Dec 30, 2022
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Ancien Wines
| Owner(s) | Ken Bernards |
| Web site | www.ancienwines.com |
| Link to this site |
Articles About Ancien Wines
Elite California Pinot Noir Vineyards III: Central Coast - Sta. Rita Hills (12.22 9/18/2021)
Elite California Pinot Noir Vineyards Part II: North Coast - Other Appellations (12.21 8/22/2021)
Historic California Old Vine Pinot Noir Vineyards Pulled Out or Planted Shortly After 1980 or Lacking Verifiable Planting Information (12.8 8/30/2020)
Prince’s Excellent Adventure at WOPN (6.56 3/23/2008)
Reviewed Wines
2018 Ancien Fiddlestix Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 181 cases, $58.
·
100% de-stemmed,
5-day cold soak. Inoculated with proprietary yeasts for primary fermentation. Aged 17 months in French oak
barrels, a majority new. Wine held for a year after bottling before release. Moderately dark garnet color in the
glass. A fruit-driven nose displaying aromas of Bing cherry and boysenberry with minor notes of rose petal,
herb cracker and nutty oak. A sappy core of purple berry and plum fruit is deep on the palate. Beautifully
crafted, with integrated tannins, bright acidity and a milky softness. The vivid and flamboyant finish is
amazingly persistent. I can’t say enough good things about this wine that is the best from this vineyard that I
have tasted in recent memory.
Score: 95.
Reviewed September 19, 2021
ARTICLE »
2018 Ancien Carmel Valley River Ranch Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 97 cases, $60. Aged 11 months in
French oak barrels with a single racking carried this wine gently to bottle.
·
Dark garnet color in the
glass. Ripely fruited aromas of plum, cassis and boysenberry lead to a mid-weight plus styled wine
replete with layers of purple and black fruits backed by modest toasty oak. Rich, but not too rich, and
velvety in mouthfeel, with easygoing, silken tannins and some finishing length. There is a slight sense
of alcohol on the palate.
Score: 92.
Reviewed September 3, 2020
ARTICLE »
2018 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $68.
·
Moderately
dark garnet color in the glass. Spirited aromas of spiced cherry, crushed walnuts and graham. Expansive and
generous in a mid-weight style with delicious flavors of red and black cherry, cola, spice, and a hint of burnt
tobacco. Impeccably balanced and showing exceptional Pinot spirit with an ephemereal finish of uncommon
generosity and length. My notes say, “Superb in every wine with the word superb underlined six times.”
Score: 97.
Reviewed August 22, 2021
ARTICLE »
2017 Ancien Coombsville - Haynes Old Block Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc.,61 cases, $68. Sourced
from the most flavorful and healthiest old vines from the
original planting. No smoke damage in this vintage. An
encomium to Duncan Haynes.
·
Moderate garnet color in
the glass. A knockout from the get-go. Large-scale aromas
of black cherry, rose petal, ground savoury spice and wine
cave persist over time in the glass. Very comforting in the
mouth in a mid-weight style, featuring an unctuous core of
cherry fruit accented with a touch of spice and
complimentary barrel presence. Softly textured, with
polished tannins, welcome acidity and good length on the
lip-smacking finish.
Score: 95.
Reviewed August 27, 2020
ARTICLE »
2017 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 61 cases, $68.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. A knockout from the get-go. Large-scale aromas of black cherry, rose petal,
ground savoury spice and wine cave persist over time in the glass. Very comforting in the mouth in a midweight
style, featuring an unctuous core of cherry fruit accented with a touch of spice and complimentary barrel
presence. Softly textured, with polished tannins, welcome acidity, and good length on the lip-smacking finish.
Reviewed August 2020.
Score: 95.
Reviewed August 22, 2021
ARTICLE »
2016 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc.
·
Dark garnet
color in the glass. Very pleasant aromas of wine cave, blackberry and pomegranate fruits and a hint of ashen
oak. Very ripe-fruited in a mid-weight plus style with flavors of black plum, boysenberry and blackberry.
Seamless with a viscous mouthfeel and only a hint of tannin. The richest wine in the Ancien Haynes vertical
tasted on this occasion but not veering to fruit compote. When tasted the following day, the nose had become
exuberant with aromas of black fruits, spice and sandalwood and plenty of Pinot fruit singing on the long finish.
Score: 93.
Reviewed August 22, 2021
ARTICLE »
2013 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc.
·
Moderately light
garnet color in the glass. Demure aromas of dark cherry, red rose, baking spice and root beer. Crunchy red and
black cherry fruit in a middleweight fashion with beautiful balance. Fresh and showing no definite tertiary
character of aging. Very long on the redeeming finish. A bit faded when tasted the following day from a
previously opened bottle so drink up within five years.
Score: 92.
Reviewed August 22, 2021
ARTICLE »
2011 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.0% alc.
·
Moderately dark
garnet color in the glass. Soaring aromas of fresh black cherry coulis, spice, cola and red rose petal. The fruit
on the nose fades some over time in the glass replaced by oak spice. Surprisingly bright and fresh flavors of
dark cherry and raspberry with a hint of raisin. An impressive aged Pinot Noir upon opening with an amazingly
long and intense finish. A lot going for it after pulling the cork but starts to fade in the glass over time.
