Highlands 41 Pinot Noir 2019
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
The Riboli family is providing great value with this newer line of wines, even in the hard-to-master affordably priced Pinot Noir category. Generous aromas of baked red plum, strawberry, nutmeg and star anise lead into a palate that's amply tense with prickly acidity. That balances the rich stewed fruit, caramel and mint flavors.
Named after historic Highway 41 and the rugged Creston Highlands, Highlands 41 is the embodiment of the energy and excitement you get from breaking out and taking the road less travelled. Proudly rooted in Paso Robles, their wines embody the pioneer spirit that founded the area and the amazing undiscovered flavors that can be found here. Millions of years ago, the Highlands 41 vineyards were submerged under an ancient sea. Fast forward millions of years, the seas have receded leaving behind limestone rich soil which provide ideal conditions for the vineyards. At Highlands 41 sustainability and maintaining these unique soils are a top priority and all of their vineyards are certified sustainable by CSWA.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.