With dinner at Mama's Fish House in Maui. $70 off the wine list.

I've been meaning to try a Nuthouse for a while, and I was delighted to find it during our trip to Maui. I think it retails for 1/2 the price, but for our food and my tastes, this was the clear choice for dinner.

This wine had a lot of up-front fruit, initially very briary like a more quiet version of Melville '01 Carrie's. But then the wine developed more complexity and I could pick up mineral and spice elements as the wine evolved in the glass. A fine bottle of Oregon Pinot. 92pts.

I could not agree more, a very nice Pinot.

Welcome to Vinocellar, Landshark!

$70(restaurant) is a decent price. good score.

The first time I drank a bottle of the 99 Nuthouse I should have run out and bought a case or two. I wasn't in a case-buying frame of mind then, but I sure am now and deeply regret this omission. The 2000 is nice, but the 99 was something special - very lush and creamy, with orange and cinnamon notes in the nose that beguiled me to death, and a long finish that still ingers to this day. I have but one bottle left, alas, and one of the 2000. I'm bummed at Argyle's pricing, as even the Nuthouse is a bit steep compared to other fine Oregon Pinots. But I may break down and invest in the 2002 vintage if it pans out as it seems likely to do.

Had this last night at a mini-offline with the DC Crue at Bistrot du Coin.

Again, TNs were not really a priority last night, but I jotted a few things down. I wrote down cherry flesh, vanilla bread pudding, walnuts and some spice notes. This was a great wine, too. Supple rather than boisterous.

I’d rate this at 91+ TJ points.

Tasted at theBAWE May 2004 Pinot Tasting...

Very dark dense ruby in color, this Pinot really stood out from the rest of the lineup with a very different profile. Very fruit driven, with loads of spice, black cherry, and berry notes. Smooth and rich on the palate, with plenty of ripe fruit and good acidity. I had guessed this to be a Santa Rita Hills Pinot – imagine my shock to discover it was from Oregon! My #4 wine of the flight, but it was very close behind.

Well in the context of this tasting I too could not peg this for a Sonoma County
bottling. It certainly had the fruit but with the kind of geranium nose I detected I'm not sure I'd
want a whole bottle at dinner.