2022 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard
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Tasting Notes
Aubert's 2022 Pinot Noir UV-SL comes from a site in Occidental but a relatively early one, so it was picked prior to the worst of September's heat. It's even a bit floral and herbal, with those pretty notes accenting cherries and cranberries on the nose. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, tight and focused, finishing crisp and silky. Next to the other Pinot offerings, it seems more linear and a bit less complex.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
So aromatic, with notes of lavender, rosemary, dark cherries, dark strawberries, rose petals and blood oranges. The palate shows creamy, ultra-fine tannins that spread across the tongue, with superb texture that goes on for minutes. Mostly Calera clone. Hints of Provencal flowers. Hemmed in and held back. So good now, but even better in three to five years.
The 2022 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is laced with dark cherry, menthol, spice, dried flowers and blood orange. Medium in body, with terrific depth, the 2022 is another impeccable wine from Mark Aubert. Time in the glass brings out the wine's breadth. Clones planted here are Vosne-Romanée, Calera and some Swan. This is the highest-elevation site in the Aubert portfolio.
Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2022 UV-SL Vineyard Pinot Noir gallops out with powerful scents pf wild blueberries, fresh blackberries, and pomegranate, leading to suggestions of violets, tar, and tilled soil with a touch of garrigue. The full-bodied palate is bright, energetic, and crunchy, featuring a fantastic backbone of freshness to lift the densely laden black and red berry layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing with epic length and fabulously fragrant. This vineyard is named after one of Sonoma’s most reputable vineyard managers, Ulises Valdez Sr. (UV), who passed away recently. The site is on Stoetz Lane (SL), only six miles from the Pacific Ocean, up on the hills around Graton and Occidental. Aubert and Valdez Sr. collaborated on the planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here. These Pinot vines were planted in 2006. The soils here have volcanic upheavals and the ocean is so close that this place can handle those heatwaves. 1,100 cases were made.
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.