Winemaker Notes
Crimson in the glass out to a light garnet rim. The aromas are a delightful interplay of sandalwood and freshly picked berries. Aromas of strawberry, cherry and cranberry dominate with hints of white pepper, beetroot and whiffs of garden herbs like sweet basil. A zing of orange peel hits the palate first with flavors of blood orange, pink grapefruit, cherry and pomegranate all held up by a base of savory dried herbs and hints of cocoa dust. It has lively acidity to balance out some reasonably grippy youthful tannins and ends on that same streak of orange peel. The flavor persists for a nice while.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A minerally style, with a spicy snap to the dried berry and red cherry flavors, which are fine-grained and well-structured. Shows notes of pomegranate on the savory finish.
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.”
Just northeast of Napa city, Atlas Peak boasts some of Napa Valley’s highest elevation vineyards. Here the intense sunlight coupled with cool, nighttime temperatures produce grapes that are perfectly ripe, balanced and concentrated. The appellation is rich in volcanic soils and excels in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.