Calera Reed Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

  • 93 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
  • 90 Wine
    Enthusiast
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Calera Reed Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 Front Label
Calera Reed Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2011

Size
750ML

Features
Boutique

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Briar, berry pie and flinty, rocky sassafras mark this 2011 Reed Vineyard Pinot Noir; one of the most concentrated and richest showings from this north/northeast facing block. The mouthwatering, yet taut flavors of black plum, forest floor, sleek red fruits and a unique salinity make it a delicious and fascinating wine. The structure is full and round but firm, with exquisite balance and a wonderful lingering finish.

Professional Ratings

  • 93
    Josh Jensen’s coolest site, planted on a north-facing slope in the vineyard’s deepest soil, Reed tends to come across as more discreet and savory than pinots from Mt. Harlan’s other vineyard blocks. In 2011, the wine’s firm, stony tannins speak to a cool season on this north slope of limestone-laced clay, but the fruit is completely ripe, with a luxurious concentration that expands across the palate like a slow flood—the flavors leaning toward black raspberry, complicated by Mt. Harlan’s characteristic wild aroma of resinous chaparral. Grand but not heavy, this will reward after time in the cellar.
  • 91
    From a cool site, the 2011 Pinot Noir Reed offers a subtle, restrained personality with subtle sassafras, resinous herbs, mint, licorice and sweet kirsch aromas and flavors to go with a medium bodied, lightly textured, and yet classy palate feel. It’s not a heavyweight, yet offers solid complexity and an interesting, lively profile.
  • 90
    It takes a certain trust in the ageability of a young Calera Pinot Noir to appreciate it, as evidenced by this bottling. It’s dry and tannic, with acid-inflected raspberry jam and oak flavors that show little in the way of complexity. Yet there are earthy, herbal, minerally depths. Granted that the vintage was difficult, this still is a wine to age. Try after 2017.

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Calera

Calera

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Calera, California
Calera Winery Video

In 1975, legendary vintner and American wine pioneer Josh Jensen founded Calera (Spanish for “lime kiln”) high in the remote Gavilan Mountains of California’s windswept Central Coast. There, in Mt. Harlan’s low-yielding, limestone-rich soils and cool, arid climate, he began planting what would ultimately become six small estate vineyards. Today, these vineyards are recognized as some of the New World’s most revered Pinot Noir sites.

Calera is a vision, and Calera’s wines truly express the sense of place. Rather than follow the recommended path, Josh Jensen became a pioneer in American Pinot Noir. Taking his cue from the great domaines of Burgundy, which have grown grapes in limestone soil for centuries, he set out in search of the perfect spot in California to create wines unique to the world but in the style of the greatest wines of France. Site selection was vital as he ventured off the grid to plant on the site of an old limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of California's Central Coast.

Under the stewardship of Winemaker Mike Waller, each vineyard is renowned for producing singular wines of uncommon purity, elegance and aging potential. In addition to its beloved single-vineyard wines, Calera partners with some of the top vineyards on California’s majestic Central Coast to make Calera’s beautiful Central Coast wines, including a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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Let’s start with the obvious – Central Coast Pinot Noir is an incredibly broad category. This of course is because the Central Coast appellation is enormous, and it contains several stellar Pinot Noir regions within it, all of them kept cool by elevation or proximity to the ocean (or both). So we’ll break things down a bit with a brief look at each of these: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey and the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. These are not the only Central Coast sources of good Pinot Noir, but they are the major ones. So let’s get started.

In the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, just west of Silicon Valley, producers craft excellent Pinot in spite of serious challenges. The land is mountainous, rugged and can be foggy, the topsoil is thin and poor and yields tend to be low. Yet Pinots from the likes of David Bruce, Martin Ray, Mount Eden and Thomas Fogarty exhibit undeniable quality, along with bright red fruit, minerality, earth and herbal hints.

Just south lies the large Monterey appellation. Monterey Pinot Noir is grown in coastal areas, taking optimal advantage of the cooling effect of the Pacific. The most highly regarded of these is the Santa Lucia Highlands. Situated on hilly benchlands south of the city of Monterey, this central coast region relies on a long growing season, night and morning fog and consistent afternoon winds to produce world class Pinot Noir. Attributes include intense, rich fruit, subtle earthy notes, spice and a silky texture. Look for producers like Siduri, Kosta Browne, Talbott and Lucienne.

The Santa Maria Valley in northern Santa Barbara County (a section of it falls into southern San Luis Obispo County) is also a haven for quality Pinot Noir. A mere 15 miles from the Pacific, the valley runs east-west, creating a natural tunnel through which ocean breezes and fog flow. This effect lengthens the growing season and promotes both ripeness and development of acidity, lending Santa Maria Valley Pinots their characteristic full flavor, balance and elegance. The famous Bien Nacido Vineyard is located here, and notable producers include Cambria, Foxen, Byron and Au Bon Climat.

Finally, we arrive at the Sta. Rita Hills, also in Santa Barbara County. Located in the western part of the Santa Ynez Valley, it too benefits from an east-west orientation that leads to the same conditions mentioned above. Once again the result is extended hang time for the grapes, which can be tasted in the vibrant, ripe red fruits evident in these Pinots, along with dense coloration and an impression of richness and intensity. Try wines from producers like Ken Brown, Ampelos, Fess Parker and Melville.

As you can see, California’s Central Coast offers a wealth of options for any lover of Pinot Noir. Cheers!

PBC9178016_2011 Item# 131215

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