Sonnet Tondre's Pinot Noir 2015
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Wilfred
Wong
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Some Pinot Noirs are all about delivery. The 2015 Sonnet Wine Cellars Tondre's Grapefield is all about reaching the finish line. This not so subtle Pinot comes through loud and clear. TASTING NOTES: This is a well-built red. Its aromas and flavors of red to black fruit and vanilla should pair well with a nicely charred steak. (Tasted: August 20, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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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.