Winemaker Notes
Leading with intense aromas of raspberry and red cherry, the 2006 Le Moulin Rouge follows with hints of Earl Grey tea and graphite. Opening further, the bouquet reveals additional aromas such as white strawberries, raspberries, Grillottes cherries with cloves and cinnamon in background. Intense in the mouth, the wine blends richness and delicacy as the flavors stretch to a long fruit-filled finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Smooth and harmonious, offering supple plum, black cherry and wild berry, with hints of cola, sassafras and spice. Turns elegant and delicate, ending with a long, soothing 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.”
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.