May 5, 2013
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Lucienne
| Owner(s) | Nicolaus Hahn |
| Web site | www.luciennevineyards.com |
| Link to this site |
Winemaker Paul Clifton came to wine from a firefighting career. He grew up in the Monterey Bay area and always felt the lure of the outdoors and agriculture. After college he considered a white collar job in the financial world but felt he was more suited to fight fires. After working as a firefighter for a few years, he decided to change careers and in 1996 began his pursuit of becoming a professional winemaker. He started at Bernardus Winery in Carmel Valley, where he was mentored by Don Blackburn, a well-known Pinot Noir vintner who now crafts wine at Emeritus in the Russian River Valley. Paul worked his way up from cellar rat to cellar master at Bernardus and in 1999 moved on to Byington Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains as assistant winemaker. He developed a passion for cool climate viticulture and Pinot Noir in particular. To further his knowledge, he attended Lincoln University on the South Island of New Zealand and received a postgraduate degree in viticulture. Upon returning to the United States in 2003, he began working at Hahn Estates in the Santa Lucia Highlands with winemakers Adam Lazarre and Barry Gnekow. With time, Paul became the head winemaker at Hahn Estates and has brought the winery’s Pinot Noir program to prominence. Like many winemakers, Paul is rather shy and unassuming and underplays his considerable accomplishments.
Lucienne Vineyards is an estate winery within the Hahn Estates umbrella of wines launched with the 2005 vintage. Owned by Nicholas Lucien Hahn, the winery is a separate facility - a winery within a winery. The goal at Lucienne is to produce premium Pinot Noir in small lots from two exceptional estate vineyards: Lone Oak Vineyard and Doctor’s Vineyard. The winery takes its name from Nicky Hahn’s middle name Lucien, but in the feminine form to honor the namesake of the Santa Lucia Mountain range where the vineyards are located.
The 2006 Doctor's Vineyard and Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noirs were outstanding.
Lucienne Pinot Noirs are sold through the website. 831-678-2132. The Hahn Estates tasting room in Soledad is open daily.
Articles About Lucienne
Affairs of the Vine Pinot Summit Results (8.35 4/11/2011)
More Princely Pinots (8.42 8/11/2011)
New Stars Along the Pinot Trail (7.16 4/18/2009)
On the Pinot Trail: WOPN 2010 (8.13 4/8/2010)
Pinot Shootout Finals Tasting (8.30 1/27/2011)
The 9th Annual World of Pinot Noir (7.16 4/18/2009)
Reviewed Wines
2009 Lucienne Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5%
alc., pH 3.58, TA 0.63, 647 cases, $50. Released May 2011.11 different clones
of Pinot Noir planted in this vineyard of 243 acres including Calera, 828, 777 and
Swan. Aged in 35% new French oak barrels.
·
Moderate reddish-purple robe.
Aromas of ripe raspberries and cherries. Tasty core of cherries, red plums and
vanilla. A lighter, elegantly styled wine with a lingering fruit presence on the
bright finish. Good (+).
Reviewed August 13, 2011
ARTICLE »
2009 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.70, TA 0.61, 138
cases, $50. Released May 2011. 146 acres planted to clones 777, 115, Pommard, 2A and 667. Aged in 35%
new French oak barrels.
·
Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Muted fruit on the nose with prominent
smoky oak. Medium weighted array of spicy dark red fruits, with notes of oak-derived vanillin, smoke and tar.
No change the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. A bit muddled now. Decent.
Reviewed August 13, 2011
ARTICLE »
2007 Lucienne Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.8% alc..
·
Moderately deep
reddish-purple robe in the glass. Very attractive nose replete with spiced berries. An extremely charming wine
with the berry fruit core enhanced with notes of spice, cola and chocolate. Discretely rich, beautifully balanced,
with an appealing elegance. Very good.
Reviewed April 8, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
700 cases, $45. The top wine of the
tasting for me and my panel.
·
Very enticing aromas of cherries with an underlying minerality. Velvety and
delicious with a classy core of silky red and black fruits that have a tremendous breadth in the middle palate
and a remarkably persistent aromatic persistence. The mouthfeel is soft and seductive and the wine is
beautifully balanced. The whole package.
Reviewed January 27, 2011
ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Vineyards Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 347 cases, $35. Vineyard planted in 2002. 100% de-stemmed, cold soak
for 3 days, inoculated with BGY yeast, fermented in 3-ton open top fermenters,
punched down three times a day, pressed with a basket press. Aged 12 months in
47% new and 53% neutral French oak barrels.
