Wow. Just wow. It is not often that we see such a trifecta of excellence; impeccable fruit from a legacy vineyard, crafted to excellence by a superstar winemaker, under the auspices of a world-class winery with a history of virtually perfect 99-pointer gems. First the site. Bacigalupi was planted in the 1950s and rose to legendary status by being the fruit behind the winner of the historic 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting. Then comes the winemaker, Kirk Venge, amongst the very best with numerous 100-pointers under his belt. Last but not least, the Lucie label is the latest venture under the umbrella of Napa Valley legends Bacio Divino Cellars and Janzen.

A bright ruby hue luminescent with crimson highlights. Classic, intoxication Russian River Pinot aromatics, with raspberry, tart cherries, dried cranberry, blood orange, and clove. The palate offers a burst of bing cherry, mulberry, refined earth tones, and polished tannins. The finish is long and zesty with plenty of freshness peeking through the ripe, rich, round backdrop. Robust and complex enough to sip on its own crowning a hedonistic evening, this would shine with a leg of lamb roasted over veggies or a wood-fired salsiccia sausage pizza.

In essence, we Spies find the accolades on this wine on the conservative side, as with some time in the bottle and breathing it just keeps getting better and better. A truly irresistible example of unmatched pedigree in all three aspects, with the vineyard, winemaking and accolades behind this beauty you just can’t go wrong.

Today’s Pinot Noir comes hails from grapes grown by the world renown Bacigalupi family, whose vineyards in the Russian River Valley are nothing short of legendary. In fact, the winning wine from the same vineyard from which sprang the winning wine in the iconic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 (also known as the Judgment of Paris).

This event was a wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, in which French judges carried out two blind tasting comparisons: one of the top-quality Chardonnays and another of red wines. A Californian wine rated best in each category, which caused shock and wonderment as France was generally regarded as being the foremost producer of the world’s best wines. Spurrier sold only French wine and believed that the California wines could not possibly win.

The Russian River Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area), in Sonoma County, produces Pinot Noir of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the Russian River Valley ideal for growing Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

94 points - Wine Enthusiast, Virginie Boone - “Cranberry, rhubarb and allspice combine effortlessly in the well-made, memorable red. Silky on the palate, it shows a refinement of character and robust grasp of dark spicy notes that betray a baked, brooding quality of balanced richness. On the finish is a refreshing seasoning of orange zest.”

91 points - Wine Advocate, Robert Parker - “Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Lucie Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyard is redolent of black raspberries and black cherries with touches of garrigue, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy red and blackberry flavors with a velvety backbone and invigorating finish.