2020 Beau Marchais Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Ouest
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Tasting notes
More savory red and black fruits, spice box, dried herbs, iron, and loamy earth notes emerge from the 2020 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard Ouest, a medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated Pinot Noir with ripe tannins, a round, mouth-filling texture, and outstanding length. As with the Vineyard Est release, this was all destemmed and brought up in new barrels. First produced in 2019, Beau Marchais is a collaboration between California-based Adam Lee (Siduri and Clarice) and Southern Rhône superstar Philippe Cambie. Due to widespread smoke issues in the Santa Lucia Highlands in 2020, Adam opted to only release two Pinot Noirs from the Sta. Rita Hills (which wasn’t affected by smoke) in 2020. The wines are brilliant and well worth seeking out. With the passing of Philippe Cambie in 2021, the 2021 releases will be the last wines produced under this label.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard Ouest is terrific. Powerful and ample in the glass, the 2020 possesses tremendous richness right out of the gate. Luscious red/purplish berry fruit, blood orange, spice and pomegranate are all dialed up. The super-sized Santa Barbara Pinot offers tons of immediacy and yet retains a good deal of energy as well. The Ouest is a noticeably bigger wine than the Est.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Ouest Vineyard comes from the western side of the vineyard, which sees slightly smaller berries and yields due to being hammered by the winds. It tends to be a riper Pinot Noir yet always seems more structured and focused than the Est Pinot Noir. Similarly deep purple-hued, with a beautiful bouquet of blue fruits, iron, candied orange zest, and spice, it's another rich, full-bodied, concentrated Pinot Noir that stays beautifully balanced and has ripe, building tannins as well as a great finish. While it's not for the Burgundy lovers out there (although you might be surprised), it has depth, structure, and is a brilliant Pinot Noir!