Opulent currant and black cherry aromas are accentuated by a light earthiness, like a pine forest after rain. The same fruit elements in the powerful flavors mingle with smokey oak and vanilla notes, and build to a long, sweet finish. Big, harmonious, complex and graceful, this is delicious Pinot Noir with a promising future. Try it with moderately spicy Thai or Cajun dishes, smoked salmon and don’t forget mild cheese.
Perched high in the remote Gavilan Mountain Range, 1,800 feet above Salinas Valley, Chalone Vineyard is a one-of-a-kind wine estate. This is extreme wine country with rare limestone soils, limited rainfall and wide diurnal temperature swings. The unique terroir produces wine that imparts a subtle mineral character with compelling fruit and richness. By California standards, Chalone Vineyard's grape yields are small (less than three tons per acre), but the grapes from this vineyard achieve homogeneity of ripeness and display intense character and superb balance.