Synopsis, Our Opinion: NOTEWORTHY California Pinot Noir.
Producer/Winery: Drake Whitcraft; Whitcraft Winery; Santa barbara, California.
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir.
Geographic Appellation: Santa Barbara County; Central Coast, California.
Vintage: 2014
Price: $36.00 (with a 10% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Turkey roulade with mushroom filing, Marsala gravy, basmati rice, roasted broccoli and Buche de Noel for dessert.
Tasting:
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Opened one hour before drinking. Clear, ruby color with the same color rim. Dominating fruity aromas with hints of lilac blossoms, fresh grass clippings, conifer smoke and damp wood. Smooth with a body about one notch below medium and a silky texture; sour cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors with a persistent underlying touch of cinnamon. At about mid-palate there was a slight petrochemical or resin taste that dovetailed with the burning conifer aroma. The fruit forward taste continues through a fine velvety medium-long finish. A California Central Coast Pinot Noir that’s way different from Burgundy produced wine. Easy drinking, slightly tart acidity and soft tannins. The overriding fruity aroma and taste reminded us of rolling around on freshly mowed grass in the spring. The wine was full of fruit and spring seasonal aromas and the mouth-feel was as velvety as just clipped lawn. As easy drinking as this was we missed the diversity of flavors and more outspoken tannins we’ve come to expect from Old World Pinot Noir at this price point. However, this Whitcraft Winery Pinot Noir was hand picked, stomped and bottled and is such a dramatic improvement over most California Pinot Noir with it’s low alcohol, smooth texture and balanced fruit flavors we give it special recognition and called it NOTEWORTHY California Pinot Noir.
Photo from Whitcraft Winery.
Alcohol Content: 13.4%
Closure: Natural cork.
UPC Code: NA
Imported by: NA