Et Fille Pinot noir Kalita Vineyard 07
winery: Et Fille Wines
Et Fille Pinot noir Kalita Vineyard 07 is enthralling, and our favorite Kalita to date. Imagine carrying a glass of your favorite Pinot noir while walking through a pristine old growth forest- that's what the 07 Kalita smells like. Ripe, bright berry fruit flavors mingle pleasingly with creamy, nutty tannins. The initial impression of sweet fruit leads to an intriguing savory element of wild mushroom. The Kalita 07 is unique and unforgettable. - Avalon
Tanzer score 91 points "Light red. Black raspberry, potpourri and cinnamon on the nose. Sweet, palate-staining red and dark berry flavors are strikingly juicy and pure, with a tangy mineral quality adding urgency. Blends depth and energy smoothly, finishing with excellent focus and sappy persistence."
Winemaker Howard Mozeico describes the wine: The word that comes to mind every time is “pretty.” Raspberry flavors that lead to cola. Best acidity of any Kalita. Nice finish with minerality. Pretty.
Jessica Mozeico describes the wine: This year’s Kalita brings Clint Eastwood to mind…. You see its boldness at first, but it reveals complex depth over time. The dark blackberry color leads to a multi-dimensional flavor profile. The front palate is dominated by bright red fruit, while a depth follows of chocolate and caramel.
2006 vintage: Wine Spectator 90 points
Wine Spectator describes the 2006 Et Fille Pinot Noir Kalita Vineyard: “Firm in texture, with enough flesh to balance the fine-grained tannins. Offers cherry and mocha flavors that linger on the expressive finish”.
MORE INFORMATION
Previous Vintage tasting notes
2006 Vintage tasting notes
A broad-shouldered beauty. Super-ripe, yet with all the necessary
"stuffing"--tons of blueberry and dark dried cherry with spicy
cinnamon cream accents. For fans of bigger Pinots, the Kalita hits it
out of the park.
2005 Tasting Notes
Retasted January 2007- The wine has gotten even better -- everything mentioned above is still present, but the wine has a sense of integration as compared to the November notes. The nose is even more intensely perfumed, the sweet initial flavor is accompanied by a bit more layered complexity, and the balance of acid, tannin and fruit has settled and smoothed. SO pleasant and quite reasonably priced for this level of winemaking. 1-15-07 -jy
Howard says this wine is different in its flavors from his other wines, with darker fruit flavors, softer acids, a bit of cola in the nose and flavor, and a slightly less perfumed quality. He attributes a lot of the differences to the soils in the vineyard. Last year the wine was a bruiser. This vintage, it's a bit less massive, allowing the distinctive flavors of Kalita to show through clearly. -jy
2004 Tasting Notes
Wine Spectator rating 90 Points: "Rich with spices, a noseful of cinnamon and cardamom, with strawberry
and plum flavors at the center that persist onto the fine-grained finish. Drink now through 2011." H.S.
Yow! The blockbuster of Et Fille's 2004 Pinot noirs, this wine is big, and as Howard told me, not as representative of the more nuanced, Burgundian style he strives for. Nevertheless, the wine is a total crowd pleaser, with big, big flavors, yet not a hint of over-alcohol or flaws. As a "big" Pinot from a "non-big" Pinot maker, it's wonderful for me. I love the richness, yet it hasn't lost the character of the varietal. There's sweetness, yes, but it's the sweetness of fruit, spice, and floral notes typical specifically to Pinot noir.
The nose is redolent of toasty oak, toasted coffee and cocoa bean, and sweet blackberry. Flavors are sweet blackberry, black currant, cassis, black plum, cinnamon and clove spices, cola, and espresso. The mouth feel is viscous and rich, the finish is long, with a bit of youthful tannins dancing with a nice level of acidity that says the wine can be cellared, and will last a few years. More of a drink me now wine, it will stand 2-5 years of aging, but will be drinking well this year, and will be a crowd pleaser. Showy, yet still Pinot.From the winery:
We are proud to introduce you to our first bottling from Kalita Vineyards, located in the Yamhill-Carlton viticultural district. This beautiful bowl-shaped vineyard near the town of Yamhill is on Willakenzie soil, known to produce dark wines with black fruit overtones. Owned by Arthur and Sherry Kalita, the vineyard is near Willakenzie and Shea Vineyards. Rising from 400 to 800 feet, with our fruit going all the way to the top, this young vineyard has thus far had small yields of intense fruit. We source Pommard and Wadensvil clones from Kalita Vineyards.
Dad: Big and intense. Powerful black fruit, chocolate and coffee flavors. Unctuous mouthfeel.
Fille: Our 2004 Kalita is pure Angelina Jolie - what you see is what you get - and you see the sexy, attention-grabbing, spotlight-stealing power right up front. It has a dark red color and a dynamic nose that starts grassy and woody with a hint of barnyard but yields over time to sweet black cherry and chocolate. The sweet plum palate is layered with hints of tobacco, coffee, and cola. The firm tannin structure of this wine, combined with its alcohol content, would allow it to be paired either with heavy meat or simply with appetizers.
