Winemaker Notes
The 2018 The Vice Pinot Noir jumps off the glass with aromas of berry bramble, mulberry with hints of lilac and violet. The palate is round and generous with layers of mouth-enveloping ripe berries, rhubarb, dried cherries and equally imposing tannins. This is an especially muscular style of Napa Pinot. All the elements meld together effortlessly with secondary flavors of bittersweet chocolate and Provence herbs that lead into a long, silky and smooth finish.
The Vice Wine is a Napa Valley luxury wine brand made in small batches. Each batch is crafted from single grape varietals sourced from hand selected vineyards that best express the grape varietal and the region that it comes from. The Vice Wine is a result of passionate labor, sustainable farming, a long expertise of the wine industry and a current understanding of the consumer’s wine trend.
The Vice Wine is about as personal of a brand as it gets. Everything is done by the founders. They drive the truck to get their fruit, they crush, bottle, label; they do everything by hand when possible. We design the labels, work the market, and sell the wine.
They believe that the best wines in the world aren’t the most expensive ones. They thrive at providing the best quality wine at the best value.
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.