The 2010 Pinot Days Grand Tasting was held on June 27 at Fort Mason in San Francisco. More than 212 wineries were on hand pouring their Pinot Noir wines. I would be surprised if there were fewer than 1,000 wines available to taste.

I allocated most of my time to several wineries whose wines have impressed me in the past. I also took some time to try wineries who’s wines I’d not tried previously. In the end, I tasted more than 70 wines. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the wines, even given the fact that I had been selective in my tasting. Of all the wines I tasted.

Smoke taint in the 2008 vintage due to the massive forest fires in parts of Mendocino County and Sonoma County has been widely discussed. Several of the wineries I spoke to at the event chose not to make 2008 wines from certain areas. Other producers were extremely selective with the fruit and therefore have less wine available, though 2008 was a very productive year in some vineyards which somewhat mitigated the loss of fruit to smoke. None of the wines I tasted had any smoke influence which I considered to be a flaw.

The following is a list of those wines I tried and thought to be among the best. The list is in alphabetical order within each section. I only tasted a fraction of the wines on offer, so the absence of a wine or winery from this list should not be taken as a negative.

Very Highly Recommended
2007 DeLoach Vineyards Pinot Noir Green Valley

2008 Dunstan Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard2008 Failla Pinot Noir (blend)

2007 Failla Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard

2008 Freeman Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2008 Landmark Vineyards Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

2007 Pey-Lucia Vineyards Pinot Noir

2008 Phillips Hill Pinot Noir Oppenlander

2007 Sand Hill Wines Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard

2008 Sojourn Cellars Pinot Noir San Giacomo Vineyard

2008 Sojourn Cellars Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2006 Suacci Carciere Pinot Noir

2006 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard

2007 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard

2007 Westwood Winery Pinot Noir Estate

2005 Westwood Winery Pinot Noir Haynes Vineyard

Highly Recommended
2008 Coterie Cellars Pinot Noir Fairview Road

2007 Coterie Cellars Pinot Noir Fairview Road

2007 Donum Estate Pinot Noir

2007 Donum Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2007 Eno Wines Pinot Noir Fairview Road

2008 Eno Wines Pinot Noir Tondre

2008 Eno Wines Pinot Noir Fairview Road

2008 Evening Land Pinot Noir Sonoma/Santa Rita Hills

2008 Evening Land Pinot Noir Occidental Coast

2008 Evening Land Pinot Noir Seven Springs

2008 Evening Land Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge

2008 Failla Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch

2007 Failla Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge

2008 Fess Parker Winery Pinot Noir Pommard

2008 Fess Parker Winery Pinot Noir Clone 115

2007 Flying Goat Cellars Dierberg Vineyard, Santa Maria

2007 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir

2005 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve

2008 Freeman Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2008 Freeman Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch

2008 Freeman Pinot Noir Akiko’s Cuvee, Sonoma Coast

2007 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

2008 Landmark Vineyards Pinot Noir Jenkins Vineyard

2008 Landmark Vineyards Pinot Noir Quail Hill

2007 Pey-Marin Pinot Noir Trois Filles

2008 Phillips Hill Pinot Noir Beeson Tree

2007 Pisoni Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard

2007 Pisoni Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard

2008 Sojourn Cellars Gaps Crown Vineyard

2008 Sojourn Cellars Sonoma Coast

2008 Suacci Carciere Pinot Noir

2008 Suacci Carciere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2006 Talisman Pinot Noir Sonoma County Cuvee

2006 Talisman Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain, Carneros

2006 Talisman Pinot Noir Thorn Ridge

2006 Talisman Pinot Noir Hawk Hill Road

2006 Talisman Pinot Noir Adastra Vineyard

2007 Tondre Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2005 Westwood Winery Pinot Noir Sonoma Valley

2003 Westwood Winery Pinot Noir Haynes Vineyard

2008 Windy Oaks Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

2007 Windy Oaks Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

2006 Windy Oaks Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

At the tasting, I wasn't taking the time to ask for prices and individual wines were not listed in the tasting guide which was given out. However, I did not the price for the 2006 Suacci Carciere because they were offering it at a Pinot Days discount for $30 per bottle. They only had 15 cases left at the time, one of which a friend and I bought. If you'd like to get in on the last of that wine, the winery will extend the same $30 price to you. Just mention that you heard about the wine here. (Note: I'm not compensated in any way for mentioning this deal, I just think it's something you may enjoy.)

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