2015 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Cut from the same cloth as the 2016, the 2015 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard offers sensational strawberry and cranberry-like fruits as well as plenty of floral nuances. It stays tight and focused on the palate, with a terrific sense of elegance and purity. It has high yet integrated acidity, impeccable balance, and a great finish. This is another estate making a distinctly vibrant, fresh style of wine that’s going to appeal to the Burgundy lovers out there. It’s an incredibly educational tasting going through all these different single vineyards from Ted Lemon and these are interesting, singular wines. As a whole, the 2015s shows slightly more oomph compared to the 2016s, yet both vintages have vibrant acidity and balanced profiles. As expected, quantities are slightly up in 2016.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard has not changed much since I last tasted it from barrel. Tightly wound, inward and raw, the Hirsch gives the impression of struggle and stress, which is not entirely surprising given the tiny yields at this site in 2015. It will be interesting to see if the wine comes together in bottle more fully. Today, the tannins are aggressive and overpowering. Even so, there is enough fruit density and persistence to make me cautiously optimistic.
The 2015 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard has not changed much since I last tasted it from barrel. Tightly wound, inward and raw, the Hirsch gives the impression of struggle and stress, which is not entirely surprising given the tiny yields at this site in 2015. It will be interesting to see if the wine comes together in bottle more fully. Today, the tannins are aggressive and overpowering. Even so, there is enough fruit density and persistence to make me cautiously optimistic.
The 2015 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard is another intense, tannic wine that is still raw and unformed. Expressive floral and savory notes make a strong first impression. Today, the mid-palate is not quite developed at this stage. This is an especially hushed showing for a wine that is usually much more exuberant.
About the producer
Littorai stands as one of California’s most quietly influential estates, defined by organic and biodynamic farming, site transparency, and a restrained, Burgundian sensibility.