2021 Hirsch Pinot Noir The Family Blend
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Tasting notes
Produced exclusively for the mailing list, the 2021 Pinot Noir The Family Blend is a blended wine from Block 8 and Raschen Ridge, from parcels and barrels that Jasmine selects to be geared for drinking young. Pouring a ruby/red color, the nose is inviting and expressive with aromas of wild cherries, clove spice, and forest herbs. Supple and medium-bodied, it has fine tannins and a clean finish. It’s in a great place for drinking now and will also age gracefully over the coming 7-8 years. Drink 2024-2030. Located in Fort Ross, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, David Hirsch purchased his estate in 1978 and planted his first vines in 1980. His daughter Jasmine Hirsch took over as winemaker with the 2019 vintage. They have been practicing biodynamic viticulture since 2011 and were fully converted over in 2014. Their focus and attention are on the site, resulting in wines that offer elegance and purity, with transparency in regard to their sense of place. While I have been a fan of these wines for a long time, they are continuing to push the bar higher and higher, slowly evolving their style to find balance and a new level of completeness in the resulting wines today. For readers who have not checked in on the Hirsch wines in a while, I would highly encourage you to seek these 2021s out.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The Family Blend is a cuvée first created by Hirsch Vineyards founder David Hirsch, who wanted to make a serious but less tannic wine for earlier drinking. It hadn't been made for many years until 2019, when second-generation winemaker Jasmine Hirsch decided to create her own easy-drinking blend; this 2021 Pinot Noir The Family Blend is her second edition of the cuvée. It has alluring scents of red cherries, rhubarb, forest floor, tobacco leaves and touches of bergamot. The medium-bodied palate has generous, perfumed flavors framed by grainy tannins and refreshing acidity, and it has a long, flavorful finish. It opens dramatically as it spends time in the glass and will benefit from a couple of hours in a decanter. It will be released in the fall of 2024.
The 2021 Pinot Noir The Family Blend is gorgeous. Bright, precise and wonderfully nuanced, the Family Blend is an absolute delight. The aromatics alone are so enticing, but all the elements are so well balanced. Crushed flowers, vibrant red-toned fruit and a kick of blood orange lend striking delineation. Superb.
Pale ruby in colour. Sweet red- and black-cherry fruit on the nose with a dried-leaf earthiness and stemmy spice. Silty, fine tannin with more grip than the Bohan-Dillon and more length. Elevated acidity. (SCJ)