2014 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard

The 2014 Pinot Noir Silver Eagle comes from a vineyard owned and managed by the famous Ulises Valdez. It is planted with a Vosne-Romanée clone as well as the Calera clone and Dijon 828. This is by far the most complex and intriguing of these Pinots with a deep ruby/plum, color, a super nose of black raspberries, black cherries, damp earth and forest floor. This is full-bodied, spicy, rich, long and Burgundian with a Grand Cru Côte de Nuit-like personality. Drink it over the next decade.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard is a bit rustic and rough around the edges, especially given the purity that is so typical of this vintage at Rivers-Marie. A sheen of reduction clouds some of the purity of the dark red and purplish-hued fruit, while the whole clusters (12%) are more evident here than they are in most of the other wines. It will be interesting to see if the Silver Eagle finds more finesse with time in bottle. Today, though, it is a bit disjointed.