Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
When it comes to fruity precision and careful crafting, Donum’s Carneros appellation offering does not take a back seat to its pricier, single-site siblings, and it, in fact, is a first-rate Pinot Noir by any and all measures. Its insistent, very well-focused, varietal fruit is played against a judicious dollop of complementary sweet oak, and, while very rich stuff, it is also impeccably balanced and bright. While eminently enjoyable now, it very much wants age to grow into its best, and we recommend it be held for at least three or four years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Pinot Noir Estate Anderson Valley is a beauty. Its deep ruby/blue color is accompanied by glorious aromas of violets, blueberries and raspberries, a medium-bodied mouthfeel, and terrific purity, texture and length.
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Wine Enthusiast
There's a feral quality to this estate-grown wine that's in keeping with its lineage and appellation, a funky earthiness wrapped around vibrant cherry compote and juicy blackberry, seasoned in nutmeg and cardamom. Complex and layered, it builds momentum in the glass, taking on additional spicy characteristics and is structured on the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Tightly wound, firm and vibrant, with rich notes of loamy earth to the dried berry, herb, sage and cedar details. Very young and dense, showing a smoky, toasty edge on the finish. Best served by short-term cellaring. Drink now through 2023.
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.