Vineyard: Gowan Creek

Articles mentioning wines produced from this vineyard

Many Exceptional Pinot Noirs Reviewed (10.28 4/2/2016)
Anderson Noir Valley: Trade Tasting (9.8 6/24/2012)
Sips of California Pinot Noir (9.26 6/23/2013)
Anderson Noir Valley Pinot Festival: After the Smoke Clears (8.16 6/8/2010)
More Recently Tasted California Pinot Noir & Chardonnay (11.46 6/17/2019)
More Sips of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (9.44 7/28/2014)
Goldeneye (11.2 4/18/2017)
Anderson Noir Valley Pinot (Pt I) (7.18 5/26/2009)
More Anderson Noir Valley Pinot (9.8 6/24/2012)
California Pinot Noir Worth Toasting (11.20 3/15/2018)

Wineries sourcing from this vineyard

Goldeneye Winery

Reviewed wines produced from this vineyard

2016 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 1,350 cases, $86. Vineyard planted in 2000. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 60% new, 20% second vintage and 20% neutral. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Brooding aromas of cherry, ripe strawberry, wine cave, anise, char and vanilla. A hardy wine with good vibrancy and expressive dark fruits. The tannic backbone is sturdy revealing some astringency on the finish. Silky in the mouth, finishing with generous blackberry and pomegranate fruits and the slightest hint of alcoholic warmth. Score: 90. Reviewed June 19, 2019 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2015 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., $84. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 65% new. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of cherry fruit and oak-driven vanilla, cigar and warm spices. Modest in weight with an explosive attack of black cherry fruit that veers to the ripe side. The fruit sap is wrapped in luxurious toasty oak in the typical Goldeneye style. Discreet tannins allow for drinking now. Score: 91. Reviewed March 17, 2018 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2014 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.89, TA 0.51, 15,850 cases, $56. Harvest Brix 24.5º. 45% of blend from Gowan Creek Vineyard. Amazing quality considering the large production. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Nicely appointed aromas of black cherry, spice, and toasty oak. Black cherry and black raspberry flavors arrive in force with accents of anise and black tea. Forward drinking, with a healthy tannic backbone, a polished mouthfeel and some finishing generosity. A little more oak on hand than was evident with the single vineyard bottlings, but thoroughly enjoyable. Score: 90. Reviewed April 19, 2017 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2014 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.61, TA 0.55, 1,130 cases, $84. Harvest Brix 25º. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 60% new, 40% neutral. This vineyard typically provides rich, lush fruit and a velvety texture. 60% clone “828,” provided voluptuous dark fruit flavors while clone 667 was added to balance the acidity and structure. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Enticing aromas of black fruits, sweet pipe smoke, oak spice, nuts and earth. Robust mid weight plus flavors of blackberry and boysenberry are deftly balanced by firm tannins. Rounded and polished with a luscious palate that is both creamy and replete with heaps of berry goodness. Impeccably balanced, this wine finishes long and sturdy. Flat-out delicious. Score: 94. Reviewed April 19, 2017 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2014 Goldeneye Ten Degrees Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.75, TA 0.51, 1,175 cases, $120. This wine is made from the finest barrels of wine, the top 5% of estate Pinot Noir, blended for both power and elegance. Four estate vineyards. Aged 16 months in 100% new medium toast French oak barrels. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. This wine is quite reserved upon opening and only brought it when tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Deep fruit aromas of ripe strawberry, blackberry and blueberry-pomegranate fruits paired with a compliment of toasty brioche. Polished, sophisticated and seductive on the palate with an array of opulent purple fruits backed by silky tannins. The fruit load is expansive in the mouth, and propels the long, long, long finish to a glorious climax. I have tasted several vintages of this special wine, and this one falls in line as far as taste, but it offers a little more vibrancy and juiciness than in the past. Best to cellar this wine for a couple of years, but if you must open it sooner, by all means decant. Score: 94. Reviewed April 19, 2017 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2013 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 1,100 cases, $82. Released April 2016. Composed of six different clones. A small percentage of whole cluster was included while subtly reducing the new oak. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Brooding, haunting aromas of dark berries, oolong tea and anise that I found very seductive. Full-bodied, yet nimble, with flavors of blackberry, cassis, black plum, dark chocolate and umami. Very harmonious, long, deep and concentrated, with bashful tannins and a lingering finish that speaks of perfectly ripened fruit. Score: 93. Reviewed April 2, 2016 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2013 Goldeneye Ten Degrees Estate Grown Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 1,035 cases, $120. Released February 2016. A selection of the finest barrels in the cellar, from the best lots and top estate blocks. The final wine was made from the best 3% of estate grapes and includes 32% Split Rail Vineyard, 32% Gowan Creek Vineyard, 31% Confluence Vineyard, and 5% The Narrows Vineyard. Aged 16 months in 100% French oak barrels (this bottling has the most new oak of the three 2013 Pinot Noirs reviewed here). · Dark reddish purple color in the glass. Deep aromas of dark berry preserves, dark red rose petal and earth lead to a full charge of chewy black fruits. The wine enters aggressively but turns agreeable and silken on the palate, finishing with generous amounts of toothsome fruit, leathery beef and toasted oak notes. The wine is a bit impenetrable and not as expressive as the Gowan Creek at this stage and warrants further cellaring. Score: 92-93. Reviewed April 2, 2016 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2011 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Estate Grown Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 927 cases, $80. 8 clones grown on several rootstocks. Wild pennyroyal grows at Gowan Creek and can often be tasted in the wine. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Shy, but pleasant aromas of dark raspberry, dark strawberry and oak. A little more structured, more intensely flavored and displaying a more generous finish than the Anderson Valley bottling, with tastes of dark berries, dark chocolate and cola complimented by well integrated oak. Needs time to open in the glass and will benefit from further cellaring, but hard to resist now. Score: 92. Reviewed July 28, 2014 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2011 Goldeneye Ten Degrees Estate Grown Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 579 cases, $115. Drawn from the best blocks and barrels from estate vineyards, it is made up of the top 1.5% of estate grown Pinot Noir. The wine is a result of more than 50 trial blends of wines from Gowan Creek, Confluence and Split Rail vineyards (96 blocks and 49 combinations of clones and rootstocks). · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Lovely aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, sweet oak and rose petal build in intensity over time in the glass. Juicy and bright on the palate, with a special energy and vibe, featuring an array of berry and stone fruits complimented by oak. This wine has the structure and balance to age ten years and beyond. A connoisseur’s wine of uncommon grace and composition that easily justifies its lofty price. Score: 94. Reviewed July 28, 2014 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2010 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Estate Grown Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

