Bernardus Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011
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Robert
Parker
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We have chosen two from among the several clones of Pinot Noir planted here: the celebrated "Pisoni Clone" and Dijon clone 828. At Bernardus, we use only hand-picked and hand-sorted grapes for our wines.
The robe is a beautiful crimson. Intense scents of dark berries and ripe plums fill the glass. There are very focused of ripe red fruits and subtle spicy oak notes on a long silky finish. This superb, well-structured Pinot will age gracefully for many years to come.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Brisk acidity, like a squeeze of lime juice, highlights the intense cherry, cola and spicy oak notes in this single-vineyard Pinot Noir. Widely likeable yet complex, it's a beautiful steak wine now, and should evolve positively for at least six years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Upfront, supple and beautifully textured, the 2011 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard has an overall soft and early drinking feel. Possessing notions of strawberry, dried cranberries, flowers, leather and spice, it hits the palate with juicy acidity, sweet fruit and outstanding length. Enjoy it over the coming 3-4 years. Drink now-2017.
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Connoisseurs'
Guide
Pon appreciates wine as an art-- a form of art that transcends the ordinary. His dream with Bernardus is to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux. To achieve this purpose, Ben, a Dutchman who could have planted vineyards anywhere in the world, has chosen the Carmel Valley for his estate vineyards and winery. Since the early 1970's, there has been a growing awareness of the outstanding potential for Bordeaux varieties from this new viticultural appellation. The Bernardus estate vineyards of Marinus and Featherbow Ranch are located in the Cachagua region of the Carmel Valley. We have been told that Cachagua is the Spanish word Native Americans used for deep or hidden water. It has been said that Native Americans believed that all things in nature were sacred and interrelated. Their respect for balance in nature is carried on in the vineyards of Bernardus. More than 300 live oaks have been preserved to thrive among carefully planted vines.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.