A unique Pinot Noir from an unexpected locale. Fifty year old vines of an unknown clone (and they don’t want to find out — take that Pinot geeks) in a vineyard fourteen miles from the ocean as the crow flies and at 1700 feet above sea level are producing intense, concentrated beauty. This vintage shows cherry, menthol, soy, sage and dry earth on the nose, with a palate that comes off in a taut Santa Lucia Highlands style, with good length, a viscous texture and an earthy finish. When the vineyard was owned by HMR back in the day they referred to the vineyard area as the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, and the wine shows its connection to the area. This is worth seeking out.
Adelaida, Paso Robles, Adelaida District (Central Coast, California) Pinot Noir 2014
By Rich Cook