I brought these two wines to one of my favorite restaurants in the area tonight and I was blown away. I didn't spend too much time thinking about all the different flavors I was tasting as I wanted to savor every sip, however:

1999 Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge: Huge pinot. Layers upon layers of small, dark, berry fruit. blackberry, black raspberry, black cherry, maybe even a hint of blueberry. Very floral nose. Perhpas the most exotic nose of any American Pinot I've had. 92-92.5

2001 Martinelli Moonshine Pinot. Along with the 2001 Siduri Pisoni, the biggest, dnsest, richest, pinot I've ever tasted. Whoa! My server, a wine expert, and the owner of the restaurant both swear that they would have guessed a Turley or Martinelli Zinfandel was in their glass when I poured them some -- not a Pinot Noir. This wine may have the single most complex flavor of any American Pinot I've had. It certainly rivals the 1999 Martinelli Reserve and 1999 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge, if it does not surpas them. Super-dark, rich fruits: blueberry? blackberry? black-blackberry? super-black raspberry? dark-squared cherry? The Flowers was the better food wine, but this could stand up to even a rocquefort. What an unbelivable wine! One of the most hedonistic Pinots I've tasted. 93-94 points.

Whiner, my brief notes on the '01 Moonshine PN tasted at the winery 24 days ago:

Nose of chocolate and Cherries. Rich and exotic. 93

I don't remember how long the bottle had been opened. I have two bottles of this awaiting shipment. How much breathing time did it need to show its best?

Just one more sip.

Board-o,
It was best at about 2, maybe 2.5 hours of air. Happy drinking!

a

We had the 2001 Martinelli Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir last night. The wine had a truly beuatiful, intense nose of cherries and flowers with a hint of chocolate. On the palate, the intensity continues with concentrated bright juicy raspberry flavors. Wonderful and definitely still improving. 94 now and will likely pick up an additional point or two with time. Stunningly fine!

I only have one 2001 Moonshine Ranch, so I guess that question is "How much time"? Any guesses?

From Board-O's note, it sounds like he would say to drink now or hold off another few years to see if it gets even any better.

I have no experience with Martinelli Pinots after the 5 year mark (I had my last '99 Reserve last year). That said, my advise would be to open it the next ime you want a big, lush, rich, wonderful, special, pinot with your meal. IMO, this was, without question, the best wine Martinelli made in 2001. (Note: I never tried the '01 Jackass Hill Zin) I have already consumed (gulp!) 9 bottles. There have been almost no wines I can think of that I have been as unable to keep my hands off of.

a

The wine is truly outstanding now, but is it prime? I don't think so. I have one bottle left and will attempt to hold it for another couple of years. This most recent bottle showed best at 2+ hours after splash decanting. It's a huge Pinot and should be a world beater when it softens a little and gains that head-filling expansiveness it promises.

You won't be disapppointed if you drink it now, but this has the stuffing to age for years, imo.

Whiner;
Had the '99 Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge a short while back - my TNs are here. My thoughts on the fruit are somewhat different than yours, but nonetheless this is an outstanding PN. Glad you enjoyed it.