Burgundy Inspiration - 3 Bottles of Pinot Noir

Winery: Domaine Carneros; Robert Sinskey; Onward Wines

Bottle Size: 750ml

Number of Bottles: 3 Bottles

Vintages: 2018; 2016; 2015

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Appellation: Napa Valley; Los Carneros; Hawkeye Ranch Redwood Valley

2018 Domaine Carneros Napa Valley Estate Pinot Noir, 1 Bottle

Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir begins in our five different Estate Vineyards, which are certified by Fish Friendly Farming and located within four miles of the Chateau. We grow eleven different clones of Pinot Noir and each one contributes its unique flavor profile and personality to make this compelling blend which is truly a mosaic of our Carneros terroir.

Tasting Notes The 2018 edition of our Estate Pinot Noir packs a full range of red and darker berry flavors. Beginning with the nose one encounters plum clafouti, cherries, bergamot tea, and red roses. Ten months of barrel age lends a sweetness that balances the supple tannin from this exceptional vintage producing an intense full bodied Pinot Noir. Of particular note in this edition is the juicy and sweet fruited entry upon the palate, backed up by delicate spice notes (sassafras) and leather that lead to baked cherry and black raspberry. The hallmark of Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir is the texture, and this wine delivers with a supple and silky mouth-feel.

Domaine Carneros is a singular winery best known as a small grower-producer of méthode traditionelle sparkling wine, Pinot Noir, estate vineyards, and a breathtakingly beautiful château.

Founded by the noble family behind Champagne Taittinger, Claude Taittinger's search for a worthy U.S. counterpart began in the late 1970s. In 1987 he selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, Napa Valley, wisely choosing Eileen Crane-often referred to as America's doyenne of Sparkling Wine-to oversee the development of the Taittinger style in Carneros. In 2020, after 33 years, Crane passed the torch to a new CEO, Remi Cohen, whose role carries on the Taittinger tradition of visionary female leadership. Ushering in a new era of Domaine Carneros, Cohen brings two decades of experience in all facets of the wine industry to the château.

The heart of Domaine Carneros has always been our méthode traditionelle sparkling wines, with distinctive styles ranging from the classic vintage-dated Brut cuvee to our luxury Le Reve Blanc de Blancs. In 1992 we added rich, complex Pinot Noir to our portfolio and our passion for sparkling and still wines continues to grow.

All of our wines proudly hail from the Carneros appellation, and 95% of our fruit comes from our six estate vineyards comprising 400 acres. As anyone who has driven between Napa and Sonoma can tell you, the Domaine Carneros château is a stunning regional landmark. Join us for tableside service on the terrace or in the salon and savor the spirit of the Northern California wine country.

domainecarneros.com

Robert Sinskey 2016 Los Carneros Pinot Noir (made with organic grapes), 1 Bottle

This vintage of Los Carneros Pinot Noir is unmistakably true to variety with an aromatically inviting bouquet and striking complexity. Bright red fruit characteristics of pomegranate, bing cherry, cranberry and raspberry are seamlessly woven together with floral tones of violet and rose, balanced with subtle earthy notes of forest herbs, cinnamon and cardamom. The wine’s mouthfeel is generous and well rounded yet focused and fresh with a mouthwatering brightness and a firm back bone you expect to see in a well crafted Pinot Noir. Food pairing possibilities are limitless, or pour and serve on its own to savor its subtleties and evolution in the glass.

Wine growing notes: After a prolonged drought, nine inches of rain fell in December 2015 through January 2016. Then, February was unseasonably warm with less than 1/2 inch of rain in Carneros, resulting in an early bud break with a beautiful set and relatively low cluster counts. The warm patterns continued and harvest proceeded at a brisk rate with all white varieties and pinot noir harvested by September 10th. The quality of the Pinot Noir fruit was exceptional. The wines were aged for a year in French oak barrels, of which about 30% were new.

About Robert Sinskey Vineyards (RSV): The story of how a wine is made is as important as the wine itself. RSV believes that winegrowing begins with the care of the soil. Since 1991, RSV has been practicing the "whole farm" philosophy of interrelationships based on Rudolph Steiner's 1928 lecture "Agriculture." This approach taps into the rhythms of nature to embrace biodiversity and encourage natural processes in growing healthy grapes that help craft expressive, vibrant and living wines.

RSV is dedicated to the agrarian, culinary experience. Sheep graze the vineyards and provide wool, pelts and meat. Edible landscape, extensive culinary gardens and fruit orchards cover the winery grounds and vineyards. Beehives pollinate the orchards and provide honey. RSV has even planted an experimental truffle orchard with English Oaks and Filberts.

www.robertsinskey.com 

ONWARD 2015 Hawkeye Ranch Redwood Valley Pinot Noir - 1 Bottle

This wine draws you in with alluring aromas of red cherry, violets and geranium blossom emanating from the glass. On the palate, the wine is layered with rich flavors of cranberry, huckleberry and rhubarb, with a touch of warm forest floor adding intrigue. The tannins are velvety, and the finish lingers on and on with notes of currant jelly and spice.

This wine is inviting and pretty in the gentlest of ways. Like a sincere friend that will always be there for you, she is truly genuine and so very generous.

ONWARD WINES are single-vineyard, site-driven wines and Farmstrong Wines are blends, and in both expressions the vineyard sites are very special to me. I am a true believer in personal connection and there is a story behind each vineyard site and how it came to be part of my portfolio. In these stories you will learn more about the people behind these vineyards. I liken my connection to these vineyards to that of one’s favorite shirt or coffee mug or chair. Like a well worn fabric or a slightly chipped mug that may have initially caught my eye for its beauty, but over the years it has won my heart because it just feels right. When it comes to vineyards this happens too, and it is a combination of my connection with the vines themselves and my connection with those that tend them. For me the growers hands are most definitely part of the terroir.

My style is about letting the vines speak. They are the art, I am the canvas, my job is to give them a chance to share their beauty in each and every vintage. My decisions are driven from the vineyard and the vintage, my cellar practices are to uphold the truths I find in the vineyard. To this end I pick early looking for balance of flavors at lower ripeness, as I find this is when each vineyard is in its most unique expression of self.

Owner & Winemaker Faith Armstrong is the mom of 4 Stone Bridge School students! Check out the recent Family Circle Magazine article on her here.

onwardwines.com