Testarossa Vineyards, Los Gatos - comments?

[SanJoseHound]

Might be going to their Holiday Celebration this Sunday. I realized I know very little about wineries in my backyard vs. farther afield like Napa. Mr. Hound enjoys pinots so I thought this might be a good time to try Testarossa's. Their website says they buy grapes from all over: Russian River Valley to Sta. Lucia Highlands & Chalone. Any comments/feedback about their pinot?

[Brad Ballinger]

Definitely stop there.

[whiner]

As has been said, their wines from the Kurtzman era are awesome (he is one of the very best Pinot winemakers in CA). Less so now, but still worthy of checking out.

[jdwdeville]

I couldn't keep their Gary's vineyard Pinot on the shelves of my store, and even the entry level pinots were quite good last year. haven't tasted the new vintage, however.

[BigWoodenSpoon]

Back in the day of The Wild Hare, (2001) we enjoyed an excellent 375 ml bottle of Chardonnay from Testrarossa. I am anything but a Chardonnay fan, but let's just say that this wine drank like the sports car would drive. It was so good I drove to Walnut Creek and bought it for my friend's Beki's 50th birthday present, paying about $30 at the time.
I had never spent that kind of money on wine before, but that one was sooo worth it.

[vinosnob]

I was at a tasting a few months ago and one of the attendees brought three Testarossa pinots from the '01 vintage. Specifically, the Gary's, Pisoni and Rosella's SVDs.

They were sublime and the stars of the evening. However, these specific wines were made by Ed Kurtzman who is no longer the winemaker there.

However, if Testarossa was in my "backyard", I would pay a visit.

[zin1953]

VERY fine wines. Worth the visit.