Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Tongue Dancer Putnam Vineyard Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast 2022
Product Story
The 2022 vintage marks the ninth vintage of The Tongue Dancer Putnam Vineyard Pinot Noir. Loyal BevX readers and fans of Tongue Dancer wines know the Putnam Vineyard Pinot to be synonymous with their “Pinot de Ville” designation as it was from 2014 to 2019. From 2021, TDW has a dedicated label for the great Putnam Vineyard — located in the Sonoma Coast town of Annapolis, just six miles from the Pacific coast. 2022 was a warm growing season, with the fruit coming in early on 17 September — coincidentally the same day as the 2016 harvest. All of the TDW Pinots are beautiful beasts that are best to cellar. The grapes are hand-picked and gently destemmed, not crushed. The five-day, pre-fermentation cold soak undoubtedly contributes to the dark, inky color and intense aromatics. This Pinot rests for 18 months exclusively in French oak barrels (18% new) prior to bottling.
Brand Story
Tongue Dancer Wines is the creation of James and Kerry MacPhail. If you are a California Pinot Noir lover you likely know James' previous work with MacPhail Family Wines. James knows how to make amazing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and James knows a lot of people who grow spectacular Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We have been reviewing the wines from Tongue Dancer for the better part of a decade and we have never seen a Tongue Dancer Wine fail to earn Four-Stars or better. Tongue Dancer is constantly innovating, releasing new wines every year while never missing a beat. Last year they surprised us with the release of a great, dry cider! This is a winery to watch. The wines are always in short supply so be swift. Visit their website and join their mailing list to get direct access to their wines.
Tasting Note
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of red cherry, elderberry, and dried herbs with supporting notes of garrigue, slate, thyme, iron, cocoa, and tamari. The palate echoes the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, black tea, and graphite. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty texture.
How to Serve
If you are drinking this wine before 2026, be sure to decant it. This wine really needs nothing but a glass, but the rich texture and bright acidity would pair perfectly with a grilled beef tenderloin or rich braised beef and mushrooms.
Price: $ 75
BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4442
