The Domaine Carneros 2008 Pinot Noir Carneros is a complex Pinot Noir. It is 100% Pinot Noir with grapes from four different Domain Carneros estate vineyards.
It is fermented traditionally in small lots in open top fermenters and then aged in French Oak barrels. The 8-foot by 8-foot fermenting tanks are designed to minimize skin to juice contact in order to extract optimum color and flavor.
The wine’s earthiness is apparent from the first sip. There is red fruit and red clay flavor notes. I was appreciating the tapestry of taste, but some in our tasting team felt the earthiness, while good for Earth Day, was a bit off-putting.
As the evening marched on, the wine loosened up and some delicate fruit sallied forth. This is a wine that should be a nice accompaniment for a meal, but lacked the graceful profile we expected.
Full Disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.
Rating: 2.5 of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment