2014 “Emerald” Humboldt County Pinot Noir - Joseph Jewell Wines

Juicy cranberry, evergreen tree, red cherry medley. Dripping strawberry, exotic five spice, ripe pomegranate seeds. Fragrant pine cone and undergrowth, blooming iris and cherry blossom. Perfectly ripe raspberry, rhubarb compote, and blood orange peel erupt in a barrage of high intensity aromatics that amalgamate as something simultaneous luscious and lean - generously enhanced by bouquets of bright flowers and a collection of clean forest tones. Coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg emerge revealing wonderfully lifted spice and just a touch of wood that plays seamlessly with notes of ocean fog and a mild pinch of salinity. Pure, expressive, and ethereal, packing real concentration while still possessing an unbelievable sense of weightlessness. Well balanced, complex, and viscerally captivating; combining overt fruit and some hedonistic flair with astoundingly terroir-expressive restraint. Medium in body with medium tannin and elevated acidity. This 2014 "Emerald" Humboldt County Pinot Noir by Joseph Jewell Wines is an incredibly exciting and remarkably executed Humboldt red.

Although California Pinot Noir has garnered a reputation for being unapologetically bold and ripe, some of the coolest coastal reaches of the state are regularly putting out wines of impressive finesse and restraint. This bottling, crafted by Joseph Jewell Wines using the 3 very best barrels of Pinot Noir from their Humboldt County program, perfectly exemplifies the new wave of cool climate California Pinot. While actually quite ripe and fruity for a Humboldt wine this bottle is virtually bursting with pent-up energy and tension. It is noticeably tart and fresh yet still tastefully plump and sexy; perfectly walking the fragile line of Pinot typicity expressed through rugged Northern California terrain. This is undoubtedly the most gorgeous and impressive of Joseph Jewell's Humboldt offerings and is absolutely worth tracking down.