March 11, 2010
Clos Pepe: A Grape named Pinot, a Vigneron, a Facilitator, a Dead Head, a Dog named Bud, and a Horse named Charlemagne Whole Cluster Fermentation: A Wild Card Kalin Cellars: Courting Unami Carr Vineyards & Winery: Urban Winery with a Wine Country Soul Benziger Pinot Noir Program Now Shines On the Pinot Trail: Recent Winery Visits Newsworthy Headlines & Trends About Pinot Noir in 2009 Small Sips of Pinot VinAssure™ Wine Preservation System Wes Hagen Discusses Sta. Rita Hills Geology & Clos Pepe Vineyard
Conversation with Stephen Pepe of Clos Pepe Vineyard & Estate Wines
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Belle Glos
| Owner(s) | Chuck Wagner, Joseph Wagner |
| Web site | www.belleglos.com |
| Link to this site |
This label is one of four brands produced by the Wagner family (the Caymus umbrella includes Mer Soleil and Conundrum). The wines have improved every year since the first releases in 2001. Chuck Wagner’s son, Joseph, handles the viticulture and winemaking for this label. The name (pronounced BELL GLOS) honors Joseph Wagner's grandmother, Loma Belle Glos. Three vineyard-designates include Taylor Lane Vineyard (Sonoma Coast), Las Alturas Vineyard (Santa Lucia Highlands) and Clark and Telephone Vineyard (Santa Maria Valley). A fourth Pinot Noir, Belle Glos Meiomi is a value-priced wine from declassified juice ($26).
The wines are distributed to fine wine retailers. The bottles are amongst the most charming in the business, offering a long neck dipped in generous wax. The Belle Glos Pinot Noirs in early vintages (2002-2005) were big-styled wines with generous extraction, alcohol and oak, and plenty of tannins when young. The last couple of years have shown more restraint. The Gambit series of Pinot Noirs debuted in 2008 and are limited-production wines with no added sulfur. They are even more voluptuous than the regular bottlings.
The wines have good retail distribution.
Articles About Belle Glos
Reviewed Wines
2007 Belle Glos Meiomi Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $25.
The name is pronounced May-OH-mee” and means “coast” in the
language of the native Wappo tribe. A blend of several vineyards with
different sub-climates in the true Sonoma Coast.
·
Very expressive nose
right out of the bottle smelling of black raspberries, blackberries, dark
chocolate, and fermenting Pinot Noir, with a whiff of alcohol. Vivid and fruity with
tones of spice and herbs. Likable for its smooth texture and easy drinkability.
Tasted on two occasions by the glass at a restaurant recently and at home from a
bottle with consistent findings. Very good and very well priced.
Reviewed December 16, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $40.
·
Dark purple color. Well-spiced black cherry and berry
scent reminiscent of jam on toast. Rich middle palate of sweet cherries,
berries and plums which is plush, even syrupy, but not jammy. A fruit driven
wine with moderate dry grainy tannins that will find many fans.
Take this handsome wax-dipped bottle (a tab is attached to the wax for
easy opening) to a restaurant and you will get some attention. The best wine I
have tasted from this producer to date. Widely distributed (under the Caymus
family umbrella).
Reviewed October 29, 2009
ARTICLE »
2006 Belle Glos Oeil De Perdrix Pinot Noir Blanc Yorkville Highlands Mendocino County
12.0% alc. $25. This wine was exposed briefly to
French oak during and after fermentation. A portion of the sales of this
wine go to research for breast cancer.
·
Medium pink-orange in color.
Aromas of strawberry soda and new-mown grass. Delicious strawberry
flavors with a complimentary note of toast. Rich for a rosé with an appealing
persistence on the finish. Can match up with substantial food.
