Winemaker Notes
Expressive aromas of raspberries, red cherries and strawberry reflect the true characteristics of our coastal vineyards. A delicate wine with a fresh, silky mouthfeel. The seamless balance of acidity and tannins result in a vibrant and complex Pinot Noir.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very fresh on the palate with notes of strawberries, rose petals and undertones of ash. Light-to-medium body, fine tannins and a fresh, fruity finish.
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Wine Spectator
A suave red, featuring plenty of savory spice notes to the cherry, dried currant and red berry flavors that are flush with cedary accents. The luscious finish shows hints of chocolate and cream. Drink now through 2020.
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.”
A region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.