2012 Auteur Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge

The 2012 Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge comes from a vineyard planted at a 10,000-foot elevation. All Dijon clone material, two-thirds is clone 777 and one-third is clone 115. It was aged 15 months in 50% new French oak. This is the tightest, most backward of these Pinots, so a leap of faith is essential. Structured with high acidity, it has a certain austerity and angularity and plenty of blackcurrant, spice, earth and background oak. It will benefit from another year of bottle age, and should drink well for a decade or more. It has all the potential needed to be outstanding, but patience is required.