Winemaker Notes
This wine pairs nicely with lamb, duck, even grilled fish, and will improve with additional cellaring for 2 to 5 years.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has attractive fresh flowers and blueberries, as well as cherries and earthy, black-tea notes. The palate houses open-knit and approachable tannins that deliver a bold build of fleshy tannin.
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Wine Enthusiast
Tangy citrus and pomegranate combine for a bright, fresh experience built around focused acidity in this appellation wine. Gravelly texture gives it a complexity that impresses and lengthens the finish.
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.