McIntyre Vineyards 2014 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
$34.88$45
FREE shipping on any 6 or more bottles
92 Pts Wine Enthusiast - "This wine is an interesting journey from sniff to sip. Aromas of condensed pomegranate, hibiscus and red plum are lifted by crushed slate, light clove, marjoram and a whiff of smoke. Full flavors of red plum and cranberry start the palate, then come waves of herbaceous oregano, thyme and pepper, before the red fruit returns toward...
FREE shipping on any 6 or more bottles
92 Pts Wine Enthusiast - "This wine is an interesting journey from sniff to sip. Aromas of condensed pomegranate, hibiscus and red plum are lifted by crushed slate, light clove, marjoram and a whiff of smoke. Full flavors of red plum and cranberry start the palate, then come waves of herbaceous oregano, thyme and pepper, before the red fruit returns toward the finish."
Overview: Steve McIntyre is one of the most respected and important viticulturists in California. He has planted nearly one quarter of the Santa Lucia Highlands and, as owner/operator of Monterey Pacific. He farms more than 11,000 acres throughout Monterey County. Steve’s work in cool-climate viticulture has had a significant impact on the style and quality of wines from the Central Coast. His 80-acre McIntyre Estate Vineyard lies in the “sweet spot” of the Santa Lucia Highlands. It produces incredibly intense and complex Pinot Noirs and well-structured, concentrated Chardonnays. It was among the first properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands to be SIP (Sustainability In Practice) Certified.
Vineyard: While it is never easy to account for Mother Nature’s unpredictability, our 2014 SLH Pinot Noir owes much of its success to superior terroir and diligent, sustainable farming practices. It combines Swan clone from the Escolle Road Vineyard and two of our favorite clones from our McIntyre Estate Vineyard: 115 and ‘Old Vine.” The ‘Old Vine” block is now 42 years old, making it the oldest plantings of Pinot Noir in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. It is own rooted – a rarity in Californian - and grown on a Lyre trellis system. The remainder of the fruit is trellised on a VSP. The crop was thinned to a maximum of 3 tons per acre or 1.5 lbs. of fruit per foot of cordon. Row orientation is primarily north/south in both vineyards which provides even sun exposure from morning and afternoon.
Winemaking: At McIntyre our winemaking style is minimalistic. We endeavor to let the beautiful fruit shine through with limited intervention. All of our grapes are sustainably-farmed and hand-harvested and sorted in the early morning hours. Primary and malolactic fermentations were carried out with wild, indigenous yeast and malolactic bacteria that naturally thrive in the vineyard.
Steve’s Tasting Notes: Pure, fresh and imminently drinkable, this fruit-forward Pinot Noir delivers intense aromatics highlighted by raspberry and juicy cherry. The palate is rich and textured with layers of briary fruit accented by pepper and spice. The sleek, soft tannins and balanced acids make this the perfect candidate for a wide variety of foods.
The McIntyre estate vineyard is located in the central section of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Originally planted by the McFarland family in 1973, it boasts some of the Highlands oldest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. A 1979 Pinot Noir from the vineyard, under the Stony Hill label, is still regarded as one of the finest early varietally-labeled Pinots from the district.
Our Return Policy is very simple: If you don't like the wine you ordered from us, tell us, send it back to us and we will either replace it for you or reimburse the purchase price to you. Because we believe life is too short to drink wine you don't like.
HOWEVER, we are not responsible for damage caused to the wine due to the weather; heat or cold. If the weather is hot or cold, we urge that you either ask us to hold the wine(s) for you or order overnight shipping.
