2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
Sensory Notes:
Color: classic Pinot Noir ruby
Aromas: rich aromas of blueberry and raspberry, with notes of cherry and vanilla
Palate: concentrated berry flavors, lush mouthfeel, and long fruit finish
The Vineyard: A unique selection of clones, rootstocks, and benchland and mountain top soils make up Michel-Schlumberger’s seven tiny blocks of Pinot Noir. The flavors are concentrated, elegant, layered, and well-structured.
Specs
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Harvest: September 18th, 2019, Average brix: 25.8, pH: 3.46
TA: 0.67 g/100ml
Fermentation: The grapes were crushed into small fermenters. After cold-soaking for three days to extract rich color, the must fermented on the skins for three weeks to obtain a richly extracted wine.
Cooperage / Aging: The wine was aged for 12 months in tight-grained French oak barrels (20% new).
Bottling Date: November 16, 2020
Cases Produced: 622
Final Technical Info:
pH: 3.54
TA: 0.56 g/100ml
Alcohol: 14.9%
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley Case:
12x 2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley
Michel-Schlumberger’s first vines were planted in 1979 by Jean-Jacques Michel, a native of Switzerland. Michel traveled extensively across Northern California in search of the perfect location to establish his winery. He quickly recognized the potential of the Dry Creek Valley climate and soils to produce premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Blanc grapes, and saw the contoured exposures of Wine Creek Canyon, in particular, as ideal for creating unique flavors, especially in red wines.
In 1991, Jacques Pierre Schlumberger joined the winery team, bringing with him a legacy of over 400 years of winemaking in Alsace, France.
It was at this point that the Michel-Schlumberger brand was born. Over the years, the winery’s exceptional wines and the beauty of its estate have garnered global attention and acclaim. The mission-style architecture of the estate reflects Michel-Schlumberger’s European roots while honoring the influence of early Spanish settlers in California. Today, the winery’s white stucco walls, terracotta-tiled roof, bell tower, and grand courtyard create a spectacular setting for a day in Sonoma’s wine country.
Our Estate heritage is also reflected in the guest experience, which includes motorized tours through the vineyards, walking cellar tours through the production area, barrel tastings, and seated reserve tastings of our award-winning, small-production wines.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
@rjquillin It does not answer your question, but of course that won’t stop me from commenting. Sounds like a bit of upheaval at the winery. Original owners sold in late 2011, new owners tried going in different directions, rebranding etc which apparently was not successful and then winery sold again in 2022.
@kaolis@rjquillin A West Coast discount store Grocery Outlet had several wines from this producer. Seems to point to the upheaval mentioned. Thought they were decent but more general-market but were priced below $10 which was good.
Don’t remember the PN but PNs can be tricky and taste is subjective. So I guess some risk in getting a full case without tasting; but otherwise not a good enough deal(?)
@kaolis@pmarin
Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing multiple bottlings there as well, I wondered why the label looked familiar. I’ll drop by one later today.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2019 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir - $110 = 48.89%
@Mark_L Yeah, my cellar’s pretty much packed and I keep telling myself ‘no more for a while’. But when I saw the case discount, and found some solid 88–90 reviews, I caved almost immediately. I’m a sucker for good Pinot Noir, heck I’m a sucker for a mediocre Pinot noir sometimes and this one looks like it could be right up there with the Lobo Wulff Vineyard Pinot—which is one of my favorites. No more for a while now! Lol.
@Mark_L@user33071884 My sleuthing did not come up with any reviews…what’d you find? Or even better maybe we get some rats…Curious about this one, maybe for my wife’s wine rack… (kidding honey if you are reading this…ha!)
@kaolis That reader really doesn’t paginate well at all, just a jumble of disconnected sentences, but once I got it sorted out into paragraphs, it all made sense. Interesting read, tnx
@canonizer@kaolis
and I’d think pretty much confirms there’ll be no winery participation. Rats will likely make or break this one, but that is an enticingly huge case discount.
@kaolis I had to really expand my window size to get proper text wrap around the images, that’s when it all finally made sense. Initially no paragraphing at all with incomplete sentences that really weren’t at all.
Using Brave 1.82.161 with some ad blocking.
@canonizer@kaolis@rjquillin I wonder what the “deal” is between G.O. and Michel-S? Through the years I’ve noticed G.O. tends to get some regular suppliers; it could be ones in closeout-limbo like this may be. Sometimes really good deals, but other times it becomes “oh, these again….” T.J’s actually has similar recurrent semi-cheap wines; some OK.
Wine-Searcher critics usually score this Pinot around 88 points, and CellarTracker people tend to put it in the 88–90 range. The reviews don’t really break it down by vintage though, so you’re still rolling the dice a bit, but the price for case seems worth it. The 2019 is kinda just lumped in with those general ratings. That seems to be the general expectations from this wine.
