Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/960891
90 / the tasting panel / april 2018 As a sponsor of this year's World of Pinot Noir event in Santa Barbara, we were able to taste an abundance of the variety and noticed an incredible diversity in flavor and character profiles. Here are some of the standouts: Talbott 2016 Kali Hart Pinot Noir, Monterey County ($26) On the heels of the earthy, ripe, and savory plum nose, the flavors lead to an inner core of Old World acidity and color. Strawberry rhubarb is mouth-filling with spiced accents of cinnamon amid soft tannins. Dark chocolate emerges slowly, with red fruit streamlining the finish. 92 E. & J. GALLO Sea Smoke 2015 Southing Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills ($64) Delivering wines from its organic- and Biodynamic-certified estate in the Sta. Rita Hills, Sea Smoke has earned its reputation for outstanding quality. Low yields from the 2015 vintage, which winemaker Don Schroeder (who has presided over the wines since 2003) deems phenomenal, makes this red "exceptionally concentrated." The wine offers up scents of chocolate earthiness, and on the palate, roses bloom alongside structure that goes on for miles. The cherry is oak-influenced, but only a subtle hint. This wine melts in the mouth with a luscious whoosh. 96 Rusack 2014 Pinot Noir, Solomon Hills Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley ($48) Aged 11 months in French oak (63% new) with a 20-day extended maceration, this juicy, fruity Pinot Noir reinforces the stellar reputation of this prestigious vineyard site. Earthiness gives way into dense cherry plum as the rich texture transforms the palate and olfactory senses into a garden of heather and roses. 92 Goldeneye 2015 Pinot Noir, The Narrows Vineyard, Anderson Valley ($85) In the marine-influenced Anderson Valley, the Narrows Vineyard—a historic mountain ranch—sits on a ridgetop at the region's northernmost, cool "deep end." Surrounded by California's giant redwoods, the mature vines thrive in this rustic site. The plum-cherry nose is fresh and bright, and brown-sugared cherries melt across the palate. Mocha seeps in midway with a subtle graphite edge as wild mushrooms dance with cranberry on the long finish. 95 In each issue, The Tasting Panel's Publisher and Editorial Director Meridith May selects her favorite wines and spirits of the month. Check here for the latest arrivals in our offices, the hottest new brands on the market, and an occasional revisited classic. Publisher's Worthy of a smooch. French-style double bizou. Wildly infatuated. Seriously smitten. Head over heels in love. PHOTO: DAVID GADD PICKS