Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Earth and rocks power the nose of this wine by veteran Dan Lee, with chipped slate, cinnamon, bramble berries and smoked meat aromas. The palate blends black cherries with black rocks, black sage, licorice and herb-crusted beef roast flavors.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
My go-to Pinot Noir that I can always depend on, the 2013 Twelve Clones is simply fine; drinks so well and ready out-of-the-chute. Medium to deep red, garnet color; lively wild strawberry and mixed berry aromas, excellent depth; medium bodied, pert and lively on the palate; dry, fine acidity, well balanced; nearly bold with is red and black fruit flavors, stays sane by keeping everything in place. (Tasted: August 24, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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.