Château d’Auvernier, Neuchâtel (Switzerland) Pinot Noir 2016

 There’s a caveat coming regarding this wine, so please resist any temptation to buy it off my point score, but with that said, it totally deserves the score on account of remarkable aromatic complexity and marvelous flavors.  The issue is that the wine is very notably afflicted by brettanomyces, a rogue yeast that imparts earthy, animal, sweaty saddle aromas and flavors that polarize tasters and often compromise a wine’s ability to age predictably and symmetrically.  Caveat emptor as a result, but man…this is one wild and exciting ride, with fresh fruit (red and black cherries) definitely holding its own against the earthy scents and flavors.  The balance of oak and acidity is basically perfect, so brett is the only issue here.  Buy it, drink it soon, and rejoice in its flashiness before any possible regret sets in.