2021 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir - Roar Wines
Strikingly bold and expansive eruptions of sweet blueberry, succulent strawberry, plump dark cherry, and juicy blackberry lead an irresistibly generous and expressive display sophisticatedly layered with rich floral fragrances of violet and potpourri. Notes of juniper berry, tree bark, and pinecone gently contribute intriguing herbal and forest tones that intersect with a range of lifted spices including cinnamon, coriander, and French vanilla. Hints of crème brûlée, root beer, and shaved milk chocolate gently expose lightly toasted oak influence as impressions of fresh ocean air and graveley minerality provide pleasant glimpses of terroir. Impressively deep, aromatic, and multidimensional on the nose with a palate that is still tight and primary yet already beginning to blossom; exhibiting a structured yet highly seductive presentation that flawlessly combines classic elegance with modern amplitude. Full bodied with elevated tannin balanced flawlessly by bright acidity. This 2021 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir by Roar Wines is a pretty yet powerful red from the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Planted in 2008 the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands as part of a collaboration between the legendary Pisoni and Franscioni families, the Soberanes Vineyard is one of Monterey County's true Grand Cru vineyard sites and regularly shapes some of the most expressive and complex cool climate wine in California. This bottling, crafted under the Franscioni family's own Roar Wines label using Pinot Noir grown at the Soberanes Vineyard, proves how remarkable the wines of this iconic terroir can be immediatley upon release. This booms with an expansive yet tense core of blue, black, and red berry fruits still brimming with youthful exuberance, and it backs them with gorgeous floral perfume, complex forest tones, pretty spices, clean earthiness, and just a pinch of oak-influenced decadence. Although already drinking quite well this would benefit from a minimum of 3-5 years of additional bottle age, and will likely continue to drink well for a decade or more. Outstanding.