2016 Arista Pinot Noir UV Lucky Well Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Sweet black raspberries, black cherries, spice box, flower garden, and smoked herb notes all emerge from the 2016 Pinot Noir UV-Lucky Well Vineyard, and it's from a site on the western edge of the Russian River and saw the standard 11 months in one-third new French oak. Supple, rounded, and fleshy on the palate, it nevertheless stays classy and beautifully balanced, with rock-solid length. It's going to be better this time next year yet keep for a decade.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2016 Pinot Noir U. V. Lucky Well Vineyard is one of the more complete wines in this range, largely because it has enough fruit and freshness to stand up to the choices that inform the house style. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, rose petal and sweet spice infuse this super-expressive, unctuous Pinot Noir from Arista.
Winemaker Matt Courtney says this vineyard is in a "Goldilocks" spot, on the second ridge in from the ocean—not too exposed but just enough to make it a struggle to ripen Pinot Noir. Pale to medium ruby in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV Lucky Well Vineyard has a wonderful nose of granite, woodsmoke, charcuterie, turned soil and potpourri over a core of ripe red and blue fruits. Light to medium-bodied, it gives loads of savory fruits in the mouth with earthy touches, framed by great juicy acidity, ripe, pixelated tannins and a very long, very savory and flavorful finish. 598 cases produced.