Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10796
 | | 12/30/2005 9:01 PM |
| No sign of this via a search so here goes:
- 2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/28/2005)
Dark purple in color. This was such a big wine with incredibly concentrated dark fruit flavors, caramel and a touch of vanilla. Even with the immense structure of the wine it was unmistakeably fine Pinot Noir. It was so balanced that the 15.6% alcohol was barely evident. The acidity kept it finishing clean and may point to improvement in the celar. "Young and brawny". [$48 on release and should benefit from time in the cellar. Decanted one hour and needed another.] (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/31/2005 3:05 AM |
| | Thanks for your notes, Winetex. Wondering if you've had the '03 Cohn or Kanzler from bottle, and if so do you have any impressions of how they compare to the Koplen? I've had the Cohn and Kanzler from bottle and loved both -- the Kanzler was a bigger wine, the Cohn slightly more restrained and structured (relatively speaking; still a huge wine) but equally impressive. When we barrel tasted all of these with MB a year and a half ago the Koplen and Michael's then-approximation of what would become the 4-Barrel were our favorites -- can't wait to try a bottle of the Koplen! | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:61
| | 12/31/2005 4:17 PM |
| I must have liked this.
I seem to own more of this than any other 2003 KB.
It has a magnificent nose!
TTT | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10796
| | 12/31/2005 6:54 PM |
| Pizinah -
Quote:
Wondering if you've had the '03 Cohn or Kanzler from bottle, and if so do you have any impressions of how they compare to the Koplen?
I haven't tried the 03 Cohn or Kanzler from the bottles yet. I barrel-tasted them but they were so fruit-bound at that point it was hard to make a call other than "buy them all".
I have a 4 Barrel in the queue after promising the KB guys I would hold it for at least six months. Six months is OVAHHHH. | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/31/2005 7:34 PM |
| Quote:
it was hard to make a call other than "buy them all".
My reaction as well! Hard to believe, but it's possible the '04 K-Bs could be even better (barrel-tasted them in August) than the '03s. | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts:1371
| | 01/03/2006 3:47 PM |
| | We had this last week, and although I do not have notes, this was very good. | | | |
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Pete Marsh
Left Coast
Barrel Racker
Posts:1519
| | 01/03/2006 6:10 PM |
| [quote My reaction as well! Hard to believe, but it's possible the '04 K-Bs could be even better (barrel-tasted them in August) than the '03s.
I agree the 04s show better balance.
Pete | |
I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers
have followed me there. | |
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Paul_H
San Francisco
Grape Puncher
Posts:890
| | 01/03/2006 10:22 PM |
| Quote:
Quote:
My reaction as well! Hard to believe, but it's possible the '04 K-Bs could be even better (barrel-tasted them in August) than the '03s.
I agree the 04s show better balance.
Pete
What are folks opinions of '02 vs. '03 vs. '04? Certainly for Napa Cabs, '02 was far superior to '03. | |
http://www.sweetandsourspectator.org | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:61
| | 01/04/2006 5:13 PM |
| For KB, IMO:
2002>2003>2004
TTT | | | |
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Pete Marsh
Left Coast
Barrel Racker
Posts:1519
| | 01/04/2006 5:23 PM |
| Paul:
I believe that Michael has improved his winemaking skill in each of the three vintages mentioned. In addtion, the growers he gets fruit from have improved their vineyards especially the Kanzler. I really like the barrel samples from 04. O2 was the coolest year, based on my weather records, and 04 was the warmest. I have liked them all and they a re a HUGH step up from the 01s. They should all be good so it is a matter of personal taste.
