Donum Estate, Carneros – Sonoma County (California) Mikado Tree, Single Block Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 ($125)

This Pinot Noir is from a block near the Mikado Tree (African pickup sticks) sculpture just outside the Donum tasting room, and it sings with the acidity that the Carneros climate allows. That brightness makes a dark fruit showcase possible in a lighter bodied wine, here expressing black cherry and cranberry fruit with notes of damp earth, mushroom and a dash of charred oak. Silky and supple from start to midpalate, it firms up in the finish and keeps the flavors lingering persistently. A dry style marks this wine, and the result is ready for your best roast duck recipe.
95 Rich Cook