Clos Pepe Estate, Sta. Rita Hills (California) Pinot Noir 2011

I had the pleasure of judging 2011 Pinot Noir with Clos Pepe winemaker Wes Hagen at the 2014 Riverside International Wine Competition in May, and we agreed that 2011 was turning out to be an underrated vintage for Pinot Noir.  A vintage widely heralded as difficult, combined with the notoriously difficult reputation of the grape, seemed to predict disaster, but the results tell another story.  This wine is a fine example of what we discovered.  A very complex aroma profile includes cherry, damp earth, stony mineral, hibiscus, acacia, sage and mild spice.  The palate is very fresh and lively, focusing on the cherry and earth notes, but bringing the rest of the nose elements into play in a way that constantly evolves in the glass. All that, and it will improve with age as well.  Don’t miss it!