2013 Galpin Peak Pinot Noir Tete de Cuvee
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The 2013 Tête de Cuvée Pinot Noir is a barrel selection made only in special years - essentially the top nine barrels matured in up to 85% new oak. Winemaker Chris Albrecht told me that it is a blind selection, although the fruit tends to come from the same vineyard. It has a powerful, floral bouquet, scents of pressed iris and violet infusing the black and blue fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and quite bold tannic structure, although I would have liked more detail to come through on the finish, which feels a little reduced.
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Neal Martin
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
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The 2013 Tete de Cuvee Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, a selection of 8-12 barrels matured in around 70% new oak, has quite a high-toned, medicinal bouquet that needs to express more Pinot Noir. It just comes across as a little generic. The palate is sweet and rounded on the entry with black cherries, camphor, Griottes and Chinese five spice. Personally the oak comes across and dominates the finish, again, at the expense of Pinot Noir expression and as a consequence does not beckon you back.