TN: 2001 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir

[DavidG]

2001 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir: Dark garnet to rim. Effusive nose of black cherries, dark pit fruits, very ripe, bit of alcoholic heat. Full-bodied, layered rich fruit, spicy/peppery, fruit covers the alcohol well, very ripe, low acidity, long finish. Outstanding.

[JScott]

David, never had one of these. I was on the mailing list for a while, but joined the party late enough that I was never allocated this one. After a time, a number of years, actually, I tired of the idea of buying all of the other stuff from them that I was less interested with trying to get it. Eventually, with my usual order for the rest of the allocation, I sent them a note saying if they couldn't put at least one bottle of the Pinot in with it they shouldn't fill any of it and to then take me off the list. Still have some Chards and Pavots in the shed. Any way, glad to live vicariously through you on this one.

[DavidG]

Scott - I've cut WAAAY back on my PM orders, but still seem to get what I want. Mostly a few chards - not springing for the $$$ Point Rouge or Indigene anymore. The QPR on the Pinots isn't quite there for me for that style, but I like one now and then. And the Les Pavots doesn't thrill me more often than it does.

PM was never as bad as Martinelli at hostage wines - they and Kistler are the worst. I keep getting the PM offers despite buying much less, and when I do ask for something that's not on my allocation list, I usually get it. I suspect it's more of a buyer's market now...

I just got the Bryant offer after not responding at all to their '05 offer last year. Think that would have happened before the crash? Yet they had the temerity to raise the price from $250 for the '05 to $325 for the '06. It was silly money last year, and even sillier this year. I'll be curious to see if they offer me any of the exalted '07 after I pass again this year. And I wonder how much that one will go for if it gets anointed with an RP98 or more.

[JScott]

Yeah, I feel the same way about PM wines. They are certainly good wines, and I sometimes find the Pavots to be right on, but just as often it isn't special enough to keep going. The Chards are good, but as my wife doesn't really dig whites, I just don't need them. I had still been buying the Aubert Chards, but I'm not going through them as fast as they sell them to me. I still prefer Burgundy to any domestic Chard, any way.

So which lists are you still on actively? Which ones are you letting go? Which ones have you already abandoned? And are there any you're angling to join??

[DavidG]

I've dropped so many lists I can't remember them all. Some still send me offers. The toughest and last to go was Harlan - I really love that wine but the price just got silly. I still buy the occasional Peter Michael, and still buy from SQN and Shafer. On the less expensive side I'll buy an occasional Siduri or Loring Pinot Noir.