This is a really interesting bottling from Sonoma-Cutrer's 'Winemaker's Rease' program of limited edition releases. The name translates to "the most elevated," because the fruit comes from the highest blocks of the estate-owned Owsley Ranch and Vine Hill Vineyards. The leaner soils of these sites make for a deeply-colored, highly-structured Pinot Noir that is a far cry from your typical lowland Goldridge Loam grown Pinot Noir. This is not plush, or sweet Pinot. It is powerful and age-worthy, but still very well-balanced and correct.It's loaded with deep blackberry, red currant, and red cherry fruit, but also has nice conifer and tarragon aromas that give it some lift. It's velvety, as Pinot Noir should be, but it definitely has a backbone and a long live ahead of it. It's a gutsy, indelicate Pinot Noir that really wants some slow-cooked beef, and I have to say, I really like it. (95 Points)
- Tim Teichgraeber
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