2023 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Hapgood Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Pinot Noir Hapgood echoes its Chardonnay counterpart as one of the higher-toned Pinot Noirs in the range, opening with a distinctly stony, floral and savory bouquet that puts fruit flavors in the background. The palate enters with a soft, seductive attack before transitioning into a bracing, focused and refreshing finish that lingers long with citrus tones and a deftly tucked-in whole-cluster-derived structure. This is another Pinot Noir bottling that will benefit from some time in bottle to congeal.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
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The 2023 Pinot Noir Hapgood is 100% Pinot Noir that was not destemmed and spent 15 months in 100% neutral oak barrels, and it represents a more savory, complex expression of the variety. Medium ruby in color, it offers layered notes of savory red and black fruits, baking spices, rose petals, and subtle marine-like nuances. Those flavors carry onto the palate, where the wine is balanced and medium-bodied, with savory yet ripe tannins and a beautiful finish. Give it a year or two in bottle and drink bottles over the following decade. Drink 2027-2037. Greg Brewer has stayed laser-focused on site expression in the Sta. Rita Hills, fermenting everything with 100% whole clusters and aging exclusively in neutral oak, with the goal of keeping the spotlight on the vineyards. Looking at the vineyards, 3D sits along the Santa Rosa Road corridor between Lafond and Ampelos and is typically one of the brighter, more mineral-driven wines in the range, and I always find a certain saline edge and remarkable balance from this site. Machado lies on sandy clay loam just north of Clos Pepe, west of Buellton, and while the Chardonnay here tends to be racy and mineral-driven, the Pinot Noir is broader and more opulent and always a big wine. Hapgood sits directly across the road from Machado and is planted on sandier soils, which tend to bring more depth and structure; both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this site show savory, marine-like nuances, and they’re a beautiful expression of the Sta. Rita Hills. A relatively new site from Brewer, Perilune sits north of Melville and spans varied elevations and soils, from sand to botella clay. The wines from this vineyard, whether Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Syrah, all share an exotic, layered profile with a distinctive saline and marine influence. Across the board, the 2023s show the acids, minerality, and transparency paired with serious richness that have made Brewer-Clifton a reference point for Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In short, don’t miss these wines.
The 2023 Pinot Noir Hapgood feels like it's wearing a beautiful ball gown—finesse for days. Graphite, tobacco and floral-tinged red fruit gain intensity as the 2023 releases its beguiling aromatics. A wine of suppleness and elegance, the Hapgood checks all the boxes, wrapped up on the close with an attractive bite of fine tannin.