I am in Paris this week for a lot of reasons (yes, many include wine), but I am determined to keep up with this little blog, which has become (if my stats are to be believed), extremely popular over the last couple of years….

Today, I offer up tasting notes of the current releases from (one of?) my favorite producer(s) in Sonoma County, Tongue Dancer Wines. I met Kerry and James MacPhail about a decade ago, and I have been reviewing (and loving) their wines since 

2023 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay Bacigalupi Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $55. Heavy Bottle (628g; 22.1oz). Under cork. Of all the Tongue Dancer Chards, this might be my favorite: a legendary, Grand Cru-esque vineyard, perhaps the best Chardonnay winemaker in California, and a label design that I still have not figured out. Brilliant yellow to golden in the glass with an exhilarating nose of lemon curd, mango, dried apricot, a lovely floral note (hyacinth, honeysuckle?), and a touch of oak. The palate is remarkable with plenty of weight, depth, fruit, and tartness. They all come together harmoniously, creating once again, one of the top California Chardonnays. Every study of American Chardonnay should triangulate around James MacPhail, Tongue Dancer Wines, and the Bacigalupi Vineyard. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2023 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay Pratt Vine Hill, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $65. Heavy Bottle. Under cork. OK. Whoa. Of all the wines I receive over the course of a year? This Pratt Vine Hill from Tongue Dancer Wines is in the top three of the most eagerly anticipated. And that is really true. This is now the third vintage that I have tried, and this may just be the best. Past straw and onto yellow in color with an amazing nose. Yes, I typed “amazing,” which I rarely say (or type). Lemon curd, hazelnut, and a touch of buttered popcorn. Whoa. The palate is even more amazing with rich fruit, stunning acidity, minerality, and a silkiness that coats the mouth without you knowing it, helping to prepare you for the finish, which is lengthy, exquisite, and, well, close to life-changing. Yes, I admit I am a huge fan of the brand and the people behind it, but this has to be on the short list for American Chardonnay royalty. And I am serious. Whoa. Outstanding. 97 Points.

The lovely folk at Tongue Dancer Wines also sent me several Pinot Noirs for my annual tasting. They do this even though they know that their wines, when young, tend to need a bit of time to open up. So, as with many of the wines in the tasting, I taste many (most?) again the following day to confirm (or question?) my initial impressions of the given wine.

While most wines, I am happy to report, are pretty consistent the following day. Tongue Dancer Wines almost invariably improve with a bit more time open.

So what does that mean? First, you should be buying Tongue Dancer Wines. Second, if you insist on drinking them young, I would strongly suggest a decant, perhaps of an hour or two.

Here are my notes from the blind tasting, followed by the addendum from the following day:

2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Putnam Vineyard, West Sonoma Coast, CA: The Eighth Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir: Retail $75. Perhaps the darkest in the lineup thus far, with black cherry and raspberry, on the verge of cassis even, on the nose, rich and complex. Dark and close to brooding here on the palate with concentrated dark fruit. This is rich, intense, dark, and certainly a style of Pinot that has an audience, including me. Outstanding. 93 Points.

While all of the notes from the first round are certainly valid, the extra time gave a little more lift and brightness to all of that gorgeous (and fairly dark) fruit. I am bumping this up a notch. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Vineyard Eleven, Russian River Valley, CA: The Eighth Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir: Retail $80. Heavy Bottle (627g; 22.0 oz). Under DIAM. Lovely Bing and black cherry on the nose of this medium ruby-hued wine. Fruity, even really fruity on the palate, which initially masks the acidity, which finally pushes through on the back end of the mid palate. This seems a tad closed and shy, but clearly has the stuffing. Needs time? Excellent. 92 Points.

I tried this last year for the 7th Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir and then again for the 8th. I loved it during the 7th (96 Points) and really liked it for the 8th (92 Points). Thus, I decided to try this again the following day, and it was incredible. Much more vibrancy to the fruit, more evident tartness, resulting in a wonderfully balanced wine. The fruit, for sure, is off the charts, but that tartness and balance are really the drivers here. While many a MacPhail Pinot has plenty of fruit, this also has some spice and plenty more verve on Day 2. What does all of that mean? I would hold onto this wine for another 3-5 years. At least. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir Pinot de Ville, Sonoma Coast: The Eighth Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir: Retail $69. Under DIAM. Whoa. Subtle but wonderful nose of wild cherry and black cherry. The palate is rich and engaging with fantastic fruit and near impeccable balance. Several layers, each worthy of contemplation. Whoa. Outstanding. 97 Points.

As with the other Tongue Dancer Wines, I pulled this aside so that I could take another taste. And as with all the other wines from this producer, the extra time paid dividends. Yes, I was stunned by this on the first pass (97 Points). The second go around? The fruit actually brightened up a bit, moving from a black fruit-dominant wine to a more red (and black) approach that lifts both the nose and the palate. Holy cow. While I do believe that many wines benefit from time either in the cellar or in the decanter, Tongue Dancer Wines might be the poster child for that sentiment. Whoa. Outstanding Plus. 98 Points.