Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Saintsbury Pinot Noir (Carneros) 2001

Saintsbury used to be one of my favorite pinot noir houses, but lately I've had a run of bad luck with their wines. A couple of bottles were clearly cooked; one even was going through a second fermentation in bottle. (I should note that at least some fo these problems could have been caused by overheating or other abuses during the shipping process.) This sample had no obvious faults, but was uninspiring anyway. Jammy blackberry and strawberry flavors and aromas. The finish has a strong sour cherry note that I found rather unpleasant. Drinkable but not recommended. Grade: C-