2017 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Hapgood Vineyard
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All from clone 37 (also known as Mary Edwards clone, which originally came from Mount Eden), the 2017 Pinot Noir Hapgood saw the standard no destemming and aging in neutral oak. Greg calls the clone velvet and dense, yet with a sultry x-factor. Its ruby color is followed by a complex bouquet of spiced raspberry, forest floor, salty mineral, and underbrush. Complex, layered, and nuanced, it's medium to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a great, great finish. This was another thrilling lineup from Greg Brewer, and I consistently rate these wines as some of the greatest in the Sta. Rita Hills, as well as all of Santa Barbara County. In addition to the latest releases, I was also able to taste retrospectives of his Chardonnay 3D and Pinot Noir Machado, which only reaffirmed my belief in the quality and age-worthiness of these wines. These are brilliant wines.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Pinot Noir Hapgood is one of the most reticent wines in the range. The aromatics are full of floral and savory character, and yet the wine is much less expressive and quite compact on the palate. Even so, there is good energy here. It will be interesting to see if the 2017 fleshes out with more time in bottle. There is certainly plenty to look forward to.
Made using 100% whole cluster, the pale to medium ruby colored 2017 Pinot Noir Hapgood features pipe tobacco, woodsmoke, garrigue, dried herbs and pepper with a core of black and red berries and a crushed strawberry note. Light to medium-bodied and silky, it opens with saline and herbs and segues into ripe, perfumed fruits, with firm, grainy tannins to support and great freshness, finishing long, energetic and perfumed. About 100 cases produced.