Pete | |
I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers
have followed me there. | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 01/04/2006 6:30 PM |
| | I agree with Pete: the '04s look to be even better than the '03s which are bettter than the '02s, which were a step up from the '01s. Partly it's vintage factors but, as Pete says, Michael's winemaking skills are getting even better every year, the growers are making vineyard improvements and K-B is getting to know the vineyards better. The '04 barrel samples I tasted in August were fantastic. | | | |
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Paul_H
San Francisco
Grape Puncher
Posts:890
| | 01/04/2006 8:19 PM |
| Quote:
For KB, IMO:
2002>2003>2004
TTT
Don't you really mean
2004>2003>2002? or 2002<2003<2004? | |
http://www.sweetandsourspectator.org | |
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AlexRed
Northern VA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1357
| | 02/22/2006 8:15 PM |
| 2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (2/18/2006)
didn't decant so only had a glass or 2 the first night. and finished it off the second.
dark and thick in appearance...
big, concentrated and yummy. deeply flavored, can taste some vanilla and big black cherry and very light baking spice, some cola but that really runs it's course as vanilla.
it had a great mouth feel, not yet satiny, but substantial. give it some time and it may reach that. medium finish. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 03/13/2006 5:55 AM |
| | Drank last night with appetizers at Josie's. A very, very promising wine, already delicious but will be better imo in 18-36 months. Lots of complex shades of cherry -- dark, sour, jolly rancher -- cola, chocolate/mocha/cocoa, and subtle smoky and earth notes. The slightest suggestion of spearmint. 92 pts or thereabouts now but wouldn't be surprised to see this improve 2-4 pts over the next few years. Interestingly, when we barrel tasted the '03 Koplen 21 months ago it was far more open and lush than the Cohn and even the Kanzler; now it's tighter than either. All amazing wines, though. The K-B boys are on fire in '03 and (based on the barrel samples I had last August) '04! Great work guys. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:61
| | 03/13/2006 3:24 PM |
| Quote:
Quote:
For KB, IMO:
2002>2003>2004
TTT
Don't you really mean
2004>2003>2002? or 2002<2003<2004?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I meant what I stated. While the 2003's and 2004's ARE great wines, I prefer the more laid back, less alcoholic style of the 2002's.
I think the 2005 KB's will blow all previous vintages away. Michael told me they will be much reduced in alcohol levels while retaining the massive fruit profile we've come to know and love.
I can't wait for the 2005's!!!!!
TTT | | | |
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Al HooKoo
Las Vegas, NV
Barrel Filler
Posts:1355
| | 08/20/2006 9:18 PM |
| I’m late with this tasting note, we had it atPostrio on Aug 6 for my wife’s birthday.
As soon as the waiter opened it, I received a mixture of berry, spice and earth notes.
The waiter poured my first taste, which was outstanding. It was the most amazingly good pop and pour I have ever had. It also continued to improve the longer it was open.
The flavors were strawberry/cherry, with earth tones and no alcohol detectable on the finish. This pinot was perfectly balanced and gained finesse and structure the longer it was open. One of the best Pinots I’ve ever had. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10796
| | 02/14/2008 11:58 AM |
| I suspect there is some bottle variation with this wine. Michael brought it out in a discussion of how some of the wines were aging. This was one that I remember being very good (and my earlier tasting notes support this) but this bottle was not.
- 2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (2/10/2008)
Tasted at a Kosta Browne winery visit; The showing of this wine makes me wonder about bottle variation. This bottle showed "sweet" with a completely clipped finish. Worse was the complete lack of fruit and harsh bitterness on the finish. (86 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Dave
Wine Thief
Posts:2899
| | 02/14/2008 12:24 PM |
| | By most accounts the 2003 Koplen is cracking up. Yours is one of the more favorable reviews that I have seen. I hope this is an isolated problem and not indicative of how KB wines age, or not. Unfortunately, I still have 4 bottles of this wine. | | | |
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12497
| | 02/14/2008 1:45 PM |
| | Winetex, above you have it @ 92 points. And, most loved it also. I should drink my bottle now or wait? | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10796
| | 02/14/2008 2:13 PM |
| Take a look at the reviews in CellarTracker if you can. If I still had any of these I would open them asap as they might be taking up your cellar space. And then again it might be bottle variation. Sorry I'm not much help.
Part of this is that I'm not doing too many cellar "experiments" with aging anymore. If there is no track record for aging and the balance is questionable I don't see a reason to engage in a crap shoot for minimal improvement for ~$50 bottles of wine. | | | |
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