WALT Wines, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir 2015

 The Hall family has given winemaker Megan Gunderson Paredes wide latitude to create something unique in the world of Pinot Noir, and she’s taking full advantage of that freedom.  This is a dark side of the variety expression, showing black cherry and blue fruit with accents of damp earth and fall spice.  The back addition of roasted stems seems to add some of the structure you get from whole cluster fermentation without the green notes that often come with the practice, and that dimension helps carry the flavors through a long, juicy finish.  No accompaniment required here!