2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough

2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough

with No Comment $30 and underNew ZealandPinot Noir

AWATERE RIVER

PINOT NOIR 2020
MARLBOROUGH

2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough
The Awatere Valley within Marlborough, New Zealand, was created by ancient glaciers that left pockets of alluvial soils excellent for growing and producing wines with a distinct flinty minerality. This relatively cool climate is in one of the South Island’s sunniest locations, ideal for a long, slow ripening season, enhancing the fruit’s complexity and depth.
 
Awatere River Winery is a collection of 100% sustainably produced, premium wines from low-yielding vines that depict the originality of the valley’s rich, alluvial deposits from intensely aromatic fruit with nuanced flavor characteristics. 
 
The 2020 growing season in Marlborough saw idyllic weather from bud break to harvest, and the Pinot Noir from Awatere River highlights this flawless vintage with bright fruit, fresh acidity, and a long distinguished finish. 
 
PS: When we tasted this Pinot last week, everybody on our panel wanted to buy a case.
 
AWATERE RIVER
PINOT NOIR 2020
MARLBOROUGH
 
 
 
“The 2020 Awatere River Marlborough Pinot Noir begins with a bright and vibrant nose of wild raspberries, sweet baking spices, cola bean, elegant florals, and spearmint hints. The racy palate continues with focused tart red cherries, pomegranate, saline minerality, black tea, and sage. The finish is long and focused with bright acidity and integrated tannins that make it a delight to enjoy. It drinks so far beyond its price point that I was compelled to write about it even though there were professional reviews already published.”  Tasted July 2023
94 Points
2019 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir North Canterbury

2019 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir North Canterbury

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNew ZealandPinot Noir

MT. BEAUTIFUL

PINOT NOIR 2019
NORTH CANTERBURY

2019 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir North Canterbury
New Zealand is known for producing pure, fresh, consistent, and delightful Sauvignon Blancs. However, Pinot Noir is now garnering the attention it deserves for the same reasons.
 
Mt. Beautiful founder David Teece established his winery with the help of his close friend and geologist Ron Sutherland, who has walked nearly every square inch of the northern part of the South Island and has discovered 23 different soil types in the region. The various strata and microclimates create abundant and optimal vine-growing opportunities, as a result of which Pinot Noir is becoming one of the most planted varietals in the country.
 
The 2019 Pinot Noir release has spicy, earthy notes that balance and complement the fruit, giving depth to this easily drinkable and delightful wine.
 
MT. BEAUTIFUL
PINOT NOIR 2019
NORTH CANTERBURY
 
 
 
“Refreshment is the name of the game at this North Canterbury winery, located in the Waipara Valley, just north of Christchurch. The nose is heady and perfumed: vivid cherries, strawberries and florals, with whispers of white pepper, river stones, and vanilla bean. The medium weight palate is similarly vibrant, leading with fresh, silky red berries framed in savory tannins. Not the world’s most complex Pinot but totally delicious nonetheless. Drink now slightly chilled.”
92 Points
2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSA

LINGUA FRANCA

AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Larry Stone was the ninth Master Sommelier in the United States and spent over 30 years as a high-profile sommelier and restaurateur. In 2010, he began negotiations on the highly sought-after 150-acre Janzen Farm in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA, finally purchasing the property in 2012. The estate lies in the neighborhood of Argyle’s Lone Star, Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, and Evening Land’s Seven Springs vineyards, known for Nekia, Gelderman, and Jory soils and a climate ideally suited to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
 
Larry co-founded Lingua Franca alongside David Honig and Dominique Lafon in 2015. Dominique, a well-known producer in Meursault, assumed the position of the consulting winemaker and brought on his protégé Thomas Savre to craft the wines because of Thomas’s experience working for some of the top domains in Burgundy. The Avni Pinot Noir comes primarily from the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard, with around 30% from other prized plots in the Eola-Amity Hills region to elevate the range of aromas and flavors but retain the savory spice.
 
