Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Tongue Dancer Wines Pinot de Ville, 10th Anniversary Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2023
Product Story
Time flies when you’re drinking good Pinot. The 2023 vintage marks the 10th edition of The Tongue Dancer "Pinot de Ville" (PDV). The fruit for this edition of their Cadillac wine is sourced from the familiar Pratt Vineyard along Sexton Road in a zone that is technically within the Russian River Valley. This vineyard site is renowned for its “Goldridge”, sandy loam soils, and being just nine miles from the Pacific Ocean, the coastal influences are undeniable. As always, the grapes are hand-picked, gently destemmed, and not crushed; they are cold-soaked for five days. This Pinot rests for 16 months exclusively in French oak barrels (20% new) before bottling. The production is minimal, so get some while you can. The 2023 Pinots from Tongue Dancer are intense and complex, and while quite enjoyable now, some patience in the cellar should yield amazing results. This vintage’s label (being a special 10-year milestone) features a solid gold de Ville, which seems proper and fitting.
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 have never seen a Tongue Dancer Wine fail to earn Four-Stars or better. Tongue Dancer constantly innovates, releasing new wines yearly while never missing a beat. Once, they surprised us by releasing 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, violet, and dried herbs with supporting notes of black tea, hibiscus flower, and oak. The palate echoes the nose, delivering a red and black fruit-driven core with flavors of black cherry, baking spices, mineral, earth, and thyme. The finish is long and lingering with dry tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture.
How to Serve
This wine really needs nothing but a glass, but the rich texture and bright acidity would pair perfectly with a grilled beef ribeye or rich, braised beef and mushrooms. Decant for an hour before drinking.
Price: $69