Wollersheim Winery Pinot Noir 2005

by Ethan Johnson
November 23, 2006

I've been sitting on this bottle of Pinot Noir since our Labor Day-centric trip to Wisconsin. The glass was more clear than green, making the red wine look utterly, and yes, I'm going to use this word, delicious. What better time than Thanksgiving to pull the cork and share? Let's do the numbers first:

Producer (Vineyard): Wollersheim Winery
Varietal (Grape type): Pinot Noir
Vintage (Year): 2005
Country: USA (Wisconsin)
Color: Red
Cost: Moderate ($13 USD)

Teh booze

Swirl and Sniff: Clear, appealing red. Kinda thin-looking but not watery. HUGE fruit on contact, like cherries.

Taste: Mmm, some cherry taste, but the word that kept coming back was "astringent." Few if any tannins, not much "grip", and a bit sharp without necessarily being spoiled. I felt myself rushing to drain the glass and get the experience over with quickly.

Pairing: I drank this with traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing really cut against the wine too badly, except maybe one side dish. Seemed to pair very well with broccoli. Nothing else was really enhanced by the wine either, sadly. My dinner guests dutifully drank their share but weren't bowling me over with enthusiasm.

Rating: When it comes to this wine, I would (and you may):

  • Buy three or more bottles for regular enjoyment
  • Buy a bottle or two for occasional enjoyment
  • Ask for when dining out or at a party
  • Settle for if your preferred wine is not available
  • Politely decline and never drink again, ever

Boy, what a downer. I was really looking forward to enjoying this wine, and I tried to keep realistic expectations lest I set the satisfaction bar too high. A key indicator was the reaction of my guests, and if they're not "feeling" the wine, that about says it all. I had a backup bottle of something else, but nobody wanted any more wine this evening. If I have a chance to get another bottle to try, I might be inclined to, but honestly, I won't move Heaven and Earth to do so. Might help if Wollersheim would ship to Texas. Hem hem.

If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>

(The Totally Unpretentious Wine Reviews Index may be found here.)

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