Tasting Notes

Release Date: Fall 2021

The 2018 harvest started in early September under perfect ripening conditions. Included in the fermentations were 35% whole-cluster to add complexity and vibrancy.  There are no “additions” to our winemaking; we employ indigenous yeast during fermentation. When we bottle, there is no fining or filtration, creating a Natural Wine in every aspect.

Appropriate dark ruby color, with amazing fresh soft red fruit aromas and a hint of cardamom, this Pinot has rich and balanced on the palate featuring cocoa, blackberry, oak, and a killer depth of flavor.

As always, a candidate for the cellar.

 

Production

994

Tech Notes

Yield: 2 tons per acre

Harvest: August 22nd- 30th

Numbers @ Harvest: 23.4° Brix, 3.50 pH, 8.0 grams acidity

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

Bottling: August 2019, no fining or filtration

Alcohol: 13.5%

Reviews

95 points Antonio Galloni presents Vinous - May 2022

The 2018 Pinot Noir is gorgeous. Deep and super-expressive, the 2018 has so much to say. Hints of dried herbs, blood orange, rose petal, cinnamon and star anise complement a core of red cherry/plum fruit nicely. This stylish, elegant Pinot Noir has a ton to offer. But it also needs time, as the stem component is a bit pronounced in the early going. Drinking window:  2024 – 2036—A.G.

95+ points JebDunnuck.com - December 21, 2021

Crushed stone, lit gunpowder, peppery herbs, sassafras, violets, and assorted red and black fruits all emerge from the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate, a brilliant release from this estate that’s medium-bodied, has bright yet integrated acidity, beautiful balance, and a great, great finish. It’s young and unevolved (yet it’s already complex) and will benefit from 2 – 4 years of bottle age, but this is a gorgeous California Pinot Noir on every level. It’s going to drink well for over two decades. Maturity 2022 – 2042

93 points Wine Enthusiast Magazine  - December 2021

Black-plum, incense, black-cherry and root-beer aromas show on the nose of this bottling from a regional standard bearer. Sandalwood and mahogany flavors make for a woody palate, where the dark-plum and purpleflower flavors cling to a firm tension. —M.K.