Reviewed May 26, 2008
ARTICLE »
2005 Belle Glos Los Alturas Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County Pinot Noir
1234 cases, $50. This label is under the
Caymus umbrella and the wines have gotten better every year since the
first releases in 2001. Chuck Wagner’s son, Joseph, handles the
viticulture and winemaking for this label. The wines are distributed to fine wine retailers. No website.
·
A Pinot with very expressive
aromatics featuring cherries, vanilla, and sweet oak. Nice depth and richness
of flavor with fine tannins and a clean finish. The best Pinot I have had
from this producer. Very sexy label and bottle with red wax draped
around the neck (and a nice wax tab for easily removing the wax at the top
to access the cork).
Reviewed January 22, 2007
ARTICLE »
2004 Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.0% alc.,
$45. From a vineyard located in the Occidental Ridges planted to Dijon clones.
Aged 9 months in French oak.
·
Deep purple color in the glass. Welcoming scents
of black cherries, black olive, toasted oak and a hint of spice. Plenty of dark
cherry and berry fruit, accents of tobacco, oak and nutmeg, on a polished, rich
platform with minimal tannins. A tasty ripe style of Pinot Noir that seduces with a
plush mouth feel. Very good (+).
Reviewed December 16, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Belle Glos Meiomi Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $25. The name is pronounced May-OH-mee” and means “coast” in the language of the native Wappo tribe. A blend of several vineyards with different sub-climates in the true Sonoma Coast. · Very expressive nose right out of the bottle smelling of black raspberries, blackberries, dark chocolate, and fermenting Pinot Noir, with a whiff of alcohol. Vivid and fruity with tones of spice and herbs. Likable for its smooth texture and easy drinkability. Tasted on two occasions by the glass at a restaurant recently and at home from a bottle with consistent findings. Very good and very well priced. Reviewed December 16, 2009 ARTICLE »
2007 Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $40. · Dark purple color. Well-spiced black cherry and berry scent reminiscent of jam on toast. Rich middle palate of sweet cherries, berries and plums which is plush, even syrupy, but not jammy. A fruit driven wine with moderate dry grainy tannins that will find many fans. Take this handsome wax-dipped bottle (a tab is attached to the wax for easy opening) to a restaurant and you will get some attention. The best wine I have tasted from this producer to date. Widely distributed (under the Caymus family umbrella). Reviewed October 29, 2009 ARTICLE »
2006 Belle Glos Oeil De Perdrix Pinot Noir Blanc Yorkville Highlands Mendocino County
12.0% alc. $25. This wine was exposed briefly to French oak during and after fermentation. A portion of the sales of this wine go to research for breast cancer. · Medium pink-orange in color. Aromas of strawberry soda and new-mown grass. Delicious strawberry flavors with a complimentary note of toast. Rich for a rosé with an appealing persistence on the finish. Can match up with substantial food. Reviewed May 26, 2008 ARTICLE »
2005 Belle Glos Los Alturas Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County Pinot Noir
1234 cases, $50. This label is under the Caymus umbrella and the wines have gotten better every year since the first releases in 2001. Chuck Wagner’s son, Joseph, handles the viticulture and winemaking for this label. The wines are distributed to fine wine retailers. No website. · A Pinot with very expressive aromatics featuring cherries, vanilla, and sweet oak. Nice depth and richness of flavor with fine tannins and a clean finish. The best Pinot I have had from this producer. Very sexy label and bottle with red wax draped around the neck (and a nice wax tab for easily removing the wax at the top to access the cork). Reviewed January 22, 2007 ARTICLE »
2004 Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.0% alc., $45. From a vineyard located in the Occidental Ridges planted to Dijon clones. Aged 9 months in French oak. · Deep purple color in the glass. Welcoming scents of black cherries, black olive, toasted oak and a hint of spice. Plenty of dark cherry and berry fruit, accents of tobacco, oak and nutmeg, on a polished, rich platform with minimal tannins. A tasty ripe style of Pinot Noir that seduces with a plush mouth feel. Very good (+). Reviewed December 16, 2009 ARTICLE »
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