Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 76

YEAR'S BEST US PINOT NOIRS
Our blind panels tasted 639 new-release US pinot noirs over the past 12 months. Our critics rated 143 as exceptional (90+)
and 41 as Best Buys. Patrick J. Comiskey reviews wines from California's Central Coast, New York and Oregon; Joshua Greene reviews
wines from California's North Coast. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.

CALIFORNIA: CENTRAL COAST
MON T E RE Y & SA N B E N IT O
517236

95 | Calera

$75

2016 Mt. Harlan Reed Vineyard Pinot
Noir ^ Natural and effortless, the Calera 2016s
are among the most elegant California pinot
noirs we've tasted, the summation of place
and subtle but assertive winemaking. None
more so than Reed Vineyard, the smallest
and oldest of the pinot noir vineyards Josh
Jensen planted on Mt. Harlan. (This is the
last vintage Jensen made before selling Calera to Duckhorn.) It leads with a quiet but
spicy whole-cluster thrust of lavender and
bergamot, leafy and savory, backed up by a
coniferous wood spice from French oak barrels, about 30 percent new. For all the savor,
it tastes like the cool radiant sunshine of California at high elevation. The flavors feel sleek
and quiet, unhurried and poised. (W&S 8/19;
375 cases) -P.J.C.
519430

94 | Calera

$75

2016 Mt. Harlan Mills Vineyard Pinot
Noir ^ In a southeast-facing set of limestone
hills, Mills Vineyard often yields warm and
spicy fruit. In 2016 it grew a savory, generous
pinot, the fruit cradled in scents of creosote
and bay laurel, oak and spice, and draped in
fine tannins; for pheasant. (940 cases)-P.J.C.

purple flowers and notes of fine leather. The
flavors feel vinous and bright, red-cherryscented and slightly more acid driven than
the other Calera wines reviewed here, with a
sleek texture that feels cool and built to age,
if you can keep your hands off it in the cellar.
(W&S 8/19; 1,000 cases) -P.J.C.
519431

93 | Calera

$95

93 | Calera

$65

2016 Mt. Harlan Selleck Vineyard Pinot
Noir ^ This includes a portion of fruit off vines
planted in 1975, and that old-vine intensity
shows in the wine, more earthy and vinous
than its counterparts. The aroma of turned
soil and ash gives way to spiced strawberry
and plum flavors, which continue to unfurl
for days after opening. Tightly wound, it will
benefit from cellar time. (190 cases) -P.J.C.
517237
2016 Mt. Harlan de Villiers Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ De Villiers was planted in 1997
on largely east-facing slopes high on Mt. Harlan. Josh Jensen used that fruit to produce
this dark, smoky pinot noir. It quickly sheds
its leather savor in favor of dark, burnished
cherry spiced with pipe tobacco, cradled by
oak but hardly dominated by it. Showing well
now, it's built for the long haul. (W&S 8/19;
1,220 cases) -P.J.C.
519429

92 | Calera

$65

92 | Big Basin Vineyards

$55

2016 Mt. Harlan Ryan Vineyard Pinot
Noir ^ Ryan, planted in 1998, is Calera's highest elevation vineyard, at 2,500 feet. The
2016 vintage is dark and muted, with clove
and mace scents adorning a dark core of
plum fruit and tannins. It feels compelling
but remains at arm's length, needing time
and air to emerge. (540 cases) -P.J.C.
517874

517235

94 | Calera

$95

2016 Mt. Harlan Jensen Vineyard Pinot
Noir ^ Josh Jensen planted his namesake vineyard in 1975, and from the moment this wine
is poured, it shows the elegance and integration of old vines. It balances subtle oak notes
with whole-cluster scents, dried lavender,
76

WINE & SPIRITS

APRIL 2020

2016 Monterey County Coastview Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ From a vineyard not far
from Pinnacles National Park, this reflects
the site's coolness with its savor. It leads with
scents of smoke and peat, the red-fruit flavors tart and crunchy, with a candied-ginger
edge. Age, then serve with grilled octopus.
(W&S 10/19; 335 cases) -P.J.C.
519622

92 | Birichino

$40

92 | Folk Machine

$30

92 | Kosta Browne

$160

2017 Chalone Boer Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Best Buy) ^ Warm scents of cinnamon, mace
and clove introduce this savory red. It's spicy
and firm, the ripe cherry flavor framed by
oak and ferrous tannins. For barbecue. (110
cases) -P.J.C.
519486
2017 Chalone Brosseau Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Best Buy) ^ Brosseau, a parcel at 1,600
feet in elevation, was planted to multiple
clones in 1980. Those vines produced an elegant, savory 2017. The scents evoke a forest
path, with notes of gorse, wild strawberry
and mushroom. Its dark fruit is framed by
firm tannins and a tobacco spice, like red
earth in warm sun. (200 cases) -P.J.C.
520040
2017 Santa Lucia Highlands Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ With scents of mulled berries, plums and graphite, this wine has a
confident richness, with grape-skin tannins
contributing to the formidable structure.
(389 cases) -P.J.C.
519523

91 | Carmel Road

$55

2016 Monterey South Crest Panorama
Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ From rolling hills in
the shadow of the Santa Lucia Highlands,
this wine leads with scents of cedar, hinting
at oak; its flavors are lined with wintry spice,
the textures silky, finely woven and calling
for sturgeon. (155 cases) -P.J.C.

519267

91 | Williams Selyem

$59

2017 San Benito County Vista Verde Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ A reductive, oily oak note
at the outset resolves quickly to reveal a

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Wine & Spirits - April 2020

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