2019 Heirloom Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

A truly exemplary Pinot Noir, the 2019 Heirloom represents the epitome of our beloved estate vineyard, with incredible structure, complexity, and balance. Fresh, expressive, and nuanced, with layers of perfumed red berries and sweet baking spice notes of cinnamon and clove, coming forward from the delicate oak integration. The wine unfolds with rhubarb, Bing cherry and red currant compote, alongside hints of delicate orange pekoe tea, vanilla, and pink peppercorn. A vibrant acidity carries the red berry fruit and interweaves seamlessly with the fine-grained tannins, providing a generous, rich, silky, supple character. A true buoyancy is present, with a generous mouth-coating structure, sinewy texture, and a long persistent finish. When cellared properly, this Pinot is certain to age elegantly for the next 5-10 years.

Vineyard Notes

Etude’s Heirloom Pinot Noir, produced from several heirloom selections of the variety, is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of plant diversity. It exemplifies the singular, superior wines – unusually expressive, concentrated and pure – that issue from original varieties or vine selections chosen for the inherent wine quality they produce. Grown on the Etude Estate Vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch, the grapes for our Heirloom Pinot Noir come from shy-bearing selections that produce small bunches and even smaller berries. Although some may overlook these vines due to their extremely low yields, we prize their ability to produce wines that are both expressive of their genetic origins as well as providing a unique flavor profile, which exemplifies the varied site and diversity of soils on which they’re grown.