LINGUA FRANCA
AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The Lingua Franca Avni Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 begins with a strikingly complex Burgundian-like nose of fresh cherries, delicate green herbs, light wood spice, and white florals. The palate continues with bright red and sweet black cherries, tart pomegranate, ripe Burgundy plums, black tea, hints of cola, and saline minerality. The touch of greenness from partial whole-cluster fermentation dances with the complex sweet/tart fruit to showcase the lushness of Oregon Pinot Noir, guided by the thoughtful, measured hand of a Burgundian winemaker in a way that beautifully projects the best traits of both regions.”
94 Points
2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley

2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAnderson ValleyKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

STEMMLER

PINOT NOIR
BZ VINEYARD 2020
ANDERSON VALLEY

2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley
Robert Stemmler began working at Charles Krug after moving to California from Germany in 1961, and later for Inglenook and Simi wineries before launching his winery focused on Pinot Noir in 1976. His Pinot Noirs rose to critical acclaim, being called the best in America in 1984. Although Robert sold in his winery 1989, he still steps in to ensure that the quality level he established over 40 years remains intact.
 
The BZ Vineyard sits near the Navarro River in the Anderson Valley, not far from the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the coolest sites the winery works and the last one harvested. Stemmler harvested wines from the 2020 vintage a little earlier than usual, allowing for a brighter character than past vintages, bringing zesty acidity and fresh red fruits from a co-fermentation of different Pinot Noir clones specially selected by the winemaking team. 
 
STEMMLER
PINOT NOIR
BZ VINEYARD 2020
ANDERSON VALLEY
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The Stemmler 2020 Bz Pinot Noir opens with bright notes of red berry and stone fruits with light florals. The palate continues with cotton-candied bright red cherries, ripe strawberries, cola bean, chalk, and white flowers. It is a fresh, easy-drinking Monday through Thursday wine.”
90 Points
2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley

2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Anderson ValleyKevin VogtMendocino RidgePinot NoirSonomaUSA

WAITS-MAST

PINOT NOIR
NASH MILL VINEYARD
ANDERSON VALLEY 2019

2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley
Brian Mast and Jennifer Waits founded Waits-Mast in 2005 and created a brand whose core passion centers around premium, vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. Shalini Sekar joined the team as the winemaker in 2013, previously developing her foundation in music by earning a Master’s Degree in Flute and Piccolo Performance, now using that same precision, balance, and determination in her winemaking.
 
The Mariah Vineyard is sustainably farmed and found inside the Mendocino Ridge AVA at 2300 feet above sea level. The extreme elevation results in more intense sunlight hours because of its aspect above the fog layer. The various loam soils above fractured sandstone in the vineyard help provide mineral-based complexity, and the 2019 vintage gave wines with intense flavors that are enormously enjoyable on their own and a decadent enhancement to any meal.
 
WAITS-MAST
PINOT NOIR
NASH MILL VINEYARD
ANDERSON VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $52
 
 
 
“This is a beautiful Pinot Noir with a depth of flavor that will only increase in complexity over time. Find pronounced aromas and flavors of bright red cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, forest floor, toasted wood and violet. Fine-grained, silky tannins slide off the tongue; elevated acidity brings lightness and freshness from start to lingering finish.”
96 Points, “Editors’ Choice”
2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

PELLEGRINI

PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Pellegrini Wines comes from a prized selection of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, each with a different microclimate and soil composition, leading to a complex portfolio of wines. The winery is renowned for consistently producing high-quality wines and includes a range of single-vineyard bottlings and regional blends, each highlighting the family’s favorite vineyards.
 
The 2018 growing season saw cooler-than-average temperatures at the end of the summer and into the autumn, delaying ripening but aiding in developing more profound, elegant flavors and silkier tannins. This Pinot Noir features fruit from Olivet Lane, Toboni, Hurst, Hallberg, and Nonella vineyards, combining the differences in clones and subtle changes in terroir into one wine with layers of flavors that depict the glorious Russian River Valley.
 
PELLEGRINI
PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“Earth, clove, nutmeg and forest floor dominate the medium-bodied palate of this smooth, spicy wine, a blend from several neighborhoods within the appellation. Rhubarb and strawberry develop through a creamy center.”
91 Points
2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap

2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPetaluma GapPinot NoirSonomaUSA

DANIEL

PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
PETALUMA GAP 2019

2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap
Dan Fitzgerald of DANIEL Wines believes that the strong relationship between family, soil, and culture is at the heart of what makes a wine genuinely compelling. Unlike many wineries, Dan veers away from expansion and aims to stay small, focusing on a limited production of wines from premium growers with the same passionate demeanor. Case in point, Dan produced 45 cases of this gorgeous Pinot Noir.
 
Pinot Noir thrives in cool climates, and many of the world’s top Pinots come from areas with cooling coastal influences, like the Petaluma Gap in Sonoma County. The gap between the mountains funnels in cold oceanic breezes from the Pacific Ocean and creates a climate where Pinot Noir can not only fully ripen but maintain freshness. The Grand Vent Vineyard produces small crops of concentrated fruit with elegant balance, and the 2019 release is one of the best vintages of the last decade, and this is a shining example. 
 
DANIEL
PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
PETALUMA GAP 2019
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Daniel 2019 Grand Vent Petaluma Pinot Noir opens with notes of wild roses, mint, sour raspberry, red cherry, and cardamom. On the palate, the wine is concentrated with flavors of bright red fruits, bramble, black tea leaves, and a crushed rock minerality. The depth and complexity of flavors dance into a lengthy finish, delicately balanced by silky tannins and refreshing acidity.”
94 Points 
2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
Dan and Donna Lee opened Morgan Winery in 1982, winning Gold and Platinum Medals at the Los Angeles County Fair, from Wine & Spirits Magazine in 1996, and from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003. These awards helped to establish Morgan Winery as one of the Central Coast’s most recognized labels.
 
The winery’s flagship wine is the Twelve Clones Pinot Noir. This wine pays homage to the numerous clones of Pinot Noir that give it its layers of complex flavors and aromas. The fruit for the 2020 vintage comes from some of Santa Lucia Highlands’ best vineyards, including Morgan’s organically farmed Double L Vineyard, and was whole berry fermented, matured for nine months in French oak, and is a splendid example of the region’s best traits.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“Dark plum and purple-flower aromas show on the nose of this clonal combination. The bold palate is hearty and rich with flavors of black raspberry, blood-orange rind and crushed graphite, offering immense, impressive depth.”
94 Points
2021 Black Pine Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2021 Black Pine Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

BLACK PINE

PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021

2021 Black Pine Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Roger Roessler spent more than four decades in the restaurant business, and through the years, he naturally found his true passion in life: wine. Roger’s Black Pine Pinot Noir encompasses dedication and a love for the varietal at an affordable price without compromising quality. 
 
This Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir comes from hand-selected sites blended to bring a consistent wine, vintage to vintage, and showcases the talents of the winery’s grower partnerships. The 2021 release has a silky, smooth texture with bright fruit and spice and over-delivers for a wine in this price range.
 
BLACK PINE
PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“The Black Pine Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 begins with a nose of bright pomegranate, dried cranberries, cola bean, cardamom spice, and fresh violets. The concentrated, ripe palate continues with tart/sweet cherry juice and powerful intensity, projecting baking spices, fresh florals, and a silky smooth mouthfeel. These textures, flavors and aromas build to a long, supple, rich finish.”
93 Points
2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon

2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSAWillamette Valley

DUNDEE WINE LIBRARY

PINOT NOIR 2020
PUGILIST CHAPTER THREE
MCMINVILLE OREGON

2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon
The Dundee Wine Library in the Dundee Hills AVA of Willamette Valley is family owned by two Oregonian natives, Henry and Araminta Miller. They farm a small estate vineyard, planted in 2015, and have several partnerships with renowned growers in the Dundee Hills, Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains, and McMinnville AVAs. 
 
Winemaker Thibaud Mandet was born in Auvergne, France, and earned a degree in organic chemistry before moving into more exciting studies in wine in Champagne and Bordeaux. The 2020 Pugilist Pinot Noir was sourced from the Hyland Vineyard in McMinnville and aged for eleven months in neutral French barrels, gently coaxing the fruit’s superior quality to shine through and purely express Willamette Valley’s terroir.
 
DUNDEE WINE LIBRARY
PINOT NOIR 2020
PUGILIST CHAPTER THREE
MCMINVILLE OREGON
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The DWL The Pugilist Chapter Three Pinot Noir 2020 begins with a nose of sweet cherries, bright berries, wild mushrooms, fresh Spring florals, and wet chalk. The palate continues with concentrated cherry juice and vibrant pomegranate dancing in step with a beautiful balance of ripe fruits with bright freshness. The crisp acidity carries the penetrating fruit through to a long, complex, satisfying finish.”
94 Points