2017 Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir

This label comes from the Pisoni Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands. Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge features earthy notes of fallen leaves, tilled soil and underbrush over a core of fresh cranberries, raspberry leaves and red plums with a waft of oolong tea. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing and savory with a pleasant chew to the texture and excellent length. 551 cases were made.

Coming from the Pisoni vineyard and vines planted in 1990, the 2017 Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge reveals a ruby/purple color as well as a bright, racy style in its raspberry, flower, and wet stone-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with bright acidity and building tannins, it has a thrilling purity and elegance as well as a tight, backward feel on the palate. Nevertheless, it’s loaded with potential. Give bottles 3-4 years and it’s going to evolve for over a decade.

The 2017 Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge Pisoni Vineyard is an attractive, pliant Pinot with tons of near to medium-term immediacy. There is plenty of the signature Peter Michael raciness, even if the Moulin Rouge doesn’t quite have the energy or vibrancy of the Sonoma Coast Pinots. Then again, we are at the southern edge of the Santa Lucia Highlands here. Winemaker Nick Morlet has coaxed a great deal of elegance, freshness and finesse from this site, where the wines are often a bit bigger.