critic reviews
This bottling is only made in the best years, and the 2017 Pinot Noir Alpine Hillside Vineyard was entirely destemmed. It has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and very pretty, singularly perfumed nose of rose petal, hoisin, grilled meats and dried tangerine peel with saline, wild blackberries and oodles of red berry fruitsraspberries, cherries, cranberries and rhubarbplus earthy accents of tea leaves, tree bark and dried leaves. The light to medium-bodied palate gives up layer after layer of savory fruits and earthy nuances, with a firm frame and juicy acidity, finishing very long and layered. This will benefit from another couple years in bottle.
The 2017 Pinot Noir Alpine Hillside is gorgeous. Dark, rich and inviting, the 2017 has a lot to offer. Succulent dark cherry, plum, coffee, licorice, spice, menthol scorched earth give the 2017 its distinctly dark, brooding character to match its broad, ample feel. The imposing tannins need time to soften. Otherwise, the 2017 is very nicely done. The 2017 was done with fully destemmed fruit.