Winemaker Notes
Light to medium ruby in color, this wine displays captivating aromas of mulberry, blackberry, and graphite, while the palate reveals rich layers of raspberry, currant, porcini mushroom, and sassafras. With firm tannins, this Pinot Noir offers a well-structured finish, ideal for aging.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of plums and berries with hints of flowers. Medium-bodied, creamy and refined, with balance and focus. Bright and vivid.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich and deep, this savory Pinot jumps from the glass with aromas of blackberry, macerated Bing cherry, woodsy earth and dried mushroom, while the powerful palate brings flavors of spiced black plum, black tea and cinnamon in a plush, tannic framework. Give this wine five years in the cellar and enjoy with hearty pork or lamb courses.
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Wine Spectator
Offers a good mix of steeped red and black cherry fruit mixed with singed mesquite, baking spice and black tea notes. A sanguine echo filters through on the finish, with the toasty edge keeping the upper hand. Drink now through 2031.
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Vinous
The 2022 Pinot Noir Three Hills is a dark, brooding wine. A blast of dark cherry/plum fruit, espresso, menthol, licorice and dried herbs makes a strong opening statement. This is an imposing, potent style, especially in the tannin profile.
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.