aged more than two years in 50% new French barrels, this wine smells and especially tastes too oaky, with caramel and toast notes that overwhelm the underlying wine. Below all that wood is a dry, crisp Pinot Noir with red currant flavors. Other wines sourced from this Santa Rita Hills vineyard have been outstanding.
— S.H.
(12/1/2008)
Showing 1 thru -9 of 10
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A big, strong Pinot with pure, focused flavors of raspberry cream…
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