Winemaker Notes
Lush red fruit aromas of strawberry and cherry with a hint of spice. Red fruit flavors are extended on the palate with strawberry and Bing cherry coupled with round black tea-like tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This ripe, smooth and full-bodied wine was aged in 39% new French oak barrels and boasts generous, plump black cherries, dark plums and light oak spices on a texture firmed up by moderate tannins. Best through 2030.
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.