2012 Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
Vineyards at 800–1000 ft elevation. In 1997, unplanted – and now the fourth owner. They have the same 3.5 acres. Grey clay on lots of sandstone. Pinot clones 667, 777, and David Bruce, all co-fermented. Deep bright crimson. Bluer crimson than the 2009. Racy and fresh, lively and more sophisticated. Lighter and fresher. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Littorai's 2012 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard is one of the more precise, lifted wines in this range. The style emphasizes precision, nuance and detail. Readers should expect to find a Pinot that will be slow to reveal the full breadth of its beauty and class. Hints of game, smoke and licorice add nuance to the finished, crystalline finish. This is a fabulous example of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.
(13.8% alcohol): Healthy dark red, the deepest color of these 2012 pinots. Sexy aromas of dark berries, violet, spices, minerals and mocha oak. Densely packed, spicy and powerful, displaying a penetrating character to the supple but classically dry flavors of dark fruits, pepper and spices. Still youthfully closed, but already shows lovely inner-mouth perfume and energy. A serious tannic backbone should support a graceful evolution in bottle.
Striking, complex and beautifully nuanced throughout, the 2012 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard is another head-turner. Expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark red and purple-hued fruit, spices and menthol. The 2012 boasts superb intensity, power and overall harmony. There is plenty of underlying structure, but those elements are very nicely balanced by the depth of the fruit.
About the producer
Littorai stands as one of California’s most quietly influential estates, defined by organic and biodynamic farming, site transparency, and a restrained, Burgundian sensibility.