@user33071884 in fact if you go to the “All-Reviews” tabs in wine-searcher they specifically reference only the cellartracker reviews for the '04, '05, 07, 09, '11 and '12…
@kaolis I hear ya, it’s a bit of a roll of the dice and I can only speak for myself when I say, for the price, it’s more than worthwhile for me. I did an AI search and this was the result
“ The 2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir (Dry Creek Valley) comes in at 14.9% ABV, aged 12 months in French oak (20% new), with just 622 cases made. Tasting notes highlight ruby color, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, and vanilla, with a lush mouthfeel and long fruit finish. Reviews on Wine-Searcher average around 88 points (not vintage-specific), and Vivino users rate it about 4.0. CellarTracker lists the 2019 but no scores yet. Seems right in line with the house style and past vintages.”
@user33071884 Not to be argumentative but it’s going to seem like it…the AI comments you quote are pulled directly from this casemates offer…as far as taking a roll of the dice, totally get it, don’t blame you a bit. Cheers and Happy Saturday! (this is what happens when I really have nothing to do but watch football today)
@kaolis Not argumentative at all. I did go and look at the comments from the older vintages, not the ones from this Casemates offer. Like I said, no comments on the 2019 and yes there was a gap from like 2013-2018 or something? This is totally a jump based on everyone’s individual risk level. I have about 450 bottles in my cellar and I seem to speed through the daily sipper Pinots the quickest, because I’ll just pop one in a weekday when I’m not diving deeply into nuance. At this price, if it’s a mediocre or better PN—it fits that niche for me with the possibility that it winds up being significantly better. I have the Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, which is delicious but pricey and I grabbed a Lobo Wulff Pinot on a gamble and it’s turned into one of my favorites. Sadly that winery closed, so what I have left is all I’ve got. Willing to take a stab at another vineyard. It also be a good opportunity to compare and contrast on wine club nights. Cheers!
Reading through these comments got me thinking about the Cab offer that ended last night. I was more intrigued and likely to roll the dice there than here on a 6 yr old PN. Last nights Cab was a 2nd label from a producer (Vice) who gets pretty solid reviews.
This one is too dicey - keeping with the cube theme- for me. Cheers !
This is an unfair comparison, but I am drinking the Michel-Schlumberger sparkling Brut right now, and not because I think it’s particularly good. In fact, I find it disappointing compared to the usual Gruet offers, but it is chilled and bubbly, and we’ve had too many hot days here in SoCal. So I’m doing myself a favor and getting rid of it. It makes me think twice about jumping on a great bargain in PN, especially when I still have some very good ones from the Mystery Clearance Case(s) I bought.
@agailb@kaolis
I bought a case, it’s better than the gruet,
Which was bought out in 2015 by a Washington state conglomerate.
MS, is a solid producer, and I believe this vintage is from a really good winemaker, who’s no longer there. Thus the dump.
@kaolis Yes. Casemates offer, and I bought a case. I’m finding a slightly metallic or bitter taste to it, but I’m so used to Gruet after so many years that it probably isn’t a fair comparison. And I’m not planning to do a side by side taste test. Sadly, I don’t have a very refined palate (despite thinking Krug Grand Cuvée is the best of the best), so no one should rely on my comments.
Morning all - Mostly a lurker but do chime in when ratting. I have some experience with this winery from many years ago. I’m probably not telling you all anything you don’t know.
This label was known as a premium brand that many restaurants would sell in SF. As a restaurant guy, I was lucky enough to be invited to tour the property, which is simply beautiful. We would also see them at many restaurant tasting events. Their wines were known for quality, and I believe they were ahead of the biodynamic, sustainability, and dry farming curve. This was years ago, so don’t quote me on the last statement. I do remember seeing them use farm animals to clear the weeds and fertilize the vineyard.
All that said, I have not had this wine, it looks like the winery has gone through a lot of changes, but I’m very hopeful this DCV designation wine still shows well and we get some rats. Michel-Schlumberger was a great winery years ago.
@Nel250
Agreed!
I have had the earlier Pinot and Chardonnay’s
2010-2014, all excellent wines.
Actually visited the winery in 2010, a great experience. And the own was MS at that time!
I’m buy 4.
My apologies for the late report. The bottle arrived on Friday, 09/06 afternoon, and in my head I thought, “Ah, this must be for next Monday.” Well… turns out, no. Excuse aside
Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir
Vintage (2019): What I received.
Cork: Well-preserved, as you can see in the picture.
Color: Unfortunately, my colleagues finished their glasses before I could take a proper photo.
