Winemaker Notes
The result of another spectacular growing season in the Santa Lucia Highlands, the 2019 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir is an exquisite offering from this legendary site. Richly hued in the glass, this vibrant, medium ruby wine sings with concentrated aromas of raspberry liqueur, black cherry, and rose petal. Adding depth and complexity with each swirl, distinct notes of sandalwood and baking spice create a constantly evolving and unmistakable bouquet. Capitalizing on the character from the alluvial soils of this gently sloped, east-facing vineyard, the vines ripened each cluster slowly and evenly, benefitting from wind-swept summer afternoons. Coating the palate like a layer of velvet, flavors of strawberry compote, kirsch, and black tea are backed by hints of toasty, spicy oak and vibrant acidity. A stunning representation of this storied varietal in its youth, this wine will continue to develop gracefully for more than a decade.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This is a bombastic but balanced and beautiful Pinot Noir, beginning with aromas of black-cherry kirsch, cola and licorice. An epic richness envelops the palate, yet it's encased in a firm skeleton of tannins. Flavors of black cherry and cedar lead into a pine-tar-laced finish.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard gives up slightly more savory, earthy nuances in its ripe red and black fruits as well as scorched earth, toasted Asian spices, and orange zest aroma and flavors. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, it has ripe, notable tannins, good freshness and purity, and a great finish. It will keep for over a decade.
Rating: 94+ -
Wine Spectator
Pure-tasting, fresh and juicy, with raspberry tart and wild berry flavors that show hints of blood orange. The minerally finish lingers with cedar and sandalwood accents.
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.