King Estate Competition

Three years ago after the Wine Educators conference in Eugene, Todd and I toured King Estate and had a great tasting of their new releases and older library wines. Two pinots that we particularly enjoyed were from the 03 vintage - a Hyland Vineyard, and a Pfeiffer Vineyard. At the time, I rated both wines as very good with the following notes:

Pfeiffer - dark ruby, nutty and somewhat weedy pinot nose. Spicy dk fr, l/m acid and l/m to m tannin, intense red cherry and nutty spice.

Hyland - dark ruby, almost inky. Spicy dark cherry nose, hint floral. L/m acid, l/m to m tannin, dark cherry fruit and long finish.

At the time I preferred the Pfeiffer by a bit, and Todd preferred the Hyland (hmmm, California palate perhaps.....?). We bought one of each and vowed to retaste the wines at some point in the future under appropriate circumstances. Since that time the wines have been stored in identical conditions.

Last Friday night was the night, with a menu of grilled salmon and vegetables and mushroom risotto to accompany the wines. The food was excellent, and the wines, served blind of course, were distinctly different but both very good as well. The results were:

Wine 1 - m/d ruby, hint of garnet on rim. Light cherry nose with a spicy slightly woody note, like dried herbal tea. M acid, l/m tannin, slight green herbal note with red cherry fruit and tea character. Soft round mouthfeel. Very elegant pinot, fairly long finish. 16 out of 20.

Wine 2 - m/d ruby, ruby rim. Exotic cherry spice on nose at first, dark fruit, a slight vanilla oaky character starts to come out. L/m to m acid, close to m tannins, chalky red cherry and lively oaky spicy notes, fairly long finish. Also 16 out of 20, on final reflection maybe a hair under 16.

Todd's cryptic notes indicate that wine 1 was soft, with a slight tea note and some heat. With the food he felt that the wine was overpowered initially, but later paired nicely although not as sophisticated as wine 2. He felt wine 2 had a stronger nose, vibrant fruit and more tannin. With the food the wine was smooth and elegant.

Which was the Pfeiffer, and which was the Hyland? What do you think? Todd preferred wine 2. Our unbiased observer, Annette, gave the nod to wine 2. I, alone again in the wine wilderness, preferred wine 1 by a nose as I felt it was a more complex elegant wine.

In the end it seems our preferences had not changed. Yes, wine 1 was the Pfeiffer. Interesting experiment and very educational. Next up, a tasting of the various vineyards of DRC!! I wish.