The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Anderson Valley

Varietal   Pinot Noir

Retail Price   $55

ABV   13.8%

Score   4 Stars/93 points

In the Glass

Deep, ruby red color.

The nose is quite complex offering scents of ripe, sweet red cherries with equal portions of tart cherries flanked by toasted oak, subtle earth accents, and a hint of clove.

The palate concurs with the nose delivering a very rich and concentrated fruit core with the sweet and sour red fruits still competing for domination. On the back palate we find trailing notes of spice and oak finishing with firm but well-integrated tannins.

Full-bodied with dense fruit and decadent wood flavors and a refreshing dose of acidity.

Cool Factor

Anderson Valley Pinot is typically cool and this one tops the cool scale bringing classic flavors together with rich, concentrated fruit.

Value Grade

Have you heard that premium California Pinot Noir is not cheap? Sure you have. Just five barrels of this expressive and delicious Pinot were produced.

Analysis

The fruit for this tasty Pinot is sourced entirely from the Wightman House Vineyard in the Anderson Valley (Mendocino). The Martini clone of Pinot Noir is grown here and this wine exhibits jammy and supple fruit that is typical with the clone. The grapes were handpicked and sorted with all stems removed before going through a five day cold maceration. The wine was aged in French oak, 61% new, for 11 months. This is a real blockbuster of a wine that will delight Pinot lovers. 93 points out of 100.

How to Enjoy

Serve with roasted leg of lamb or perhaps some grilled lamb sausage as this bold Pinot beckons big flavors.