The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   West Sonoma Coast

Varietal   Pinot Noir

Retail Price   $75

ABV   14.5%

Score   4.5 Stars/96 points

In the Glass

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.

Cool Factor

What's not cool about a delicious, tiny production Pinot with personality and a stellar track-record. Tongue Dancer's Putnam Pinot has established itself as a perennial favorite.

Value Grade

This wine is not cheap and is best suited for a special occasion, but we bet you deserve it. It's ultra-rare and world-class, these attributes make it a value.

Analysis

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.

How to Enjoy

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.