Winemaker Notes
Fermentation occurs in small stainless steel open top vats, which allows Caraccioli to keep the many blocks within Escolle separate. Composed primarily of clones 777, 667 and 115 this wine is the brightest red fruit expression from their Pinot Noir lineup.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Intense aromas of black raspberry and strawberry float atop spicy cracked pepper and sharp baking spice on the nose of this bottling. The palate pops with floral flavors of scarlet red rose and lavender, with a lightly caramelized kick of dark cherry arising by the finish, as black pepper dust enhances the whole sip.
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Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Escolle Vineyard is a very pretty and expressive wine. Plum, licorice, cloves, lavender and spice bring out the darker side of Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot. This deceptively mid-weight Pinot packs plenty of punch—that much is pretty clear. Attractive floral and savory notes linger.
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.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.