Winemaker Notes
Rich and powerful, this well structured wine has a darker ruby hue as well as a beautiful nose of cherry, dried cranberry, earthy forest floor, ground herbs, smoked earth. Named after Jim Clendenen's son
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the Santa Maria Valley (Bien Nacido and Le Bon Climat vineyards) and barrel fermented and aged in new French oak, the 2016 Pinot Noir Knox Alexander has a darker ruby hue as well as a beautiful nose of earthy cherries, forest floor, ground herbs, smoked earth. Medium-bodied, with good acidity and fine tannins, it has subtle background oak and will benefit from a year or three of bottle age and should keep for 15 years or more.
Rating: 92+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby, the 2016 Pinot Noir Knox Alexander features scents of dried cranberry and red cherry, orange peel, potpourri and hints of smoked meats over a core of wild blackberry and black raspberry. The palate is light to medium-bodied with spicy fruits, a great frame of grainy tannins and integrated freshness, finishing long.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
There are powerful, big-bodied Pinots, and there are those that are comparatively slender and small, but there are great many more, such as this, that find a comfortable place somewhere in between. Ripe without stressing the point and, withal, a more temperate wine that deftly weaves elements of cherries, sweet spice and pervasive, but subtle, slightly creamy oak into a rich and refined whole, the latest Knox Alexander is a polished wine, but not one so well-polished as to lose its fruity soul. There is nothing rough or rugged about it, but it is structured to age and age, and, while there is a legion of monotonous and too-often empty claims from Pinot Noir producers that they make wines in the Burgundian style, this one fits the model far more than most.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.