Spiced cranberry, chai tea, dark cherry. Black raspberry, jasmine bush, sarsaparilla. Crushed gingerbread and peppermint, dry sticks and rich earth. Cinnamon and baking spice dominate above wild bilberry on a graham cracker crust. Intense dark florals emerge with air revealing violet, lavender, and azalea. Mysterious and enticing, this 2014 Estate Pinot Noir by Attune Wines is brilliant Carneros Pinot.

The cool climate Los Carneros AVA of California borders the San Pablo bay at the south end of both Sonoma and Napa Counties. It is one of very few AVA's in existence that actually extends into two separate counties. Thanks to considerable maritime influence this stretch of land is significantly cooler than the bordering growing regions of Sonoma & Napa, as high winds and dense fog keep temperatures low. Infertile sedimentary soils of clay and sandstone dominate the region and force vines to struggle for nutrients. This wine, sourced completely from the Attune Estate Vineyard located on the Sonoma side of the appellation, is a great representation of what Carneros is capable of. Dark heavily spiced fruit and florals command attention as saturated clay and exotic minty cardamom add depth and complexity. Substantial but never weighty, this style sits somewhere between the ripeness of the Russian River Valley and the cool restraint of Sonoma Coast. This Pinot Noir is characterful & balanced and does the Carneros AVA tremendous justice.