2012 Pinot Noir Cuvee Laurene
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Pinot Noir Laurène entices with an earthy blend of cedar, woodland herbs, flowery underbrush, sous bois hints and a dried blood orange. It flows across the palate with ease and prestige, seamlessly silky with ripe strawberry and sour cherry depths offset by a citrus tinge. The 2022 finishes with medium length while keeping the mouth watering for more as the cheeks pucker and a mineral edge slowly fades. Perfectly mature, the 2012 is in a lovely place and should remain so for a number of years.
Critic scores
Josh Raynolds
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Pinot Noir Laurene is a barrel selection from the cellar and in this vintage represents around 150 barrels. It is matured in 20 to 25% new oak. Arron mentioned that he has noticed more fruit coming from blocks in the eastern sector of the vineyard being selected for this blend. This has a soft bouquet with red cherries, cranberry leaf, light undergrowth notes and a touch of autumn leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine balance: intermingling red and black fruit, quite sappy in style and inducing fine salinity at the back of the mouth. This possesses a natural flow with a very appealing, Old World-influenced finish. This is very stylish and one of my picks from their current releases.
Bright ruby. Heady red and dark fruit liqueur, candied rose, allspice and woodsmoke scents show excellent clarity and a complicating hint of licorice. Palate-staining blackberry and spicecake flavors open nicely in the middle palate, picking up floral pastille and cola nuances and a hint of black tea. Rich and broad but energetic too, finishing with powerful spicy thrust and velvety tannins.