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Estate Pinot Noir Reviews

Score: 95 | June 24, 2021 | Decanter

Medium ruby-garnet colour. This has sumptuous, spicy aromas of damson plum, black cherry, earth and underbrush. A well-endowed Pinot Noir, coating the palate with concentrated black cherry, spiced plum, and a tapestry of fine cedar-like tannins and exotic brown spices, with a pop of red liquorice. All this is underscored by a lively vein of savoury turned earth notes and elegant pine forest accents. A joy to drink. Sourced from DeLoach’s 6.87-hectare Demeter biodynamic certified vineyard, planted to eight different clones, aged 16 months in 32% new French oak. The harvested clusters were smaller than is typical, a result of the low-yielding 2015 vintage in northern California.

Score: 89 | June 3, 2021 | Wine Advocate

Medium ruby in color, the 2019 Pinot Noir Estate was made from certified organic and biodynamic grapes. It has an appealing broodiness, with notes of iron, tabacco leaf and woodsmoke over a core of rhubarb. The medium-bodied palate is a bit tarter than expected, with bright red berry character and a juicy, slightly dilute finish. Drink 2021-2024 -Erin Brooks

Score: 95 | July 9, 2021 | Decanter

Medium ruby-garnet colour. This has sumptuous, spicy aromas of damson plum, black cherry, earth and underbrush. A well-endowed Pinot Noir, coating the palate with concentrated black cherry, spiced plum, and a tapestry of fine cedar tannins...

Score: 93 | July 31, 2018 | Wine Spectator

Scents of blackberry and raspberry jam highlight the aroma, yet this is snappier and livelier on the palate, turning pleasantly supple and silky, gliding along on the finish. 

Score: 93+ | April 27, 2018 | Wine Advocate

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Estate opens with fragrant lavender and rose petal notes over a core of crushed cranberries, pomegranate and rhubarb plus hints of forest floor and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied and packed with red fruit and earth layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 

Score: Double Gold | January 30, 2018 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: Gold | October 3, 2017 | Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition
Score: 92 | August 31, 2017 | Wine Spectator

Tightly wound, focused on an intense core of loamy earth, dusty cedary oak and dried berry flavors, fanning out to anise and nutmeg notes. Ends with a lingering, layered finish. Drink now through 2023.

Score: 92 | May 3, 2017 | Wine Spectator

Red Tightly wound, focused on an intense core of loamy earth, dusty cedary oak and dried berry flavors, fanning out to anise and nutmeg notes. Ends with a lingering, layered finish. Drink now through 2023.—J.L.

Score: 92+ | April 28, 2017 | Wine Advocate

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2014 Pinot Noir Estate offers earth and dried herb notes to begin, giving way to a core of red and black cherries and mulberries, plus suggestions of lavender and garrigue. Full-bodied and richly fruited in the mouth, it has a great backbone of grainy tannins and refreshing acid supporting the generous red and black berry flavors, finishing long and earthy.

Score: GOLD MEDAL | March 20, 2017 | TEXSOM International Wine Awards
Score: 92 | February 15, 2017 | Pinot File

Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. A regal nose leads off with aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, forest floor, spice and toast. Plush and full-bodied in the mouth with accommodating tannic backbone, offering layers of black raspberry, blackberry and plum fruits accented with spice and dark chocolate. Almost too much of a good thing. Classy, with good acidity lifting the fruit load, finishing uncommonly long and generous. Best to lock this wine away for a few years.

Score: Gold | January 19, 2017 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: 90 | October 1, 2016 | Wine Enthusiast

Bedecked with a large gold fleur-de-lis on the bottle, this wine is showy in flavor too, a rich, ripe celebration of California exuberance, full bodied in cranberry, cherry, orange and blackberry fruitiness. —V.B.  

Score: Double Gold | January 28, 2016 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: Silver | January 11, 2016 | San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Score: Gold | February 9, 2015 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: 89 | January 13, 2015 | Wine Advocate

The third Pinot Noir I tasted from DeLoach is the 2012 Pinot Noir Estate Olivet Bench. A dark plum/ruby hue is followed by sweet black cherry, loamy soil, earth and Asian plum sauce notes. Medium-bodied, ripe, well-balanced and pure, this is a beauty to drink over the next 5-6 years.
 

Score: GOLD | September 22, 2014 | Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Score: 87 | November 1, 2013 | Wine Enthusiast
Dry and earthy, with tobacco, mushroom and raspberry flavors, accented with smoky oak. Feels a bit hollow in the middle palate and short on the finish, but is an elegant, silky wine. Drink now. —
Score: 89 | October 1, 2013 | Burghound
This is notably more complex than the 2011 Russian River Valley with its layered mix of red and blue pinot fruit, spice and soft briar notes. There is good volume to the very generous and round medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by riper tannins on the dusty and mouth coating finish. This could easily be enjoyed young though there is enough underlying material to suggest that 3 to 5 years of cellar time would be rewarded.
Score: Silver | September 30, 2013 | Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Score: 93 | June 15, 2012 | Wine Spectator
Deep, dark, rich and layered, with tiers of pure, focused blackberry, boysenberry and raspberry fruit, gaining depth and dimension on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 375 cases made.
Score: 88 | June 1, 2012 | Wine Enthusiast
This Pinot Noir may become more rich and charming in coming years, but right now it’s fresh, tart and jammy in raspberries and cherries. It’s also a bit heavy, almost as if a bit of Grenache found its way into the blend. — S.H. (6/1/2012)