Tasting Notes

Release Date: September 10, 2020

In a first for us, we have produced a charitable bottling to support the mental health of our community.

We selected three outstanding barrels from a single vineyard Tanaka, named for our dear friend Ron Tanaka; this is in contrast to our regular bottling, which comes from all four of our Estate Pinot Noir vineyards. Vinted in the same manner as our Estate Pinot Noir: 35% whole cluster fermentation; with native fermentations; no fining or filtration. The 2017 Tanaka Project is expressive with fresh aromas of rose petals, brown spices, wild strawberries and earth. On the palate, the tannins are refined yet present with brisk flavors of blueberry and raspberry, all back up with acidity and earthy complexity.

Given the fine structure, expect an aging potential of 25 years.

Production

75

Tech Notes

Yield: 1.5 tons per acre

Harvest: September 2nd-3rd

Numbers @ Harvest: 23.5° Brix, 3.6 pH, 8.8 grams acidity

Barrel Regimen: 3 Barrels selected; French Burgundy 50% new, 50% 1 year; native ferments

Bottling: August 2018, no fining or filtration

Alcohol: 14%

Reviews

94 points Antonio Galloni presents Vinous - September 9, 2020

The 2017 Pinot Noir The Tanaka Project is a small three-barrel lot from one vineyard planted in 2010 and dedicated to the memory of Ron Tanaka, a family friend, artist and English professor who died by suicide. A portion of the proceeds will go to suicide prevention. Elegant, silky and polished, the 2017 has so much to offer. The natural richness of the vintage comes through, but, at the same time, an underlying spine of tannin and acid gives the wine a palpable sense of direction. Cedar, licorice, star anise and blood orange add attractive exotic accents.

94 points Wine Enthusiast Magazine - December 2020 (Best of Year Buying Guide)

Editors Choice

This bottling is a personal one for the Patterson family, dedicated to funding suicide prevention after the loss of their friend Ron Tanaka. The wine offers hearty aromas of blistered plum, funky mushroom and hints of dried seaweed and iodine on the nose. The palate also reflects those savory seashore elements along with touches of dried cranberry and mulberry touches. It’s built for aging, so drink now through 2032. —M.K.

94 points Robert Parker Jr's The Wine Advocate - February 2021, Week 1

A small cuvée of 75 cases, this is the first iteration of a charitable bottling from Mount Eden Vineyards. A portion of proceeds for the 2017 Pinot Noir The Tanaka Project will go to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), a cause I fully support. Vinified in the same way as the estate Pinot, it offers a rich layering of aromas: blood orange, cranberry, licorice and exotic, amaro-like spices, all with a seamless undercurrent of earthy nuances. The palate is layered and inviting, with a grainy, fresh structure and long, spiced finish. —E. B