2011 De Villiers Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
First up and seriously perfumed, the 2011 Pinot Noir de Villiers is a gorgeous wine that excels both for its complexity and for its richness and breath on the palate. Giving up notes of ripe cherries, wild strawberries, exotic flowers, citron and spice, it has medium to full-bodied richness, a core of sweet fruit and a rich, seamless texture. In fact, it has a rare level of depth and texture in the vintage, and while beautiful today, I imagine it will evolve gracefully. These latest releases from Calera are rock-solid across the board, and looking at the 2011 Pinot Noirs specifically, they show the best of the cooler vintage and are gorgeous wines. Starting with the two Chardonnays, these are both outstanding whites that represent serious value. Moving to the 2011s, these are beautiful wines across the board and show perfumed, fresh and lively profiles. Tel. (831) 637-9170; www.calerawine.com
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright red cherries, cranberry, spices, mint, hard candy and anise all jump from the glass in the 2011 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard. Hints of crushed flowers and tobacco follow, adding lift, inner perfume and a sense of sweetness. The de Villiers is the most open and radiant of these 2011s today, partly because it is the only single-vineyard Pinot in the range made from fully destemmed fruit.
First up and seriously perfumed, the 2011 Pinot Noir de Villiers is a gorgeous wine that excels both for its complexity and for its richness and breath on the palate. Giving up notes of ripe cherries, wild strawberries, exotic flowers, citron and spice, it has medium to full-bodied richness, a core of sweet fruit and a rich, seamless texture. In fact, it has a rare level of depth and texture in the vintage, and while beautiful today, I imagine it will evolve gracefully. Aug 2014, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Discover the wines from Josh Jensen’s pioneering estate in the Mount Harlan AVA, crafting elegant Pinot Noir from limestone soils in California