2016 Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir

Jim Maresh says that along with being a truly great vintage, 2016 was also the birth year of his son Jimmy. Poor fruit set reduced crop levels by around 25%. The growing season was warm until September when temperatures dipped to the low to mid-70s, and growers enjoyed two weeks of flavor development without brix accumulation. The idyllic conditions coincided with Jim’s pivot to al dente picking, which he describes as "the biggest change in my Pinot Noir.”He explains, “I picked early and at the right time. 2016 really opened my eyes on how to pick." It comes entirely from Block 3, what Jim calls an “ultra grand cru” of the Maresh Vineyard. The spectacular 2016 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard unfurls dramatically over a couple of hours in the glass: at first, it’s reminiscent of raspberry chocolate, then it segues to soaring floral perfume and flashes of charcuterie and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate balances pure, complex flavors with ultra-silky tannins and fireworks of fresh acidity. Its seamless structure sets it apart, while its latency and dramatic evolution in the glass suggest it deserves many more years in the cellar to evolve.