Today was a good day. 95, 94, and more!

We are not trophy hunters.  Todd and I reinforce consistently that our brand and our wines are truly about honest intentions in the vineyard and the winery.  We don’t manipulate any part of our wine’s path to bolster “attractiveness” or achieve mainstream “deliciousness”.

Thus, we are not a brand that hangs our hat on scores; critical reviews are not foremost in our mind, ever.  That being said, I do try to put our wines in front people who care about such things – and hold powerful pens and keyboards – so that they can understand how serious and committed we are to this endeavor, to our growers, and to our winemaking team.

 

Today, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate granted Ernest some incredible scores and reviews.  Our 2015 Pinot Noirs came in at:  The Settler 95 pts, The Engineer 94 pts, The Wrangler 91+ pts, and The Artist 91 pts….which is just plain fun.  

 

With so many heartfelt thanks,

Erin

 

The Settler - 95 pts

The 2015 Pinot Noir Freestone Ranch "The Settler" is pale ruby-purple colored with a very sultry nose of red roses, powdered cinnamon, kirsch and potpourri with suggestions of fertile soil, fallen leaves and moss. Light-bodied, soft, silky and yet wonderfully perfumed and intense in the mouth, it has an ethereal character that somewhat defies descriptors. 

The Engineer - 94 pts

The 2015 Pinot Noir Romanini Vineyard "The Engineer" is pale ruby-purple colored and intensely scented of crushed cranberries, wild strawberries and pomegranate with touches of rhubarb, tilled soil and truffles. Light-bodied with incredible intensity and perfume, it features very soft, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and minerally. 

 

The Wrangler - 91+ pts

Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard "The Wrangler" has quite a stemmy/herbal and earth-laced nose over a core of fresh cranberries and Bing cherries plus hints of teas, roses and dusty soil. Light-bodied and fairly edgy in nature, there is a lot of chewy stem tannins and freshness here, with savory layers and an herbal lift on the finish. 

The Artist - 91 pts

Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Upp Road Vineyard "The Artist" has fragrant notes of violets, chocolate-covered cherries and raspberry preserves with wafts of cinnamon stick and forest floor. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a lovely line of freshness cutting through the intense red berry and earth layers, finishing with a pleasant chewiness.