Z. Alexander Brown, Monterey-Napa-Sonoma Counties (California) Pinot Noir 2015

 The proprietary name of “Uncaged” for this wine is potentially misleading, as it could suggest a wild thing that has gotten loose, when it turns out to be a nicely tame and endearing wine that didn’t belong in a cage in the first place.  Aromatic topnotes of toast and smoke show a little charry oak influence, but the fruit notes shine right through the oak on the palate, with red berry and cherry notes that finish with a nice balance between juiciness and some recurring oak accents as the flavors tail off.  A Double Gold award winner at the 2018 Toast of the Coast Wine Competition.