Winemaker Notes
After night harvesting, the fruit from the Lee Vineyard has a short distance to
travel—a quarter mile down the road to Saintsbury . From there, each block remains separate and receives gentle handling from the sorting table to small open top fermenters for 5 day cold soak, 11 day total cuvaison. This is a site that requires cautious and gentle extraction regime for balanced tannins and bright acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir Lee Vineyard features notes of baked raspberries, red currant jelly and red roses with hints of tar, stewed tea and Provence herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is earthy and restrained with a pleasantly chewy texture and refreshing finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Soft and supple on the palate in waves of wild strawberry, this is a lush creamy wine with bright secondary notes of orange peel and rhubarb. There's a touch of oak that complements the fruit.
As early as the 1970s Carneros became known as a source of terrific Pinot Noir, and was one of the first California regions to gain such a reputation. The combination of sunny days, cooling fog and thin clay soils are tailor-made for the variety. Another factor in Pinot Noir’s prominent place here is vintners’ willingness to experiment widely. The history of the grape in Carneros is marked by continuous research into clonal variations, viticultural techniques and site selection. Careful evaluation over time has revealed a signature flavor profile as well. Complex aromas and flavors of cherry, red berry, spice, earth and cola appear time and again in Carneros Pinot Noir. To this day the appellation remains one of California’s standard bearers for the variety.