On March 19, 2013, TVC was delighted and thrilled to welcome Gray Hartley of Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Winery for an exclusive tasting of some of his finest wines. Hitching Post Winery is known as the restaurant where Miles meets Maya in Alexander Payne’s Academy Award winning film Sideways, but it is also famous for producing exceptional Pinot Noirs. Thanks to Malcolm Cocks of Glen-Ward Wines Inc. for making this happen for our members!
HOW THE WINES RANKED
For this special tasting, only the Pinot Noirs were ranked by the group.
THE WINES
2011 Pinks Dry Rosé $20 Bursting with redcurrant, watermelon and rosewater aromas. Tangy, with waves of racy acidity and a lip-smacking finish. This will make a very refreshing sipper, or pair with grilled salmon and green beans with saffron.(VINTAGES panel, April 2012)
2009 Hometown Pinot Noir $27 Pinot Noir Hometown is an attractive, mid-weight wine laced with sweet red cherries, flowers and sweet spices. It shows good depth and balance to match its juicy personality. Best of all, it is a terrific value in Pinot Noir. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.” 88pts. Antonio Galloni, erobertparker.com, Aug/12.
2009 Cork Dancer Pinot Noir $35 “The 2009 Pinot Noir Cork Dancer is one of the more harmonious wines in the lineup. Sweet red berries, flowers, spices and licorice waft from the glass in this perfumed, gracious mid-weight Pinot. The style is very much on the feminine side of things. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015.” 87pts. Antonio Galloni, erobertparker.com, Aug/12.
2009 St. Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir $49 “Dark fruits, good structured blend of Sanford & Benedict, Fiddlestix and Clos Pepe Vineyards.” From winemaker’s website.
2007 Highliner Pinot Noir $ 50 “Highliner is a barrel selection (70% new French oak) of maritime-cooled vineyards in Santa Barbara County, combining the forward fruit and richness of the Santa Maria Valley, with the earthiness and structure of fruit from the Sta. Rita Hills. This blend includes these vineyards & clones: Rio Vista 777, 115, Fiddlestix 115, 667 & 777, Bien Nacido, 115 and Pommard 4, and Julia’s Pommard 4. A special wine, HIGHLINER is meant to be the “best of their fleet” of Pinot Noirs.” From winemaker’s website.
2004 Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir $59 “Briery raspberry/Zinfandel-like fruit aromas are found in the 2004 Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard. Noticeable acidity, a tart character, medium body, and a clipped finish suggest it should be consumed over the next 3-4 years.” 87pts. Robert Parker, erobertparker.com, Aug/06.
2007 Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir $42.50 “Sweet cherry fruit and natural earthiness, bold and forward.” From winemakers’ website.
2009 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer Alisos Vineyard , Santa Barbara County. Harvested at 38 degrees brix. 2184 bottles (350 ml). Bottled April 13, 2010. “Balanced with acidity to balance the sweetness, and offers a young and elegant expression of the spicy flowery gewurtz fruit, with an apricot ripeness, and a touch of the mushroom complexity of the noble rot. While this wine tastes delicious now, we think it will gain complexity over the next ten years.” Winemakers’ notes.