Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Wine:Roessler Cellars 2005 Pinot Noir, Brosseau Vineyard (Chalone)

Roessler Cellars

2005 Pinot Noir, Brosseau Vineyard
(Chalone)



Jon and Jan Brousseau started planting their vineyard in the Chalone AVA in 1981. At first, all the grapes were sold to neighboring Chalone Vineyard, but more recently the Brosseaus are selling to a few small boutique wineries, including Sonoma-based Roessler Cellars. The winery, founded in 2000 by restaurateur Roger Roessler, specializes in single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Mendocino County in the north to Santa Rita Hills in the south. Pinot specialist Wells Guthrie of Copain Wine Cellars is the consulting winemaker, although the day-to-day duties have been taken over by Scott Shapley.

Roessler gets his Brosseau Vineyard grapes from a Pinot Noir block planted in 1999 to the Mount Eden selection. Pinots from the Chalone AVA typically have a strong minerality, although I didn’t really find that in the Roessler bottling. The wine does, however, offer rich, ripe cherry flavors accented by vanilla and spice. The tannins are firm but approachable. This Pinot, which sells for $38, will benefit from a couple more years in the bottle, or you could drink it now with grilled wild salmon, roast chicken or seared duck breast.

Reviewed August 3, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.

 

The Wine

Winery: Roessler Cellars
Vineyard: Brosseau Vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Wine: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Chalone
Grape: Pinot Noir
Price: 750ml $38.00

Review Date: 8/3/2007

The Reviewer

Laurie Daniel

Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, has been reviewing wine for more than 10 years. She doesn’t use numbers, preferring to describe her recommended wines and let consumers decide for themselves. Laurie believes that bigger isn’t necessarily better; she’s partial to wines of balance, finesse and character. Her particular interests are Pinot Noir (versions that really taste like Pinot, that is) and aromatic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.