Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Ultrarich, with restrained power, this is pure and focused on dense, ripe plum, black cherry and blackberry flavors. Deftly balanced and elegant, ending with a mix of suppleness and subtlety.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard has tremendous lift and aromatic complexity, much of which comes from the inclusion of 20% whole clusters. Freshly cut flowers, spices, mint and anise waft from the glass supported by insistent layers of underlying minerality. There is a tension and pure energy to the Garys- that is exciting and compelling. A portion of the fruit was fermented in open top wood vats, an approach that seems to work beautifully.
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.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.