Winemaker Notes
Exotic plums, black cherries, sage, fir tips and black truffle notes are evident on the palate and on the nose. The depth of this wine and the continual unfolding of layers are to be adored. Be patient with this wine, cellar time will be essential to uncover the full potential here.
Pair this Pinot Noir with Cassoulet or Herbed Roasted Chicken and Smashed Red Potatoes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is nervy, complex and fascinating, blending bright red cherry, riper black cherry and nuances of black tea and forest floor on a sleek structure of lifted acidity and moderate tannins. Best through 2028.
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Wine & Spirits
Jason and Molly Drew planted seven acres of pinot noir on their home ranch, 3.3 miles from the Pacific and 1,250 feet above it. It’s a marginal climate that works with the mix of heritage and suitcase selections providing the fruit for this bottling—one that argues for their having discovered, in this former apple orchard, a great California terroir. In 2017, it’s a majestic, beautifully layered wine, with energy pouring out of the glass as if emitting what sun was stored in the grapes. There’s a density to its rooted tannins and a floral sweetness to its fruit—a contrast of grilled-mushroom savor and smashed woodland berries, with the constant refreshing sweep of the coastal winds.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Drew Estate Field Selections Pinot Noir is an outstanding wine. TASTING NOTES. This wine represents the Mendocino Ridge AVA well. Its elegant yet luxurious red and black fruits start strong and finish well. Pair it with a pan-fried veal chop. (Tasted: September 26, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
Anderson Valley, located in Mendocino County just above Sonoma County, is one of California’s coolest AVAs, allowing it a long growing season. Only 15 miles long, the region makes a slice eastward through the mountains, from the frigid Pacific Ocean. Dramatic diurnal temperature variations here preserve grape acidity and thus freshness in the finished wines. These are prime conditions for growing Pinot Noir, and the valley produces many fine versions. Characteristics of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir typically include crisp acidity, cranberry and strawberry notes as well as earthy notes of forest floor and mushroom.
Still Pinot Noir, however, is only part of the story. Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay, are also grown for Anderson Valley’s exceptional sparkling wines. Produced via the traditional method, these offer a classic toasty note from lees aging, bright, complex fruit notes and a clean, refreshing character.