Tyler Winery Bien Nacido Pinot Noir 2017
- Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
The Bien Nacido “N Block” Pinot Noir from Tyler takes the already special “Old Vine” Bien Nacido bottling to another level. Smoky, nutty and somewhat animalistic on the nose, the wine perfectly balances the trifecta of fruit, perfume and earth. It’s texture has an elasticity between being both rigid and plush, while the finish is spry and savory. A wine of extremes and juxtapositions.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Pale to medium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Old Vine opens with some tar/gunflint reductive notes, slowly opening to charcuterie, pepper, garrigue, lemon peel, smoke, toast and blackberry aromas. It's light to medium-bodied, saline and savory in the mouth with granulated tannins and good freshness on the savory finish. This is drinking a tad reductive/closed today, but with more time in bottle my score may look conservative.
Rating: 91+
Other Vintages
2014-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
We believe wine should be elegant and honest, and must possess aromatic purity.
In order to best convey the individuality of each site, we try to be modern in our thinking and classic in our approach. Great effort had been made not only to seek out vineyards of pedigree, but also to seek out vines with age. We now work with a number of the oldest vineyard blocks in the County and believe this is essential in our quest for both purity and intesity. Furthermore, close collaboration with each of our growers along with focused, minimal handling of fruit and wine allow us the best opportunity to achieve our goals.
We currently produce 12 different bottlings each year from 22 parcels within 7 different vineyard sites. Total production is approximately 2500 cases annually.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.