92 Points - Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2015
Gold Medal - 2015 Pinot Noir Shootout
Vineyard Notes
Found at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains, up against the 50-foot palisade that defines the “Riverbed” terrain from the benchland, this 60-acre vineyard features meager surface soil over dense hard-pan subsoil. The vines on this windy property are naturally low-yielding and consist of multiple varietials, including seven clones of Pinot Noir.
Winemaking Notes
The Pinot Noir was hand-harvested on October 10, 2012. At the winery, the fruit was gently crushed and de-stemmed with the must racked to macro-bins. Cold-soaked for two days, the juice was inoculated with RC212 (Burgundy yeast isolate) and spent 2 weeks extracting color and flavors from the skins. The wine was pressed shortly after dryness and racked to French oak barrels. Aged for eleven months, the resulting wine was bottled on September 26, 2013.
Tasting Notes
This wine epitomizes the elegance and broad character profile of Pinot Noir from the Arroyo Seco AVA’s riverbed channel. Loaded with red-tone fruit characters, the bouquet fills with cranberry, cherry, raspberry cream and dusty plum. In its recesses, aromas of pomegranate, sandalwood, baking spice, rose petal and earthy notes abound. On the palate, the flavors carry through with balance achieved between the vibrant acidity, and fleshy yet firm tannins.
Vineyards: Cedar Lane Vineyard
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: 50% - Pommard Clone 4, 50% -“Dijon” Clone 667
Harvest: October 10, 2012
Aging: French Oak, 14% New Dargaud Jaegle, Mercurey & Taransaud
Bottled: September 26, 2013
Acidity: 0.61
pH: 3.89
Alcohol: 14.1%
Production: 156 cases
95 Points
Rich and full-bodied, packed with dark fruit flavors of blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry. Notes of cocoa, cedar, and warm spice add complexity, while firm tannins and a touch of volcanic minerality reflect the bold characteristics of Calistoga’s terroir. Full-bodied in texture, and remarkably velvety. The tannins gracefully interweave, establishing a flawless equilibrium of acidity and pleasing fruit.
92 Points
Deep floral notes (violets), blackberry, black cherry, and cassis. Driven by the mountain's steep, cool-climate terroir, it balances rich notes of blackberry and pomegranate seamlessly intertwined with dark plum, cocoa dust, and roasted mocha, hints of roasted mocha and spice undertones add depth to its complex profile, culminating in a bold, yet elegant finish.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
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