Winemaker Notes
Having only been bottled a few months ago, it is still a bit tight on the finish, but really opens up after being open for several hours. If you’re going to drink this wine now, give it some air (or a good decanting) or let it sit in the cellar for a couple of years.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The longtime cult Pinot house of winemaker Adam Lee, whose vineyard sources range from Willamette Valley to the Santa Rita Hills. Ripe cherry nose; silky with bright berry fruit and racy acidity.
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Wine & Spirits
Sappy, plummy and bright, this captures the warmth and concentrated purple fruit of the Santa Lucia Highlands without overreaching. There’s a floral buzz and earthy richness at the end, and those savory aspects feel satisfying as they play against the fruit’s sunny sweetness.
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.