90 RWP; 91 Winetex; $40

This is a pinot from Monterey County, CA (bizarre but true...). It has cherries and strangely blueberries on the nose with nice spice. In the middle there are blueberries, minerals, cherries and another vegetal that RWP calls “root vegetables”. It might actually be beets. This wine has a good structure, is very extracted and has some tannins. If I must note a negative it would be the high alcohol content at 14.7%. The alcohol was not in evidence until the wine warmed to room temperature.

I would never mistake this for a Burgundy but it is CA pinot at a very high point. This might be the best US Pinot we’ve had all year except for the Martinelli Pinot Reserve ‘99. Not a QPR wine at this price point but definitely a winner. Thanks to Art for his recommendation.