2012 Bergström Pinot Noir Winery Block

Josh Bergstrom poured this 2012 Pinot Noir Winery Block next to its 2017 counterpart, as he believes the two vintages are very much alike. "The growing season, whole-cluster usage, ferment and pick times, etc. are so similar, and I think the ageability will be very similar," he says. "The main thing for me is how the tannins evolve. This can be quite tight in its youth, and the 2017s have copious amounts of tannins. But I know that seven years down the road, they will have melted in a nice way." Medium ruby-garnet in color, it has a very layered, very perfumed nose that's only beginning to dip its toe into tertiary waters. Scents of mushroom and wet bark mingle with licorice, rose petal, saline, pink peppercorn, blood orange and potpourri over a core of warm blackberries, red currants and red berries. Savory and grainy, the medium-bodied palate offers plenty of fruit and great freshness, finishing long and nuanced. This is aging beautifully and still has plenty of time to go.