2019 Cinq Elus pinot noir
There is no sales tax on orders shipped to Oregon addresses.
This is our finest wine from our finest fruit, made only in exceptional vintages. Our winemaker Steve Lutz selected the single best barrel of each our the five pinot noir clones on our vineyard -- the Pommard clone, and Dijon clones 114, 115, 667, and 777. The five clones are blended in equal proportions, and we feel that the resulting medley of aromatics and flavors is unsurpassed.
"Cinq elus" is pronounced "sink-elu," it roughly translates to the "five selected" or the "five chosen" in French.
An exceptional wine when young, we strongly recommend giving our Cinq Elus this one at least a few years in the cellar, and it will graciously mature for 10-15 years or longer. Individual clone contributions include the silkiness and balance of 777, the tropical fruit and smoothness of 115, the darkly spicy 667, the bright red-fruit and acidity of the 114, and the bold black cherry of the Pommard clones. The final wine is always a concentrated depth of flavor and complexity that matches wonderfully to food, with the lighter or heavier notes coming forth to form a medley with a wide variety of dishes.
Moderate garnet color in the glass. Fantastically seductive nose with effusive aromas of black cherry, purple berry and an exotic mixture of Wassail spices including clove. A very classy wine in a mid-weight plus style with richly honed black cherry, olallieberry, mocha, and clove flavors in a hedonistic delight. The fruits are extremely fresh, plump, and perfectly ripened. A serious wine with firm tannins for aging.
96pts, The Prince of Pinot.
The 2019 vintage was mild and damp, with rain in July, August, and September. This moderate season meshed nicely with a medium-sized fruit set. A large fruit set would have yielded wines of mild and subdued characteristics, , but the smaller crop in this year ensured that all the fruit ripened beautifully, and the 2019 wines were complex and balanced even in their first year in the bottle. After several years aging, they are dense and supple, with a fruity tension and moderating notes of acidity.
