King Palm Pinot Noir 2019
-
Panel
Tasting -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 King Palm Pinot Noir presents aromas of raspberry and vanilla. Bright flavors of red cherry, pomegranate, and baking spice are accompanied by supple tannins and a smooth finish
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Fermented in stainless steel and aged 19 months in 40% French oak and 20% American oak, this wine sees the addition of a small percentage of Syrah that brings its bold personality to the forefront. Cinnamon-spiced red cherry and a hint of cola leave a lasting impression, while an earthy tone brings in savory wild strawberry and salted plum, followed by a smooth finish of tobacco leaf
-
Wine Enthusiast
This is a compelling Pinot Noir for an affordable price. Aromas of dried strawberry and baking spice lead into a palate that balances earthy soil flavors with a fresh pomegranate core.
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.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.