Winemaker Notes
Vibrant and lively, this ethereal ruby red Pinot Noir is full of lifted red berry aromas alongside flavors of strawberry compote, Bing cherry, pink peppercorn, and delicate hibiscus flower with nuances of earth and spice. The mouthfeel is savory and rich with fine-grained tannins and finishes long and fresh with hints of cinnamon and clove, a signature characteristic often found in Grace Benoist Ranch Pinot Noirs. Silky and supple with a lean line of acidity, making it ideal for enjoying now, or cellar away, for further development of the complex layers of flavor.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A dark-fruited, spicy and typical Carneros wine. The palate is densely packed, with refined tannins and a plush, succulent mouthfeel that leads to a generous and mouthwatering finish. Plenty of perfume and generosity. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2023 Pinot Noir Grace Benoist Ranch is a very beautiful, vivid wine that captures the essence of this cool-climate site in a cold, late-ripening year. Macerated black cherry, sage, rosemary, coffee and dark spice all flesh out in the glass. Readers will find an ample, expansive Pinot. The 2023 is a blend of 24 parcels across the ranch. This is a terrific vintage for the straight Grace Benoist bottling.
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Wine Spectator
An alluring red, with boysenberry and black cherry compote notes that are generous in feel and laced with black tea and savory through the caressing, gently toasted finish. Nicely done.
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.