Winemaker Notes
"Dark, healthy red. Superripe aromas of bitter cherry, flowers and cola, with a suggestion of aged steak. Ripe, concentrated and full, with dark berry, black cherry and spice flavors offering lovely sweetness. This is almost Cote de Nuits-like in the way it combines density and weight with tang and verve. Finishes long and sweet, with the tannins covered by raspberry, spices and earth. The crop level here was reportedly just 1. 5 tons per acre, and it shows."
-International Wine Cellar
Professional Ratings
As early as the 1970s Carneros became known as a source of terrific Pinot Noir, and was one of the first California regions to gain such a reputation. The combination of sunny days, cooling fog and thin clay soils are tailor-made for the variety. Another factor in Pinot Noir’s prominent place here is vintners’ willingness to experiment widely. The history of the grape in Carneros is marked by continuous research into clonal variations, viticultural techniques and site selection. Careful evaluation over time has revealed a signature flavor profile as well. Complex aromas and flavors of cherry, red berry, spice, earth and cola appear time and again in Carneros Pinot Noir. To this day the appellation remains one of California’s standard bearers for the variety.