Outside of Napa Valley, the first full-bodied Pinot Noirs I tasted were from Sancerre – definitely Pinot flavors, but big in structure. I thought then, what if this had been the hallmark of Pinots rather than Burgundy? This Moone-Tsai has all those enchanting flavors and aromas of Burgundy-style Pinot – lots of raspberry, herbs, minerality, great complexity and acidity – but it also has almost 15% alcohol, which you might not notice in a Cabernet but do in a Pinot. Nevertheless, I love this wine, but I realize purists may be turned off by its big shoulders.
Moone-Tsai, Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County, California) Pinot Noir 2022
By Roger Morris