Winemaker Notes
The Pinot Noir is not overtly fruity, but soft and "sweet" and it generally shows hints of that alluring savory "primal" character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Opening with delightful red fruit essences that lift from the glass, the 2021 Pinot Noir is fresh, vibrant and lively with expressive, dusty florals and a juicy frame of cherries and raspberries. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the palate offers succulent acidity with fine-grained tannins. This Pinot Noir delivers a fantastic crystalline purity that has me coming back for more. The finish is still tight and will benefit from another year in the bottle, but don’t be too hasty to open this gorgeous Pinot.
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James Suckling
Aromas of cherries and wild strawberries with dried herbs, paprika, citrus rind and stones. Medium-bodied with round texture. Refined and delicate pinot with juicy character, impressive tension and length. Lingering finish with notes of nut shell and spices. Sustainable.
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Wine Enthusiast
Light herbaceous notes complement the cherry aromas of this delicate red. Fine tannins and moderate acidity provide a smooth mouthfeel. Well-balanced flavors of chocolate, cherry and herbs show on the bright palate and linger in the medium finish.
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Wine Spectator
Fresh and elegant, with macerated cherry and raspberry fruit underscored by a subtle streak of loamy earth and spices. Well-knit and medium-bodied, with accents of rose petal, woodsy spices and citrus. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2026. 2,900 cases made, 600 cases imported.
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.”
A relatively cool, maritime climate area, Walker Bay includes three important wards: Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. These sites benefit from the cooling ocean winds and are reputed for the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage.