2019 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

2019 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2019 PINOT NOIR 

2019 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
Dan and Donna Lee founded Morgan winery in the early 1980s, focusing on sustainable farming and minimalist winemaking, becoming a leader in high-quality, value wines from California’s Central Coast. Dan produces wines that are true to the variety and vineyard location, displaying precision and balance between freshness and elegance that’s enjoyable immediately upon release.
 
The Twelve Clones Pinot Noir is the winery’s flagship wine named for the numerous clones that give this wine its wide range of complex flavors and aromas that send your senses on a wild and pleasure-filled ride. The fruit comes from some of Santa Lucia Highland’s best vineyards, including Morgan’s organically farmed Double L vineyard, which provides 67% of the grapes in this 94pt 2019 vintage.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2019 PINOT NOIR 
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Bright aromas of pomegranate, orange peel, pepper and sea salt show on the nose of this clonal combination. Zesty, energetic flavors of lemon and orange zest meet with a tart and snappy red-currant flavor on the palate, with oregano and cardamom adding complexity toward the finish.”
94 Points
 
“… Very nicely perfumed with scents of black cherry, strawberry, spice, and savory herbs. Light to mid-weight in style with a delicious core of giving strawberry, raspberry, and cherry flavors. Silky in the mouth, with appealing fitness, minimal tannins, and a compliment of barrel magic. Elegant and giving and ideal as a daily drinker.”
92 Points
2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR 

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Dan Lee’s focus on sustainable farming and minimalist winemaking over the past 40 years has made Morgan winery a category leader in high-quality, value wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The winery consistently produces balanced wines of distinction, and at less than $30, their Twelve Clones Pinot Noir regularly makes my short-list of California’s best value Pinots.
 
Morgan draws on several of the Santa Lucia Highlands’ top Vineyards, including the Double L Estate, Rosella’s, and Tondre, to create their flagship Twelve Clones Pinot. 
 
The team named Twelve Clones for the diverse Pinot Noir clones inside the Double L Vineyard. The vast selection of clones contributes to the multi-dimensional flavors and aromas that make this wine so revered.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Layers of baked berry, pie crust and star anise show on the nose of this clonal combination. It’s clean and direct on the palate, offering tart red-currant and cranberry fla­vors, touched up by thyme, lavender and potpourri elements.”
92 Points
 
“… the light ruby-hued 2018 Pinot Noir Twelve Clones gives up a pretty nose of framboise and strawberries as well as lots of floral, rose petal, sappy herb, and minty aromas and flavors. It’s another lightly textured, medium-bodied, elegant wine from this estate to enjoy over the coming 4-6 years.”
92 Points
 
“Pale ruby color, fresh cherry nose, crisp and bright with cherry, strawberry and rhubarb notes; silky and fresh, charming and long.” – Anthony Dias Blue, October 2020”
92 Points
 
“The 2018 Twelve Clones demonstrates the finesse of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. It displays aromas of blackberry, cola, and cured meat. Flavors of red and black fruit are complemented by notes of black plum and toasty oak. Perfectly poised, this medium bodied wine is light on its feet and a great reflection of 2018’s elegance…”
 
2016 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

2016 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

MORGAN 2016 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
2016 PINOT NOIR
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
 
Odds are, when three top wine critics in the country positively agree on a wine, it will appeal to a broad audience. Yes, taste is  subjective, but truly great wine can transcend subjectivity and appeal to a much wider range of palates, simply because it’s an excellent representation, is perfectly balanced and has a set of indescribable qualities that is compelling for just about any wine lover.  Morgan Twelve Clones has always made my short-list of California’s best value Pinots and the reasons why were abundantly clear at our recent tasting where it outshined multiple Pinots at a much higher price level.  With triple 91-93 point scores and a price that’s fairly easy to swallow (pun, intended), I strongly recommend locking up a case.  
 
When you begin to dig into the specifics on why this wine is such a stunning value, the first thing you might note is that nearly 1/3 of the fruit comes from the winery’s flagship Double L Vineyard and their single vineyard from there rings in at $65.  You might also note the care that goes into crafting this wine, with fruit being hand-sorted, twice… The most obvious reason is unequivocal the moment this wine hits your palate, and you’ll find the multi-dimensional flavors, balanced acidity and supple fruit will induce a smile on even the most discerning palate.
 
MORGAN
2016 PINOT NOIR
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at:  $35.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Brilliant red. Spice-accented raspberry and cherry accents along with hints of woodsmoke cola and Asian spices. Silky and energetic on the palate offering appealingly sweet red berry and floral pastille flavors that deepen slowly as the wine opens up. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to an impressively long mineral- and spice-laced finish that shows excellent clarity and repeating florality.” 91 Points
Aromas of strawberries, tar and light earth follow through to a medium body with fine and light tannins. A floral, watermelon and citrus aftertaste. A pleasing purity of fruit to this. Drink now.”  92 Points
Moving to the reds, the 2016 Pinot Noir Twelve Clones (aged ten months in 38% new French oak) offers ample black cherry, violet, and scorched earth aromatics, hints of background oak, medium body, and a beautiful fruit forward, balanced, layered style on the palate. It’s a winner. 93 Points