92 points - Wine & Spirits
In 2011, California saw very unusual weather, with a very wet winter, cool temperatures throughout the year, and some early rain in the fall in the northern part of the state. For this reason the vintage has suffered a lot of criticism in the wine press, but this kind of generalization has led to many excellent wines being overlooked. Depending on the timing of grape ripening, some vineyards weren't affected by the rain at all. Still others were in areas that really didn't see a huge amount of rain at all. Today's offering comes from just such a vineyard: Bien Nacido in the Santa Maria Valley. Bien Nacido is an iconic California Pinot Noir vineyard, and in the hands of a good producer, is capable of making extraordinary wine.
The 2011 Fess Parker Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir is deep garnet in color, with ruby at the core. The nose shows typical Pinot aromas of dark berry, raspberry, and cherry, along with more exotic notes of espresso, vanilla, and dried herb. The palate pairs juice black cherry flavors with blackberry, spice, and a hint of tobacco. Fairly lush on the palate yet with bright fruit, this is a beautifully balanced pinot, with an interesting spice note that lingers on the palate. This wine is drinking beautifully today, and should continue to improve over the next 3-5 years.
Vineyard Source: Bien Nacido
Appellation: Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Barrel Aging: 100% Barrel fermented & aged 16 months in 80% new French oak
Harvest Date: October 4th-12th
Clone Selection: Pomard & 2A
Brix: 24.2-25.1
Alcohol: 14.1%
p.H.: 3.51
T.A.: 0.591 g/100ml
Production: 807 cases
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
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