The 2019 vintage capped a steady years-long rise for California Pinot Noir by setting a benchmark for quality. It was the perfect convergence of factors, as a generation of winemakers with growing experience took advantage of a maturing and diverse vineyard base under ideal conditions. The 2020 season brought that upward trajectory to a crashing halt, due to the wildfires that plagued harvesttime. Yet the newly released 2021 vintage easily bridges the gap, nudging the bar a notch higher from 2019 and putting Pinot Noir back on track in the Golden State.
The best 2021s not only show the purity and drive of their 2019 counterparts but also feature greater concentration, structure and definition, thanks to a crop of tiny, concentrated, thick-skinned berries that resulted from the season's considerable drought. Although quality is high across the board, the drought also meant that many growers' yields were down 10% to 15%, with some reporting drops of up to 50%.
"Oof," says Chris Hyde, who along with his father Larry farms their eponymous family vineyard in Carneros. "I love the '21s for everything except the yields. We brought in just 1.5 tons per acre across the vineyardour lowest ever."
Since my previous report on Pinot Noir in our Sept. 30, 2022, issue, I have reviewed more than 560 Pinot Noir bottlings via blind tastings at our Napa office. Of those, 28 earn classic ratings of 95 points or higher on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale, while nearly 350 additional wines achieved outstanding scores of 90 to 94 points. It's an impressive performance overall, elevated by the strength of the 2021s, which account for just more than half of the wines under review.
Denne historien er fra September 30, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
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Denne historien er fra September 30, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Zealand's Success Story
From small beginnings, the country’s wines have ascended to global prominence
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers
Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
SEAVEY VINEYARD
In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range
RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.
A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.
Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
