schug heritage reserve pinot noir 2002

I first had a glass of Schug at a wine bar in the West Village called Turks and Frogs. I used to frequent this great spot run by two Turkish brothers who have done quite well for themselves with another location in Tribeca recently opened. They have a decent wine list, but this was a few years ago just after they opened the wine bar, formerly a Turkish antiques store. Then, Schug was the most expensive wine sold by the glass. I think I paid $12 for a glass once. Anyway, I obviously liked it because I visited the winery in Carneros to see what was the best wine they made. Turns out, at least for my taste, this bottle is the best they make. The Pinot Noir Reserve. I let it sit around for a couple years because in the end I was not impressed with the wines from Schug. I thought some age might help it. They are certainly nice, but not amazing. Given that I waited until this wine was 5 years old to drink it, you'd think there was a chance that it would have gone past it's prime. But it was like I remembered.


Color: Ruby red with a little age showing on the edges where it thinned out

Nose: Big fresh nose of ripe red fruit

Taste: The light body lacked density of flavor. Round tannins, light of course, with good acidity. The ripe cherry fruit was balanced with pepper and licorice. Not terribly complex. Overall, not a great value for the price point. I did enjoy the wine, but would have rather paid less.

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $35