WINEMAKER'S NOTES:
The aromatics instantly permeate the glass with rose petals, ripe red plums, cloves, and orange zest. When tasting, the flavors of Bing Cherry, raspberry and blackberry race over the entire palate and are followed by black tea and tarragon. A harmonious backbone of silky tannins and energetic acidity give this wine real verve.
TASTING NOTES:
The 2022 Pinot Noir Estate was vinified with 40% whole clusters and matured in used oak. The nose is bursting with cranberry, pomegranate, mushrooms, woodsmoke and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate has a core of earth and spice-laced fruit. It has a frame of chalky tannins and juicy acidity and a long, nuanced finish.
- Wine Advocate, 93 pts.
Baked cherry and boysenberry aromas meet with dark earth, star anise and eucalyptus leaf aromas on the nose of this appellation cuvée. There's a rich body to the palate, but the ripe cherry flavor stays vibrant and energized, bolstered by green sage and lemon-peel elements.
- Wine Enthusiast, 93 pts.
The 2022 Pinot Noir Estate is a blend of all 17 clones on the property. Bright, punchy and super-expressive, the 2022 is very nicely done. The fruit is especially vibrant, while the stems (40%) are less evident than they are in most years. Vibrant red cherry fruit, pomegranate and orange peel all race across the palate. The Estate Pinot is usually quite open, but the 2022 really needs time in bottle to shine. It's an especially fine, nuanced offering from Chad Melville.
- Vinous, 94 pts.