Calera - Calera Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard 2014

Calera - Calera Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard 2014 (91 TSW)
93 Parker Points for this beautiful Pinot from Central Coast, California.

Lets also think about the people in U.S. and stand against Corona together. Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in the Gavilan Mountains 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California.

Little rainfall in 2014 led into our third year of a drought. Warm spring temperatures and brilliant sunshine through the summer made for a fantastic growing season, but yields were severely affected by the lack of rainwater. This made for a fast, furious and early harvest. They picked the Mills vineyard in three passes from September 3rd to the 18th. Each lot was pressed 14 days after harvest, racked by gravity to French oak barrels, then aged without racking in those barrels, 30% new, for seventeen months. The lots were then combined and the resultant wine was bottled without filtration, as always.

My notes:

In the glass a medium ruby red color.
On the medium+ nose aromas of dark cherries and raspberries with hints of cedar, peppercorn, white pepper and rose petals.
On the palate dry, medium+ bodied with medium acidity and medium+ tannins. Flavours of dark cherries, smoke, sweet oak and spices. Still young but nicely balanced and a nice long finish.