cropthreash

 

 

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