Fotinos Brothers
2010 Los Carneros Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
California: Carneros - Los Carneros (Sonoma & Napa)
Mission Briefing
Super Fotinos Brothers
Worldwide Exclusive Alert: The Wine Spies are the only online wine merchant on the planet to be selling today’s stunning wine.
We celebrate the return of the Fotinos Brothers, with the release of their newest Pinot Noir, their 2010 Fotinos Brothers Pinot Noir. The prior vintage was awarded a stellar 94 points and, while this vintage has only recently been submitted for scoring, we expect high scores once again.
Very well balanced and easy drinking, this wonderful wine is a delectable California Pinot Noir that will have very broad appeal. Even fans of French Burgundies will fall in love with it.
Our allocation of this treat was somewhat small, making it even more desirable. Get some!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Bright crimson with perfect clarity. Color concentration is perfectly even, from core to edge. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Fresh and beautifully balanced with even proportions of earth and fruit. Bing cherry, dried cranberry and fresh young raspberry balance perfectly against leather, dried leaves, springtime forest floor and a hint of sweet spice. |
| Taste: | Prominent sweet fruit up front, with sweet cherry, alpine strawberry and braised plum, all wrapped up in leather, cola and dark chocolate. |
| Finish: | Bright fruits persist for a very long time, gradually giving way to hints of sweet spice, dried earth and cocoa. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy this delicious wine with a fig and goat cheese salad, followed by a roast chicken or a Provencal herb-rubbed wild salmon. |
What the Winery Says
This wine is a striking and rich medium garnet in color and opens with perfumed aromas that leap out of the glass of ripe red fruits consisting of raspberry,strawberry & dark red cherry. In the mouth an array of spices melt into subtle toasted oak with hints of smoke, forest floor and minerals. The wine unfolds across the palate into a beautiful blend of textured, juicy flavors with a sophisticated length and velvety smooth finish that support this perfectly balanced work of art.
- Winemaker
- Tom Fotinos
- Accolades
- Silver Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
- Appellation
- Los Carneros, California
- ABV
- 14.7%
About the Winery
In Lefkas, Greece, toward the end of the 19th Century, our grandfather, Christos, was taught the art of traditional wine making by his father. Christos immigrated to the United States in the early part of the 20th Century and eventually farmed his own vineyard in Sonoma, California.
As Christos perfected his viticulture and wine making techniques, he passed his knowledge along to his son, Tom, our father. As children we were immersed in this deep tradition, working in the vineyard in the Spring and Summer months and harvesting in the Fall. Being a large family, twenty or so of us would meet monthly at our grandparent’s home and vineyard enjoying food, wine and each other.
Sundays at our grandparent’s house were spent eating Greek lunches under the grape arbor with family and friends. This was back in the days when we would climb inside half barrels and stomp grapes with our feet. We have come a long way since then.
In 1968, our father, Tom, purchased his own vineyard. He used the traditional skills of his heritage along with his own contemporary ideas to create one of the best private label Pinot Noir’s in Napa Valley. In the 1970’s, he won many 1st place ribbons in Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Rosa County wine making contests.
We grew up with this rich history of wine making, honing our skills to produce what has taken four generations to perfect, our 2006 Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, our father passed away in 1983. We want to dedicate this first vintage in his memory. Our mother, Martha, remains involved in the family vineyard, carrying on our father’s legacy.
Vineyard Notes
Since 1969, the George Fotinos family has been growing premium pinot noir grapes. What was once a prune orchard on Old Sonoma Road today is 25 acres of premium pinot noir vines and reservoir at 100’ elevation in the heart of Napa’s Carneros region.
The vineyard is planted to Dijon 115, Pommard and Calera Selection clones. The average age of the vines is 21 Years.
The vineyard is operated with sustainable farming practices and sufficient irrigation from captured rainwater each year. The first vintage of Fotinos Vineyard Pinot Noir was bottled in 2003. George passed away in August of 2014, but Fotinos Vineyard carries on as a family partnership between Vivian, Angela, Margaret, and Elaine.