It's not a secret that Vasyl Kalinichenko loves Pinot Noir. So there is little wonder he organised a blind tasting event dedicated to this grape in Garage. The choice of wine is intriguing. We start with non-mainstream Champagne and white Pinot Noir by Hungarian IT guy. Then we continue with red from Oregon, Germany and Switzerland. Most of us would expect at least one bottle of Burgundy, but no... Special events crave for special wines!

It always makes me happy when Champagne praised so highly. Especially when it's not something mainstream. On the other hand, I was amazed that in terms of favoritism, Pinot Noir from Oregon is sharing first place with Champagne. The white one was received not so well, but no wonder due to the crazy low intervention style.

Roses De Jeanne Presle Millesime 2016

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• producer: Roses De Jeanne
• name: Presle Millesime
• vintage: 2016
• grapes: Pinot Noir
• degorgee: 2020
• sur lie: 42 months
• location: Champagne AOC, France
• price: 3300 UAH

Great and expressive BdN (100% Pinot Noir). Notes of oxidation, yellow apple, crème brûlée, brioche, cider, baked apple. Wonderful acidity, well balanced and quite delicate on the palate despite being almost full-bodied. Flavourful and long aftertaste with lots of cider in the taste. Opens up in the glass, good to drink in a small company (or alone haha) to enjoy its evolution.

Bencze Virgo 2019

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• producer: Bencze
• name: Virgo
• vintage: 2016
• grapes: Pinot Noir
• location: Balatonfelvidék OFJ, Hungary
• price: 726 UAH

I didn't guess. I literally had no ideas. It turned out to be white Pinot Noir. Crazy reductive bouquet with salty pickles, rotting mandarin and ginger. High tart acidity that beautifully evolves in the mouth. Interesting finish with notes of lemon, mandarin, pickles and wet sea rocks. Not my style, but somehow I enjoyed it. One of this wines that are complex in a bad way - hard to enjoy without putting too much effort into it. Score is mostly for interesting taste.

Kelley Fox Wines Mirabai Pinot Noir 2017

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• producer: Kelley Fox Wines
• name: Mirabai Pinot Noir
• vintage: 2017
• grapes: Pinot Noir
• location: Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon, USA
• price: 1500 UAH

This is where my luck returned to me. I guessed that it's from Oregon. Pale, restrained with pretty classic notes. Cherry, red flowers, pine nuts, and gouache. Crisp, medium-light body with round tannin, long oily aftertaste. Interesting Pinot Noir and my first one from Oregon.

Enderle&Moll Buntsandstein 2018

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• producer: Enderle&Moll
• name: Buntsandstein
• vintage: 2018
• grapes: Pinot Noir
• location: Landwein Oberrhein, Germany
• price: 1186 UAH

Again! Luck is on my side! I guessed producer. Since it is my first time tasting this particular wine, I didn't guess the name (at least guessed that it's not Liaison). Aromatic bouquet with typical low intervention style notes. Acetone, red flowers, salami, and truffles. While it has a beautiful and complex bouquet, it doesn't deliver in the taste. Lacks balance, the finish is too bitter, the tannin is too powerful, aftertaste is too short. Could be better with time though.

Weinbau Markus Ruch Klettgau Pinot Noir 2018

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• producer: Weinbau Markus Ruch
• name: Klettgau Pinot Noir
• vintage: 2018
• grapes: Pinot Noir
• location: Neunkirch, Switzerland
• price: 1002 UAH

And again, luck is on my side. I guessed country, but not producer. Clean, expressive Pinot Noir with interesting bouquet of raspberry, cherry, violets, earth, graphite and raw meat. Good acidity, medium-high dry tannin. Very young, has potential. Tasty.

Raw scores