2018 Big Basin Vineyards "Lester Family Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

Mulberries, dried flowers, forest floor, spice, and herbes de Provence-like notes emerge from the 2018 Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard, a medium-bodied, charming, sweetly fruited beauty with ripe tannins and a great finish. It offers more fruit and opulence than the other releases here yet still has some classic Santa Cruz Mountain structure. It has a solid decade of prime drinking ahead of it.

I think Lester Vineyard in the Corralitos sub-region of the Santa Cruz Mountains has a pretty good claim to Grand Cru status. Over the years many of California's top winemakers have sought out the renowned Pinot Noir from Lester for its distinctive character and nuanced expression of the varietal. This beautiful vineyard is nestled into the foothills just a few miles from the Monterey Bay. The ocean dramatically effects this site moderating temperatures and often cloaking the vines under a morning layer of fog. The numerous clones of Pinot Noir planted in small blocks send their roots down into very sandy, almost powdery soils. They are farmed by legendary Santa Cruz Mountain viticulturist Prudy Foxx who just completed her 40th vintage growing grapes for top vineyards across the region. Earlier this year I was able to walk the vineyard with Prudy and I was stunned with level of detail and precision in the farming. The tiny clusters of fruit were pristine and the vines in perfect balance. Big Basin have received precious fruit from Lester for many years and believe it to be one of the most perfect sites for Pinot Noir in California. The 2018 combines heritage selections of Pinot Noir Mt. Eden and Swan with some Dijon Clone 667. The wine has a wonderfully complex nose the swings back and forth between bright red fruits, cherry, ripe raspberry, bramble, to earth, truffle, forest floor and dried porcini. Such a fascinating interplay between bright, juicy fruit but also so much savory, umami quality. Berries and dry leaves, tree bark, woodsy spices. Layer after layer of complexity. Silky tannins, a nice weight and concentration on the palate from these low-yielding almost entirely dry-farmed vines. A true Pinot lovers wine with so much going one and many years of truly fascinating drinking ahead of it. Don't miss our 50% off Insider's Advantage special price!