May 25, 2012 – Wine: 2006 Bethel Heights Casteel Reserve Pinot Noir

I guess one glass of wine today just wasn’t enough.  A few hours after my guest went on his way, I opened a second bottle.  This time I was hoping for something silky and light, like a nicely aged Pinot Noir.  What I got was something a bit more tannic.  Clearly this Pinot Noir was built for the long run.  While its palette represents classic Pinot Noir flavors, its body was fuller and its tannins more course than some other Pinots when young.  I noted flavors of sour cherry, mineral, tobacco, and menthol on the complex palette.  It would seem that two to four years of additional cellar time is in order.

2006 Bethel Heights Casteel Reserve Pinot Noir