2022 WALT Blue Jay Pinot Noir
Critic Review
"This wine is rich with aromas of baked cherry, cinnamon and potpourri on the nose. The midpalate has flavors of brambled strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, pink peppercorn and molasses interlaced with dried herbs, juicy red plum and a dry finish. Pair with grilled prawns."
91 Points | Wine Spectator, James Molesworth
"Soft and broad in feel, with friendly flavors of mulled cherry and raspberry fruit that glide through, backed by a curl of red tea on the finish."
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Focused and elegant with luscious cherry fruit and
lifting acidity
Hillside Slopes
Southern exposure, cobbled clay loam soils and
rock outcroppings
Exceptional Appellation
Due to
its proximity to cool, steady winds from
the Pacific Ocean
This wine has a captivating nose of ripe cherry, wild blueberry, black tea and forest floor. The smooth and silky palate has an extra dimension of depth from our signature technique of including roasted stems in the fermentation. Integrated flavors of dark fruits, barrel char and loamy earth lead to a supple and mouthwatering finish.
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Ripe Cherry
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Wild Blueberry
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Black Tea
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Forest Floor
Our Blue Jay is sourced from a unique set of vineyards from 'The Corner' of Anderson Valley - located in the hills to the East of Boonville. Both of our estate properties have steep hillsides, aspect, and light gravelly soils that combine to create optimal ripening conditions. These very rugged vineyard sites continuously produce fruit of great depth and character.
Bottle Size | 750mL |
---|---|
Varietal Composition | 100% Pinot Noir |
Barrel Aging | 10 Months in 35% New French Oak |
Appellation | Anderson Valley |
Vineyard | Anderson Creek and Donnelly Creek |
Vintage Notes | The 2022 vintage wines are immediately appealing, showing fruit-forward aromatics, breadth, and sophistication. Even in the third year of drought, good vine growth was a pleasant surprise. Heavy rains started at the end of November, continued into early December, dried down, and arrived again near bud break, resaturating the soils. Frost in March contributed to a lighter crop. By July the season was tracking on the warmish side indicating an earlier harvest. Temperate weather was interrupted by a big heat wave in early September, which propelled earlier ripening sites into a fast-paced harvest window. |