An Pinot grown in Emeritus’s Hallberg Ranch in sandy Goldridge loam over clay. The wine spent ten months in French oak, one-quarter new.
Its medium garnet robe is trimmed with dusty pink, and the perfume is spicy like a cinnamon red-hot. I’m sure the barrel has something to do with this impression, but it reads mostly like the fruit’s essential character. Notes of woodsy sous bois and brushy herbs pose a welcome counterpoint. The body is piquant, with prickly, star-pointed acidity above tart, saturated red fruits, particularly pink grapefruit and cranberry. The tannins are modest, and the finish is spiked with ginger-cinnamon.
The sharpness and spice suggest the wine would pair particularly well with tagines and pilafs, picking out the clove-y notes while refreshing the dishes’ savory temperament.
14% abv | $42 (sample)
