2018 UV Lucky Well Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
Ulysses Valdez planted the UV Lucky Well vineyard about 19 years ago, and it's located at the far western edge of the Russian River Valley. This section of Calera and Swan clones produced a gorgeous result with the 2018 Pinot Noir UV Lucky Well Vineyard. Medium ruby, it offers alluring raspberries, pipe tobacco, violets and pencil shavings with wafts of bergamot and dusty earth. The palate is expressive and seamless—soft, juicy and fragrant—with lush but detailed fruit and lingering perfume. It's a stunning wine that drinks beautifully straight from bottle but will have a long life in the cellar.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Another enjoyable wine from this team, the 2018 Pinot Noir UV-Lucky Well Vineyard has a lighter translucent ruby color as well as classic notes of mulled strawberries, leafy herbs, forest floor, and spice, with just a touch of background meatiness and earthiness. Nicely textured on the palate, it’s medium-bodied, with supple tannins and a good finish. This bottle had a lot of trapped CO2 and benefited from air, so don’t be afraid to open bottles early to give them a good decant before drinking.
The 2018 Pinot Noir U. V. Lucky Well Vineyard is a rich, boisterous wine. Rose petal, mint, dried herbs and spice lend striking aromatic complexity to play off a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Medium in body, yet full of flavor, the Lucky Well is a joy to taste at this early stage.