·
Deep rich nose of fresh plum tart with
near port aromas. Brambly, earthy and rich dark stone fruit flavors with a riff of raisin
and oak, framed by soft tannins and good acidity. The fruit approaches but does not
cross over into over ripeness.
Reviewed April 18, 2009
ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Lone Oak Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc.,
217 cases, $45. This is the high-end label from Hahn Estates in the Santa
Lucia Highlands (see feature later in this issue). This wine represents a special
selection from small blocks of Lone Oak Vineyard crafted by winemaker Paul
Clifton. Aged in 50% new French oak.
·
This beauty has a vibrant black cherry
fruitiness with interesting notes of coffee and leather. Very plush and velvety in
the mouth with a fresh, lively and lengthy finish. Evocative and very satisfying.
Reviewed April 18, 2009
ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Vineyards Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 217
cases, $45. Vineyard planted in 2001. 100% de-stemmed, lightly crushed, 3 day cold soak, fermented
in 3-ton open top fermenters, inoculated with EC1118 yeast, punched down three times a day. Free
run put to barrel, wine was pressed using a basket press, aged 12 months in 50% new and 50%
neutral French oak barrels.
·
A thoroughly enjoyable wine with attractive spiced black cherries on the
nose, dark cherries and raspberries on the palate framed by notes of coffee, leather and brown spice,
augmented by supple tannins and ending with a lasting and silky finish.
Reviewed April 18, 2009
ARTICLE »
2009 Lucienne Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.58, TA 0.63, 647 cases, $50. Released May 2011.11 different clones of Pinot Noir planted in this vineyard of 243 acres including Calera, 828, 777 and Swan. Aged in 35% new French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish-purple robe. Aromas of ripe raspberries and cherries. Tasty core of cherries, red plums and vanilla. A lighter, elegantly styled wine with a lingering fruit presence on the bright finish. Good (+). Reviewed August 13, 2011 ARTICLE »
2009 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.70, TA 0.61, 138 cases, $50. Released May 2011. 146 acres planted to clones 777, 115, Pommard, 2A and 667. Aged in 35% new French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Muted fruit on the nose with prominent smoky oak. Medium weighted array of spicy dark red fruits, with notes of oak-derived vanillin, smoke and tar. No change the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. A bit muddled now. Decent. Reviewed August 13, 2011 ARTICLE »
2007 Lucienne Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.8% alc.. · Moderately deep reddish-purple robe in the glass. Very attractive nose replete with spiced berries. An extremely charming wine with the berry fruit core enhanced with notes of spice, cola and chocolate. Discretely rich, beautifully balanced, with an appealing elegance. Very good. Reviewed April 8, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
700 cases, $45. The top wine of the tasting for me and my panel. · Very enticing aromas of cherries with an underlying minerality. Velvety and delicious with a classy core of silky red and black fruits that have a tremendous breadth in the middle palate and a remarkably persistent aromatic persistence. The mouthfeel is soft and seductive and the wine is beautifully balanced. The whole package. Reviewed January 27, 2011 ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Vineyards Doctor’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 347 cases, $35. Vineyard planted in 2002. 100% de-stemmed, cold soak for 3 days, inoculated with BGY yeast, fermented in 3-ton open top fermenters, punched down three times a day, pressed with a basket press. Aged 12 months in 47% new and 53% neutral French oak barrels. · Deep rich nose of fresh plum tart with near port aromas. Brambly, earthy and rich dark stone fruit flavors with a riff of raisin and oak, framed by soft tannins and good acidity. The fruit approaches but does not cross over into over ripeness. Reviewed April 18, 2009 ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Lone Oak Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 217 cases, $45. This is the high-end label from Hahn Estates in the Santa Lucia Highlands (see feature later in this issue). This wine represents a special selection from small blocks of Lone Oak Vineyard crafted by winemaker Paul Clifton. Aged in 50% new French oak. · This beauty has a vibrant black cherry fruitiness with interesting notes of coffee and leather. Very plush and velvety in the mouth with a fresh, lively and lengthy finish. Evocative and very satisfying. Reviewed April 18, 2009 ARTICLE »
2006 Lucienne Vineyards Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 217 cases, $45. Vineyard planted in 2001. 100% de-stemmed, lightly crushed, 3 day cold soak, fermented in 3-ton open top fermenters, inoculated with EC1118 yeast, punched down three times a day. Free run put to barrel, wine was pressed using a basket press, aged 12 months in 50% new and 50% neutral French oak barrels. · A thoroughly enjoyable wine with attractive spiced black cherries on the nose, dark cherries and raspberries on the palate framed by notes of coffee, leather and brown spice, augmented by supple tannins and ending with a lasting and silky finish. Reviewed April 18, 2009 ARTICLE »
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