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
Displays a bright ruby hue. The nose reveals red cherries, bright red berries, subtle spring florals, and pie spices. On the palate, cherry cola, black tea, and liquid saline/minerals dominate, backed by vibrant, fresh acidity. It remains clean and elegant, with a young, firm structure and satiny tannin grip that suggests a decade of positive evolution in the cellar. A solid, well-made effort from this world class vineyard.
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