Tasting notes: Not particularly fruity, earthy, or buttery( I like oaky pinot); more on the muted side, with a jammy fruit finish.
2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $810/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Sep 29 - Wednesday, Oct 1
2019 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $114.99 $9.58/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
A notable gap in production of this particular bottling,
from 2015 thru 2018 inclusive.
Wondering what happened in those years…
@rjquillin It does not answer your question, but of course that won’t stop me from commenting. Sounds like a bit of upheaval at the winery. Original owners sold in late 2011, new owners tried going in different directions, rebranding etc which apparently was not successful and then winery sold again in 2022.
@kaolis @rjquillin A West Coast discount store Grocery Outlet had several wines from this producer. Seems to point to the upheaval mentioned. Thought they were decent but more general-market but were priced below $10 which was good.
Don’t remember the PN but PNs can be tricky and taste is subjective. So I guess some risk in getting a full case without tasting; but otherwise not a good enough deal(?)
@kaolis @pmarin @rjquillin they probably had the California appellation wines…
@kaolis @pmarin
Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing multiple bottlings there as well, I wondered why the label looked familiar. I’ll drop by one later today.
@pmarin @rjquillin a few other bottlings of pinot as well it seems
Hoping for some rats!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2019 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir - $110 = 48.89%
When I saw the case savings on this one I had to re-check my calculations!
@Mark_L Yeah, my cellar’s pretty much packed and I keep telling myself ‘no more for a while’. But when I saw the case discount, and found some solid 88–90 reviews, I caved almost immediately. I’m a sucker for good Pinot Noir, heck I’m a sucker for a mediocre Pinot noir sometimes and this one looks like it could be right up there with the Lobo Wulff Vineyard Pinot—which is one of my favorites. No more for a while now! Lol.
@Mark_L $5 per bottle for the 8 to fill out the case
@Mark_L @user33071884 My sleuthing did not come up with any reviews…what’d you find? Or even better maybe we get some rats…Curious about this one, maybe for my wife’s wine rack… (kidding honey if you are reading this…ha!)
@user33071884
do tell where
Ok, another comment that has nothing to do with this wine, but a bit of background on the winery here
@kaolis That reader really doesn’t paginate well at all, just a jumble of disconnected sentences, but once I got it sorted out into paragraphs, it all made sense. Interesting read, tnx
@kaolis this explains why they’re cleaning house
@rjquillin Looked ok to me, but paragraphs went left to right, not top to bottom
@canonizer @kaolis
and I’d think pretty much confirms there’ll be no winery participation. Rats will likely make or break this one, but that is an enticingly huge case discount.
@kaolis I had to really expand my window size to get proper text wrap around the images, that’s when it all finally made sense. Initially no paragraphing at all with incomplete sentences that really weren’t at all.
Using Brave 1.82.161 with some ad blocking.
@kaolis @rjquillin in its favor, the bottle has the dcv designation and not California, which the article describes during the period
@canonizer @kaolis
I did notice that as well. A back label could also shed some additional insights.
@canonizer @rjquillin The California designate bottles were clearly labeled
@canonizer @kaolis @rjquillin I wonder what the “deal” is between G.O. and Michel-S? Through the years I’ve noticed G.O. tends to get some regular suppliers; it could be ones in closeout-limbo like this may be. Sometimes really good deals, but other times it becomes “oh, these again….” T.J’s actually has similar recurrent semi-cheap wines; some OK.
@canonizer @kaolis @pmarin
to keep the daily a bit cleaner, here are the other pics of M-S from GO for $8, $8 and $9
Would split in nyc if the rats come in favorably
This would be a good label.
Wine-Searcher critics usually score this Pinot around 88 points, and CellarTracker people tend to put it in the 88–90 range. The reviews don’t really break it down by vintage though, so you’re still rolling the dice a bit, but the price for case seems worth it. The 2019 is kinda just lumped in with those general ratings. That seems to be the general expectations from this wine.
@user33071884 with all due respect don’t really agree with some of your reasoning but hey… either way there is nothing specific to this wine
@user33071884 in fact if you go to the “All-Reviews” tabs in wine-searcher they specifically reference only the cellartracker reviews for the '04, '05, 07, 09, '11 and '12…
@kaolis I hear ya, it’s a bit of a roll of the dice and I can only speak for myself when I say, for the price, it’s more than worthwhile for me. I did an AI search and this was the result
“ The 2019 Michel-Schlumberger “Le Fou” Pinot Noir (Dry Creek Valley) comes in at 14.9% ABV, aged 12 months in French oak (20% new), with just 622 cases made. Tasting notes highlight ruby color, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, and vanilla, with a lush mouthfeel and long fruit finish. Reviews on Wine-Searcher average around 88 points (not vintage-specific), and Vivino users rate it about 4.0. CellarTracker lists the 2019 but no scores yet. Seems right in line with the house style and past vintages.”
