2018 Hallberg Ranch Estate Pinot Noir - Emeritus Vineyards

Crunchy dark cherry, fallen pine cone, fresh pomegranate. Wild blackberry, ground cinnamon, orange zest. Impressively elegant and ethereal waves of organic strawberry, tart raspberry, and blueberry highlight a pretty yet magnificently tense fruit core gently layered with complex spice tones of coriander, white pepper, anise, and sage. Notes of English Breakfast tea and a forest after rain gracefully contribute a range of clean natural charms that intertwine with floral hints of iris, rose, and lavender. Suggestions of sea spray and stony minerality round out the display with reflections of pristine coastal earthiness that serve to enhance the characterful and high-toned presentation. Astoundingly pure and nuanced on the palate with an intriguing combination of restraint, weightlessness, and depth; exhibiting a delightfully delicate and lifted profile that is multidimensional yet perfectly classic. Just under medium bodied with elevated velvety tannin backed by pronounced acidity. This 2018 Hallberg Ranch Estate Pinot Noir by Emeritus Vineyards is a bright and Burgundian red from Sonoma's Russian River Valley.

Though it is also capable of producing some of California's most fruit-forward and generous expressions of Pinot Noir, the Russian River Valley's idyllic fog-blanketed landscape is ideally suited to shaping wines of outstanding balance and finesse. This bottling, crafted by Emeritus Vineyards using Pinot Noir sourced from their dry-farmed Hallberg Ranch estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley, is an exciting example of the elegance, complexity, and subtlety that RRV Pinot can express. This wine beautifully emits a range of tart and juicy red, black, and blue fruits surrounded by fresh forest tones, lifted florals, captivating spices, and delicate earthiness. Although extremely delicious today this also boasts some seriously age-worthy structure, which should help it to age and improve in bottle for at least a decade. Excellent.