1999 Panther Creek Reserve Pinot Noir
Williamette Valley, Oregon

I had this wine with Doc at Savannah Steak in New York City so I did not keep notes. Here are my impressions as best I can recall.

Opened and served immediately in Schott Zweisel Balloon glasses. Attractive ruby to garnet color in the glass. Powerful aromas of smoky meat and tobacco. Fruit forward wine of mostly red berries and cherries. Very firm tannins and quite a bit of acidity. Wine had an odd earthiness about 20 minutes into the glass that later faded when the very powerful tannins returned. I would peg this wine around 87-88 points. I would let it sit for about 3 years and re-taste it at that time.

How about it Doc; care to add your comments?

BTW, thanks for picking up the bottle.

I have three bottles of it but will wait several years to try the first.

Well, I lied. I actually had six bottles and tried one last night when friends were over for dinner. It was served with seared marinated ahi tuna over mesclun greens. Parker said the anticiapted maturity begins in 2004 and I figured it's almost 2004. I wish I had searched for this before dinner. I wouldn't have opened it. Parkers 93 rating tempted me.

The first tip that the wine wasn't ready was the closed nose of cherries with a hint of chocolate. The wine was sharp and closed. I rated it 88-91 and will wait several years (I promise!) to open the next, unless I read here that someone tates it and feels it's opened up some.

I can pick this up for $19.99 on sale. Worth a shot? Good deal?

Sure. $20 for a Parker 93 point Pinot Noir. Sounds good to me. I think it needs some time though.

Thanks Board-O. I'll pick some up. 2-3 years you think? I am not prone to "drabbing" Periodic assessment, but not wholesale early consumption. Based on the TNs here, holding for a few years won't hurt.

I guess it depends how many you buy. I have 5 left and will probably try one 1-2 years from now.If I had two of them, I'd probably wait 2-3 years, more likely 3.

We had this wine again tonight and still fail to see the merit in Parker's 93 rating. The wine had a somewhat closed spicy berry nose.The wine is clearly still closed and rough with the muted flavor of cherry pie. This needs time. 87-89