Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Potent black-fruit flavors meet spicy, cedary accents in this big and firmly structured wine. Noticeable tannins wrap around black cherry and blackberry flavors while flinty, peppery notes kick in on the finish.
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James Suckling
Violets, raspberries, cloves, orange zest and spice box on the nose. Creamy and layered with a medium to full body and rounded tannins. I like the vibrant spiciness. Delicious now.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Schug Carneros Pinot Noir is racy as it explodes with excellent purity of fruit. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of dried leaves, savory spices, wild strawberries, and other racy red fruits. Pair it with grilled, wild salmon fillets. (Tasted: November 24, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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.