2001
PINOT NOIR CLOS PEPE
Santa Rita Hills
Last year's Clos Pepe was
a fascinating wine, and with some age will become something special
and enjoyable. The 2001 is a completely different animal in that
it was showy in the barrel, and, with a year in bottle, it has
become only more so. It is not subtle, but it shows more clearly
what a great vineyard site Clos Pepe is.
I will be the first to
admit that a major reason this wine is as it is, is because Wes's
tractor broke down the day before we wanted to pick these grapes.
So much for a year's worth of planning to make the best pinot
noir on the planet! On the other hand, the hot spell that commenced
in the three days between when I wanted to pick these grapes and
the actual picking wasn't all bad. Sure, the wine is over the
top
but it is so good! The zinging acidity that is inherent
in where these grapes are grown is a great counterpoint to this
wine's incredible intensity of flavor. This ain't Burgundy, but
it is (in my opinion) a great success.
High Resolution Label