WINEMAKER'S NOTES:
Aromatically the wine has notes of red berry fruits, Chinese five-spice, dried flowers, and damp topsoil. On the palate, it is juicy with a combination of ripened of black and red fruits, warm spices, rose petals, and youthful tannins.
TASTING NOTES:
The 2021 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard opens with a dusty bouquet of rich autumnal spices, hints of ginger and crushed raspberry. This sweeps across the palate with a wave of ripe wild berries guided by zesty acidity, taking on a distinct savoriness toward the close. Hints of blood orange and bitter dark chocolate linger long as the 2021 tapers off with youthful tension and a layer of grippy tannins that frame the experience beautifully. The Jessie is the most wildly appealing of the Cristom single vineyards, presenting a little of something for everyone.
- Vinous, 94 pts
Lush with notes of dusty earth, the deep ruby-colored 2021 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard is rosy and pure, with wild raspberry liqueur, anise, and orange. Medium-bodied with a focused feel, while retaining ripe red fruit, it offers fine tannins and fresh acidity throughout. It has a bit of texture that I think comes from stem tannins, but they’re ripe and well-integrated. It’s going to benefit from a few more years of bottle age.
- Jeb Dunnuck, 94 pts.
Aged 18 months on lees in French oak, 38% new, is yet another great, aciddriven wine from Cristom’s 2021 vintage. Black cherries and violets are the dominant aromas, with a trace of polished hardwood floors. Flavors like raspberry, saline and mint frolic on a crisp, taut texture.
- Wine Enthusiast, 91 pts.