Knox Alexander Pinot Noir 2018

Au Bon Climat, tech sheet (hentet 17. okt. 2026): 2018 Knox Alexander Pinot Noir – appellation: Santa Maria Valley; vinmark(er): Bien Nacido, Le Bon Climat; drue: 100% Pinot Noir; fadlagring: 22 months, new François Frères French Oak; høst: September 2018; alkohol 13.5%. Om vinmarken (producentens tekst, engelsk): Named after Jim Clendenen’s son Knox, this wine represents the finest lots of Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley appellation; in this case our estate Le Bon Climat and Bien Nacido Vineyard. These two vineyards produce exceptional Pinot Noir with a distinctive, regional fruit character of cherry, cranberry, red currant, rose hip and sage, that is featured in Knox Alexander Pinots. Knox Alexander Pinots are beautifully stated, complex and tightly structured wines. Enjoyable now, elegance turns to magnificence as the wine as ages and integrates. Fra vinmageren (producentens tekst, engelsk): All our wines are made in small lots from hand-picked grapes. The Pinot Noir is fermented in 5-ton open-top fermenters and punched down twice a day. These punch downs breakup the cap of skins that rises to the surface and pushed back into the juice so the fermentation process extracts the best part of the Pinot grapes. The wine is pressed to complete dryness and goes to barrel with moderate lees. Several high-end lots were blended to create the 2018 Knox; three of these lots contained a high percentage of whole clusters. Consequently, 20 percent of the final blend was fermented with whole clusters. The whole cluster influence is evident in the bouquet showing spicey notes of anise and clove mixed with fresh green tea. The 2018 Knox was aged 22 months in new François Frères French oak barrels. The barrel aging gives the wine aromas of bitter chocolate and vanilla. The clarity and color of the wine are beautiful. The wine is so young but has amazing aging potential. Try it in 2034 while riding in your self-driving car; it should be at its peak.