Completely exhausted when tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle. Probably a 94 point wine
at its apogee. Drink up.
Score: NR.
Reviewed August 22, 2021
ARTICLE »
2007 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Dijon 115
Similar aromas as Haynes, but more restrained. Darker in
color, darker fruit profile, more linear, more tannic.
Reviewed March 23, 2008
ARTICLE »
2007 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Martini Clone
Fragrant, confected cherry nose. Very
attractive pure cherry fruit with a Jolly Rancher quality. Quite vibrant.
Reviewed March 23, 2008
ARTICLE »
2018 Ancien Fiddlestix Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 181 cases, $58. · 100% de-stemmed, 5-day cold soak. Inoculated with proprietary yeasts for primary fermentation. Aged 17 months in French oak barrels, a majority new. Wine held for a year after bottling before release. Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. A fruit-driven nose displaying aromas of Bing cherry and boysenberry with minor notes of rose petal, herb cracker and nutty oak. A sappy core of purple berry and plum fruit is deep on the palate. Beautifully crafted, with integrated tannins, bright acidity and a milky softness. The vivid and flamboyant finish is amazingly persistent. I can’t say enough good things about this wine that is the best from this vineyard that I have tasted in recent memory. Score: 95. Reviewed September 19, 2021 ARTICLE »
2018 Ancien Carmel Valley River Ranch Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 97 cases, $60. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels with a single racking carried this wine gently to bottle. · Dark garnet color in the glass. Ripely fruited aromas of plum, cassis and boysenberry lead to a mid-weight plus styled wine replete with layers of purple and black fruits backed by modest toasty oak. Rich, but not too rich, and velvety in mouthfeel, with easygoing, silken tannins and some finishing length. There is a slight sense of alcohol on the palate. Score: 92. Reviewed September 3, 2020 ARTICLE »
2018 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $68. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Spirited aromas of spiced cherry, crushed walnuts and graham. Expansive and generous in a mid-weight style with delicious flavors of red and black cherry, cola, spice, and a hint of burnt tobacco. Impeccably balanced and showing exceptional Pinot spirit with an ephemereal finish of uncommon generosity and length. My notes say, “Superb in every wine with the word superb underlined six times.” Score: 97. Reviewed August 22, 2021 ARTICLE »
2017 Ancien Coombsville - Haynes Old Block Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc.,61 cases, $68. Sourced from the most flavorful and healthiest old vines from the original planting. No smoke damage in this vintage. An encomium to Duncan Haynes. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. A knockout from the get-go. Large-scale aromas of black cherry, rose petal, ground savoury spice and wine cave persist over time in the glass. Very comforting in the mouth in a mid-weight style, featuring an unctuous core of cherry fruit accented with a touch of spice and complimentary barrel presence. Softly textured, with polished tannins, welcome acidity and good length on the lip-smacking finish. Score: 95. Reviewed August 27, 2020 ARTICLE »
2017 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 61 cases, $68. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. A knockout from the get-go. Large-scale aromas of black cherry, rose petal, ground savoury spice and wine cave persist over time in the glass. Very comforting in the mouth in a midweight style, featuring an unctuous core of cherry fruit accented with a touch of spice and complimentary barrel presence. Softly textured, with polished tannins, welcome acidity, and good length on the lip-smacking finish. Reviewed August 2020. Score: 95. Reviewed August 22, 2021 ARTICLE »
2016 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc. · Dark garnet color in the glass. Very pleasant aromas of wine cave, blackberry and pomegranate fruits and a hint of ashen oak. Very ripe-fruited in a mid-weight plus style with flavors of black plum, boysenberry and blackberry. Seamless with a viscous mouthfeel and only a hint of tannin. The richest wine in the Ancien Haynes vertical tasted on this occasion but not veering to fruit compote. When tasted the following day, the nose had become exuberant with aromas of black fruits, spice and sandalwood and plenty of Pinot fruit singing on the long finish. Score: 93. Reviewed August 22, 2021 ARTICLE »
2013 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Demure aromas of dark cherry, red rose, baking spice and root beer. Crunchy red and black cherry fruit in a middleweight fashion with beautiful balance. Fresh and showing no definite tertiary character of aging. Very long on the redeeming finish. A bit faded when tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle so drink up within five years. Score: 92. Reviewed August 22, 2021 ARTICLE »
2011 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Old Block Coombsville Napa Valley Pinot Noir
14.0% alc. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Soaring aromas of fresh black cherry coulis, spice, cola and red rose petal. The fruit on the nose fades some over time in the glass replaced by oak spice. Surprisingly bright and fresh flavors of dark cherry and raspberry with a hint of raisin. An impressive aged Pinot Noir upon opening with an amazingly long and intense finish. A lot going for it after pulling the cork but starts to fade in the glass over time. Completely exhausted when tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle. Probably a 94 point wine at its apogee. Drink up. Score: NR. Reviewed August 22, 2021 ARTICLE »
2007 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Dijon 115
Similar aromas as Haynes, but more restrained. Darker in color, darker fruit profile, more linear, more tannic. Reviewed March 23, 2008 ARTICLE »
2007 Ancien Haynes Vineyard Martini Clone
Fragrant, confected cherry nose. Very attractive pure cherry fruit with a Jolly Rancher quality. Quite vibrant. Reviewed March 23, 2008 ARTICLE »