Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A savory sage aroma hints at the complexity and interest to be found in this charming, complete and full-bodied wine. Accents of cinnamon, nutmeg and chaparral blend with red cherry and rhubarb on the palate, while light tannins give it just enough grip in the texture.
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Wine Spectator
Richly spiced, featuring a crunchy texture to the dried red cherry and currant flavors that are flanked by cedary accents, with savory cut on the 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.”
Part of northern Mendocino County, the Eagle Peak appellation produces high quality Pinot noir.