Emeritus Vineyards 2017 Pinot Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir

Last year, I was able to tasted the 2015 vintage of this very wine. This year, I’ve been able to reconnect with Emeritus, attending their bi-monthly webinar series, specifically catered to wine professionals. President Mari Jones, along with vineyard manager Kirk Lokka and winemaker David Lattin deep dive into how and why soil, climate, and clones, along with viticultural management practices, all effect the resulting wine.

So while I obviously enjoyed the Pinot Hill Pinot Noir last year, and even had a personal kind of geek-out on their vineyard location, this year I have a whole new level of appreciation. Education, man. It does something to you…

I also want to note that I enjoyed this wine as part of my date-night-in anniversary dinner. We paired the wine with a dish we simply call “Forbes.” The close-up picture of this dish is below the wine review. PM me if you want to know what it is 😉

About the Wine: Emeritus Vineyards 2017 Pinot Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir

Appellation: Sonom Cost (Sebastopol Hills)

Vineyard: Pinot Hill

Soil Series: Goldridge, sandy lom, underlain with Los Osos clay

Fermentation: Cold soak 7 days; indigenous yeast fermentatioin

Aging: 100% French oak, 37% new, for 11 months

Unfiltered, unfined

13.2% ABV

Flavor Profile:

Appearance: pale ruby

Aroma: Pronounced, youthful aromas including roses, strawberry, pomegranate, cranberry, raspberry, toast, vanilla, cedar/charred wood, chocolate or mocha, and a hint of forest floor

Palate: The palate is dry with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium (-) tannin, medium body and a pronounced flavor intensity.

Flavors include: roses, pomegranate, wild strawberry and strawberry leaves, tart cherry, rhubarb, toast, vanilla, cedar/charred wood, mocha, baking spice (nutmeg)

Long Finish

Conclusion: Based on the WSET criteria, I determined that this wine is Outstanding. It is well balanced: the acid accents the fresh fruit flavors (of which there are several from a variety of different categories), but the wine maintains a subtle earthy undertone throughout the tasting. The tannins are soft, smooth and well-integrated into the wine. The wine also shows complexity: The notes from the barrel aging regime add a mid-palate lift filled with spice and toast notes. There is also a hint of tertiary notes in the form of forest floor or wet leaves that leads me to believe that this wine, though quite young, is already starting to develop and has the potential to age further. The wine showed intensity in both flavor and aroma and provided a long, lingering finish that ended with a floral backbreath.

I believe that this wine has the potential to age further in the bottle. The hint of tertiary notes in the form of forest floor or wet leaves leads me to believe that this wine, though quite young, is already starting to develop and has the potential to age further. I believe with time, we’ll begin to experience more of those earthy tones that, right now, play a secondary aroma/flavor role, as the fresher fruit flavors become more subtle.

More Info: I received the Emeritus Vineyards 2017 Pinot Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir as a sample. (Cheers!) Price: $60. For more information about Emeritus Vineyards, their wine, and to purchase wine directly, please visit the Emeritus Vineyards website.

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**Please note: all reviews and opinions are my own and are not associated with any of my places of business. I will always state when a wine has been sent as a sample for review. Sending samples for review on my personal website in no way guarantees coverage in any other media outlet I may be currently associated with.**