This wine is part of a new series being released by Herzog from estate plots and is a step up from their Baron Herzog brand.
The nose on this wine shows smoked meats, tobacco, and black peppercorn with a more spicy character than I would typically expect from a low price Pinot. There are also classic notes of cherry and raspberry that come through with some vigorous swirling. The mouth is a bit heavy for my taste when it comes to Pinot Noir. It does not exhibit the delicate qualities that a truly beautiful Pinot often will. The fruit is nice enough, but the weight of the wine on the palate is surprising. Also, at this stage the alcohol is coming through a bit too much for me on the mouth (I may revisit this wine in six months to see if it has integrated at all). It’s a bit disjointed with notes of kirsch, mint, and cranberry sauce. All in all this is a success for California Pinot under $20. This wine provides value in a grape varietal that is far too rare on the kosher market.
Score: B+
Value: B+/A-
Sounds lovely!