2021 CIX Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Tasting Notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2021 possesses striking inner perfume and brilliant fruit. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice and pomegranate build into the heady, sumptuous finish. Goldridge soils over volcanic ash are magical here. What a wine.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
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The Pinot Noir portions of the CIX Estate vineyard were planted to selections from Calera and Vosne-Romanée in 2008, with the first vintage produced in 2011. There are 500 cases of the 2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate, made in a surprisingly delicate and leaner style. Raspberry fruit predominates, accented by attractive sous-bois complexity in this bright, spicy effort. Medium-bodied, silky and crisp, it finishes long and softly dusty, with great length.
Very dark fruit here with blackberries, blueberries, salt, mineral, and dark earth. Tile. Full-bodied, with tight and polished tannins. Super depth and structure. Great wine. One for the cellar. Better after 2025.
The 2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it slowly unfurls to offer glimpses at cracked black pepper, Ceylon tea, garrigue, and mossy tree bark with a core of pomegranate, fresh blackberries, and kirsch. Full-bodied, taut, and muscular, it has a nice graininess to the tannins and seamless freshness supporting the earth-laced red and black fruit layers, finishing long and lifted. CIX stands for 109 because this was originally called “parcel 109” when Aubert bought it. The Pinot Noir was planted in 2006.
About the producer
The Aubert wines, particularly the Chardonnay, have a cult following – beloved for their rich, hedonistic style. Created by Mark and Theresa Aubert in 1999, the property makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all from single vineyards across Sonoma.