Winter’s Hill Winery 2014 Block 8 Estate Single Block Series Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $49
All of the Pinot Noir that Russell Gladhart produces under his family’s Winter’s Hill Estate label hails from the vineyard they established in 1990, and they began to come into their own in 2006. That’s when they launched their two-barrel Single Block Series. The beautifully balanced 2014 vintage allowed Gladhart, in the first vintage taking over the winemaking from his talented wife, Delphine, to expand their program to a foursome of two-barrel offerings. Block 8 is the Swiss clone Wädenswil, and this harvest of Sept. 28 marked the first time Winter’s Hill chose to showcase it. Our panel doesn’t often discuss color, but this carries a strikingly beautiful cherry wardrobe. Its perfumy nose features strawberry freezer jam, cherry, vanilla and chalkboard dustiness. There’s plenty of structure inside as black cherry and dried strawberry lead to a delicious and mouthwatering blend of cherry skins, boysenberry and cranberry.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 48 cases
Alcohol: 13.2%
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