GOLD MEDAL: Pinot Noir Shootout, 2011
Indigené Cellars has only recently released their first wines, but owner and winemaker Raymond Smith has been in the wine business for over 20 years as the owner/operator of a mobile bottling line, and that experience is clearly paying off as Raymond begins producing his own wine. All five of the wines that made up his first release were awarded medals in the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, which is quite an accomplishment. We were lucky enough to try a few of the wines and were able to secure a small allocation of the 2007 Pinot Noir, from the Santa Maria Valley.
The 2007 Indigené Cellars Pinot Noir is pale garnet in color, with a complex nose of cherry, raspberry, watermelon and dark earth. The palate shows classic pinot flavors of cherry and strawberry, with a distinctive earthy, spicy finish. Good length and lush, ripe, full flavors leave a big impression on the palate. The Santa Maria Valley is slowly gaining recognition as a top growing region for Pinot Noir, and wines like this, that deftly balance power and elegance are the reason why. Don’t miss out on the chance to stock up on Pinot Noir from a great vintage and a region you are going to be hearing a lot more about in the years to come.
You may also like:
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark fruit aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and black cherry steer the aromatics backed by baking spices, anise and lavender. A touch of Syrah to add tannin and depth. On the palate, black cherry and blackberry preserve shine through rounded out by herbs de Provence, dark chocolate and vanilla. A gorgeous expressive wine!
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Polished and elegantly layered Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah offers red plum and black cherry, with hints of cigar box, forest floor, bay, baking spices, light pepper and vanilla on the nose. Expressive black raspberry, sassafras and smoky pepper flavors that linger with salted dark chocolate, red plum, cherry with notes of pepper on the palate.
