Pinot Noir Oppenlander, Halcon Vineyards 2017

The 2017 Pinot Noir “Oppenlander Vineyard” bottling from Paul and Jackie Gordon managed to handle the heat spikes of late August of 2017 very well, as this is a very cool microclimate, and after a brief shutdown due to the heat, the vines jumped back into action and ripened up the crop nicely, with harvest not taking place here until September 28th. The wine this year includes forty percent whole clusters, was raised in twenty percent new oak and tips the scales at a measured 13.3 percent. It delivers a fine, black fruity nose of black cherries, dark berries, a hint of beetroot, bonfire, espresso, a fine base of soil, a touch of fresh thyme and a deft framing of cedar. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and soil-driven, with an excellent core of fruit, good soil signature and a long, fine-grained, tangy and nascently complex finish. This has great backend lift and is a gorgeous wine in the making. 2026-2055.