2015 Corral Creek Vineyards Pinot Noir

WINEMAKER’S NOTES

Compared to classic characteristics of our Corral Creek Pinot Noir, everything was a bit bigger, bolder and richer in 2015. Aromatics leaping out of the glass with dusty black and red cherry, umami brown rice and toasty wisps of slight barrel char. The palate in flavor and texture is on the edge of dark-red fruits, full of pomegranate, brown spice and powdered cocoa. The wine has elegance, litheness and length with a finish of freshness, round tannin and complexity, typical of Corral Creek.

VINTAGE OVERVIEW 

The 2015 vintage was slightly different in early growing season timing from 2014, but the final effect was the same, big heat, big crop and big expectations. The acids are down, the alcohols are hovering around 14% and the work we did to minimize overextraction resulted in more elegant wines than a hot vintage deserves. Similar to 2014, the fruit was impeccably clean and devoid of disease. We focused on restraint in 2015, and it rewarded us with incredible Pinot Noirs with density but not heaviness, nicely polished velour-like tannins and reasonable acidity. Four progressively warmer vintages, we will just learn to count higher—more heat, more fruit, more, more!

A Chehalem Holiday Library Selection
93 Points - James Suckling
92 Points - Vinous
90 Points - Wine Enthusiast
90 Points Wine Advocate
90 Points - Wine Spectator