Note: Today’s superb wine is in limited supply.

We’ve been chasing J.Wilkes winery for some time now. Finally, we managed to get our hands on their signature Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. This 90 point (Wine & Spirits and Wine Spectator) Wes Hagen-made beauty is a juicy, complex, ready to drink wine that we are crazy about.

Aromas waft from the glass, with Bing cherry, pie spice, kola nut, cranberry, pomegranate, subtle cured beef, subtle gunpowder and a hint of wild mushroom. Darkly juicy and quite rich on the palate, with black cherry, rhubarb, dried wild mushroom, dried cranberry, slate mineral, subtle dried herb and a hint of clove spice.

This wine is a real treat, with darkly juicy fruit that is bolstered by earth and spice notes that give the wine an intriguing complexity. Our entire tasting panel was super impressed by this wine from winemaker Wes Hagen.

Wes Hagen spent 21 years as winemaker and vineyard manager at the famous Clos Pepe Vineyards and Estate Wines* in Lompoc. He left his family’s vineyards in the hands of **Hall and Walt Wines of St. Helena to become the Winemaker and Brand Ambassador for J. Wilkes Wines in Santa Maria. Wes seems to have leveled up his winemaking skills at J.Wilkes. Today’s wine is a beauty!

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Here’s what the wine press has to say.

90 Points - Wine Spectator - “Rich, savory and open-textured, with dried berry sandal wood flavors that lengthen out nicely, showing undercurrents of cedar.”

90 Points - Wine & Spirits Magazine