2017 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Freestone Vineyards Quarter Moon Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2017 Pinot Noir Quarter Moon Vineyard offers a slightly darker, earthier style with beautiful red currants, crushed strawberry, earth, forest floor, and salty minerality. It's rounded, supple, has ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's another brilliant Pinot Noir from Justin Ennis.
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Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Pinot Noir Quarter Moon Vineyard is quite a bit darker and more brooding than the Pastorale. Black cherry, plum, lavender, mint, licorice and cloves all meld together in a mysterious, sepia-toned Pinot that is going to need a few years to be at its very best. Even in the early going, the Quarter Moon is another winner from Joseph Phelps and winemaker Justin Ennis. I would give the tannins a few years to unwind.
The 2017 Pinot Noir Quarter Moon Vineyard aged for 13 months in 48% new French oak. Medium ruby-purple in color, it's a little closed from its bottling last week but opens to very pretty notes of roses, tangerine peel, potpourri and perfumed earth over a core of ripe black cherries and berries with warm blueberry hints. Medium-bodied and silky textured with a great array of flavors opening in the mouth—warm cinnamon, clove, flowers—it has soft, grainy tannins and a long, juicy finish. 2,400 cases produced.
This is really beautiful with dried-raspberry and strawberry character on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, tannic and powerful with a chewy texture and a long, flavorful finish. 30 per cent whole cluster. Drink or hold. Better after 2021.
About the producer
California winery Joseph Phelps is best known for its flagship Insignia cuvée, one of the first and finest proprietary red wines in the Napa Valley.