Daniel
2012 Pinot Noir Soberanes Santa Lucia Highlands
Pinot Noir •Soberanes
California: Monterey County
Mission Briefing
The Gold Standard
California was truly blessed with near perfect growing conditions in the 2012 vintage, especially with Pinot Noir. The top growers and wineries are flush with some of their best wines ever. One such wine that recently stopped us in our tracks is the 2012 Daniel Pinot Noir, made by Brack Mountain Wine Co., from the Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Soberanes is owned by the famous Garys (Pisoni and Franscioni) who single handedly put the Santa Lucia Highlands on the world map for Pinot Noir with their neighboring Garys’ Vineyard. Garys’ Vineyard wines do not sell for less than $50. Soberanes is now also considered one of the top 10 California Pinot Noir vineyards - grand cru status. Don’t miss this deal, it’s fabulous.
Tasting Profile
Look: | Deep red color. |
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Smell: | Incredible! Cherry, pomegranate, orange blossom, smoked tea, bacon fat, and sage. Absolutely classic SLH / Garys’ aromatics. |
Taste: | There’s a misconception that Garys’ fruit is overripe. Ripeness is always to the max, but the complexity is mind boggling. At only 13.8% ABV, this wine doesn’t suffer from over-ripeness. ~ To the contrary, there’s elegance and balance to the red fruits, floral, and savory earthen nuances that give it such a multi-dimensional flavor profile. While it’s undeniably delicious right now, this could really grow into a sublime wine with cellaring. |
Finish: | Smooth, polished, delicious, and wildly complex from nose to palate. |
Pairing: | Pour it into a carafe and serve with lamb chops rubbed with rosemary and lavender. |
What the Winery Says
- Winemaker
- Daniel Fitzgerald
- Varietal
- Pinot Noir
- Vineyard
- Soberanes Vineyards (owned by Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni)
- Production
- 300 cases
- Abv
- 13.8%
- pH
- 3.62
- TA
- .60 g/100ml
- Harvest Date
- September 14th, 2012
- Aging
- 10 months
- Barrels
- 33% new French oak,
- Bottling date
- August 2013