@user33071884 Not to be argumentative but it’s going to seem like it…the AI comments you quote are pulled directly from this casemates offer…as far as taking a roll of the dice, totally get it, don’t blame you a bit. Cheers and Happy Saturday! (this is what happens when I really have nothing to do but watch football today)
@kaolis Not argumentative at all. I did go and look at the comments from the older vintages, not the ones from this Casemates offer. Like I said, no comments on the 2019 and yes there was a gap from like 2013-2018 or something? This is totally a jump based on everyone’s individual risk level. I have about 450 bottles in my cellar and I seem to speed through the daily sipper Pinots the quickest, because I’ll just pop one in a weekday when I’m not diving deeply into nuance. At this price, if it’s a mediocre or better PN—it fits that niche for me with the possibility that it winds up being significantly better. I have the Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, which is delicious but pricey and I grabbed a Lobo Wulff Pinot on a gamble and it’s turned into one of my favorites. Sadly that winery closed, so what I have left is all I’ve got. Willing to take a stab at another vineyard. It also be a good opportunity to compare and contrast on wine club nights. Cheers!
@user33071884 picked up some Lobo cabs on another site that I think are tasty
Why no rats? The case price is tempting, but . . .
14.9% abv on a PN is giving me pause.
In for a case.
Reading through these comments got me thinking about the Cab offer that ended last night. I was more intrigued and likely to roll the dice there than here on a 6 yr old PN. Last nights Cab was a 2nd label from a producer (Vice) who gets pretty solid reviews.
This one is too dicey - keeping with the cube theme- for me. Cheers !
This could be a great deal but absent tasting notes it’s a tough call. I’m sure I’m not alone willing to visit WCC to taste and provide commentary.
This is an unfair comparison, but I am drinking the Michel-Schlumberger sparkling Brut right now, and not because I think it’s particularly good. In fact, I find it disappointing compared to the usual Gruet offers, but it is chilled and bubbly, and we’ve had too many hot days here in SoCal. So I’m doing myself a favor and getting rid of it. It makes me think twice about jumping on a great bargain in PN, especially when I still have some very good ones from the Mystery Clearance Case(s) I bought.
@agailb Can you describe what you don’t like about the bubbly?
@agailb obtained from the casemates offer?
@agailb @kaolis
I bought a case, it’s better than the gruet,
Which was bought out in 2015 by a Washington state conglomerate.
MS, is a solid producer, and I believe this vintage is from a really good winemaker, who’s no longer there. Thus the dump.
@kaolis Yes. Casemates offer, and I bought a case. I’m finding a slightly metallic or bitter taste to it, but I’m so used to Gruet after so many years that it probably isn’t a fair comparison. And I’m not planning to do a side by side taste test. Sadly, I don’t have a very refined palate (despite thinking Krug Grand Cuvée is the best of the best), so no one should rely on my comments.
Morning all - Mostly a lurker but do chime in when ratting. I have some experience with this winery from many years ago. I’m probably not telling you all anything you don’t know.
This label was known as a premium brand that many restaurants would sell in SF. As a restaurant guy, I was lucky enough to be invited to tour the property, which is simply beautiful. We would also see them at many restaurant tasting events. Their wines were known for quality, and I believe they were ahead of the biodynamic, sustainability, and dry farming curve. This was years ago, so don’t quote me on the last statement. I do remember seeing them use farm animals to clear the weeds and fertilize the vineyard.
All that said, I have not had this wine, it looks like the winery has gone through a lot of changes, but I’m very hopeful this DCV designation wine still shows well and we get some rats. Michel-Schlumberger was a great winery years ago.
@Nel250
Agreed!
I have had the earlier Pinot and Chardonnay’s
2010-2014, all excellent wines.
Actually visited the winery in 2010, a great experience. And the own was MS at that time!
I’m buy 4.
Fomo on something that may be good. Taking a chance
hope it’s at least good enough to cook with if I don’t love it or really like it
Also, if you buy this wine and it sucks, casemates will make it right.
Can we assume that no rat bottles went out or that the rat was derelict?
enter image description here
![enter image description here][1]
[1]:
My apologies for the late report. The bottle arrived on Friday, 09/06 afternoon, and in my head I thought, “Ah, this must be for next Monday.” Well… turns out, no. Excuse aside
Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir
Vintage (2019): What I received.
Cork: Well-preserved, as you can see in the picture.
Color: Unfortunately, my colleagues finished their glasses before I could take a proper photo.
Tasting notes: Not particularly fruity, earthy, or buttery( I like oaky pinot); more on the muted side, with a jammy fruit finish.