2013 Blair Estate The Reserve Delfina’s Vineyard Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir

14.8% alc., 110 cases, $75. Release summer 2016. Clones 115, 777 and Pommard 4 from home vineyard. Debut release and the winemaker’s ultimate vintage statement in 2013. (Note: the wine is bottled with a thick wax capsule and a pull tab but is very difficult to open. The look is very classy, but the imposing challenge of opening the wine offsets the eye candy). · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with a fusion of cherry and spirited oak aromas. Light to mid weight in style, with a delectable core of cherry, cranberry and spicy oak flavors. Gentle tannins make for easy approachability, and the wine finishes with a bright charge of sweet cherry fruit accompanied by a cleansing and slightly citrus-driven acidity. This wine is not a typical blockbuster reserve but is more dedicated to Pinot Noir elegance and typicality, proving that Pinot Noir doesn’t have to be big and extracted to be superb. Score: 92. Reviewed June 18, 2016

Winery: Blair Estate
From article: Sips of Recently Tasted California Pinot Noir