Fess Parker Winery
2012 Clone 115 Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir •Ashley's Vineyard
California: Santa Barbara County: Sta. Rita Hills
Mission Briefing
Their Finest
Fess Parker Winery is back with their tippy-top Pinot Noir from Ashley’s Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, the delectable, fantastic 2012 Clone 115 Pinot Noir.
This exciting, balanced and delicious Pinot Noir - which earned 92 points, Wine Enthusiast and 90 points, Robert Parker - is the finest Pinot that the winery currently has on offer - and they let us have a small allocation. This wine is beautifully balanced, with plenty of fruit juxtaposed against earthen elements of spice, mineral, mushroom and loam. If you love perfect Pinot, you’ll simply adore this fantastic example from Fess Parker and winemaker Blair Fox.
Here’s what Wine Enthusiast Magazine and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate have to say about today’s wine:
“Cooked black cherry, black soil and a pinch of pine sap combine for an intriguing nose on this clonal study. The flavors are clove-driven around a pomegranate-cherry backdrop, with a touch of cola and expertly balanced tannins and acidity.” - 92 points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
A masculine, darker-styled and earthy Pinot, the 2012 Pinot Noir Clone 115 saw 25% whole cluster inclusion during fermentation and was aged in 33% new French oak barrels. It gives up loads of pepper, underbrush and crushed rock to go with darker berry-styled fruit…It should drink nicely for 7-8 years.” - 90 Points - Wine Advocate
Tasting Profile
Look: | Dark ruby, with perfect clarity through a slightly darker core. |
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Smell: | Cherry cola, red flowers, red cherry, cranberry, leather, mushroom, dark spice and vanilla. |
Taste: | Cherry juice, cranberry, cherry cola, loamy earth, subtle spice and toasty vanilla oak. |
Finish: | Ultra long, with fruit flavors that quickly yield to earth and mineral elements. As gentle tannins take hold, a very gradual dryness spreads slowly across the entire palate. |
Pairing: | Coq au Vin or a hearty Cassoulet would be fantastic companions to this perfect Pinot Noir. |
What the Winery Says
- Accolades
- Wine Enthusiast - 92 points. Wine Advocate - 90 points.
- Winemaker
- Blair Fox
- Varietal
- Pinot Noir
- Appellation
- Sta. Rita Hills
- Vineyard
- Ashley’s Vineyard
- Harvest Date
- September 24
- Acid
- 0.605 g/100mL
- Ph
- 3.54
- Aging
- 17 months in 33% new French oak
- Production
- 296 cases
- Abv
- %14.1
- Harvested at
- 23.3 Brix at 1.8 tons per acre.
- Wine Enthusiast
- 92
- Wine Advocate
- 90