Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Silver Mountain Vineyards 2003 Pinot Noir, Miller Hill Vineyard (Santa Cruz Mountains)

Silver Mountain Vineyards

2003 Pinot Noir, Miller Hill Vineyard
(Santa Cruz Mountains)



Silver Mountain Vineyard’s winemaker/owner Jerold O’Brien turns out some righteous estate Chardonnay and a rafter of fine Pinots, with some consulting help from ‘Pinot Star’ Tony Craig, presently at Savannah-Chanelle, and who also has his own Sonnet Wine Cellars label. For those who don’t know, Tony was the spruce behind the Bruce: that is, he was the magic ingredient that made David Bruce wines so special for all the times they were special. He has been at Savannah-Chanelle for a few years now, and has not only brought those wines up to exemplary status, but has also achieved greatness for Silver Mountain and Sonnet.

 

Take, for example, this Pinot bottling sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. …Yo!! The nose of this wine goes right to your baking spice sweet spot, with aromas of ginger and nutmeg, ripe plum and cedar. And then, it will waft into a forest floor with dark cola notes. And that’s just the nose! On the palate, wonderful flavors of dark plum, mission figs and elderberry, with a perfect balance of acid, tannin and cardamom plus baking spice, and a good deal of sweet oak. This is a nicely interwoven wine that will work perfectly with spicy New Mexican pork, green chili and jalapeno chicken, and orange-chipotle duck dishes.

Reviewed June 14, 2006 by Laura Ness.

 

Other Awards & Accolades

Silver Medal - 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver Medal - 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Commercial Wine Competition
Bronze Medal - 2005 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition
Bronze Medal - 2007 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

The Wine

Winery: Silver Mountain Vineyards
Vineyard: Miller Hill Vineyard
Vintage: 2003
Wine: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Santa Cruz Mountains
Grape: Pinot Noir
Price: 750ml $38.00

Review Date: 6/14/2006

The Reviewer

Laura Ness

A wine writer and wine judge for major publications and competitions around the country, Laura Ness likens wine to the experience of music. She is always looking for that ubiquitous marriage of rhythm, melody, and flawless execution. What is good music? You know it when you get lost in it. What is good wine? It is music in your mouth.