15.2% alc., 800 cases, $80. A barrel selection of some of the best lots from the vintage. Only 8% of the grapes from Gowan Creek made it into this wine. · Medium reddish-purple color in the glass. The nose opens slowly in the glass to reveal aromas of black cherries, black raspberries and subtle oak. Delicious black cherry core that is sappy and mouth coating, offering a striking impression on the mid palate and generous finish. The tannins are firm and prominent and oak plays a significant role on the palate. This is a husky wine with very charming fruit crafted in the typical Goldeneye manner. Done well in its style. Very good. Reviewed June 23, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2009 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.73, TA 0.52, 1,000 cases, $80, released March 1, 2012. Gowan Creek is the home of Goldeneye winery. Aged 16 months in 70% new and 30% second vintage French oak. · Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Rich, dense and heady, featuring intense, dark berry and black currant flavors, a muscular backbone of tannin, and oak-driven accents of toast and caramel. Not particularly to my taste, but well made in its style. Very good. Reviewed June 24, 2012 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2009 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 1,090 cases, $80. This vineyard is 10 miles north of Goldeneye’s Confluence Vineyard where there is more fog. 8 clones of Pinot Noir. More than 100 barrel lots are evaluated three different times in blind tastings over the course of a year to discover lots that are unmistakably Gowan. · Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Intensely fragrant with aromas of black cherries, black currants and blackberries with oak-driven accents. Oak-kissed array of dark fruit flavors, moderately rich and dense, wrapped in firm, mildly astringent tannins, finishing long and lush. A little withdrawn and needs more time to integrate the oak. Still solid the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Very good. Reviewed June 24, 2012 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2007 Goldeneye Winery Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.66, 990, $55. Released March 2010. Planted to 8 clones of Pinot Noir tailored to specific sites and soils in the vineyard which is located on Highway 128 in the heart of the Anderson Valley. Aged 16 months in 97% new and 3% second vintage French oak barrels. · Deeply colored in the glass. Restrained aromas of dark cherries, berries and toasted oak lead to a plethora of fresh berry fruit offered in a hedonistic style that saturates the palate. A very tasty sipping wine that leaves a lasting impression of fruit on the lengthy finish. The high percentage of new oak is nicely integrated. Goldeneye Pinot Noirs are intended to make a statement and this one definitely accomplishes the goal. Very good. Reviewed June 8, 2010 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2006 Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 75. Released March 1, 2009. This vineyard is 2 miles north of the Confluence Vineyard and receives more fog. Planted to 8 different Pinot Noir clones matched to site and soil type. Average sugar at harvest was 27.0º Brix. Aged in 77% new medium toast French oak for 16 months. · Deep reddish-violet color. Very attractive heady aromas of earth-kissed cherries and berries with a whiff of oak and herbs. Rich and intense dark berry and plum fruit front and center highlighted by herbs and oak. Feral and gamy with plenty of tannic power and a bit of heat on the finish. A voluptuous wine that delivers more power than nuance. Tasted twice on two occasions. Reviewed May 26, 2009 WINERY » ARTICLE »