2016 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Estate Dundee Hills

Sokol Blosser’s Estate Pinot Noir was hand harvested at Brix levels from 22 to 26 degrees, hand sorted, de-stemmed, and fermented in a mix of steel and oak tank. Most lots were pressed at dryness, but a small portion continued to macerate for a month. The wine aged in French oak barrels, one-third new, for a year and a half.

The results are classic Dundee Hills Pinot. The aromatics showcase the florality of the Pommard, Wadenswill, and 667 clones, but the overarching theme is the red earth I associate with this region — a dusty, cinnamon-inflected sensibility overplayed with a reductive note, quite charming, which presents as cold steel and wet rocks.

This 2016 feels like a ripe wine that breathes flowers and fruit, and it may age well for several years. Serve it now with rare tender meats, roasted dark poultry, salmon, or medium-aged cheeses.