Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard "Branciforte Creek" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2016

Wine Advocate : 92 Points

(4/18/2024) The 2016 Pinot Noir Branciforte Creek Vineyard is full of old-school charm. The nose is initially shy but gives way to aromas of autumn leaves, potting soil, cinnamon and cloves. The palate is medium-bodied and perched between svelte generosity and the edgy grit that is common throughout this producer's range. The finish is lovely, with a fine-grained, pleasing tannic structure. Drink Date: 2020 - 2028.

Vinous : 91 Points

(10/2024) The 2016 Pinot Noir Branciforte Creek Vineyard is very old-school, displays some signatures of Brettanomyces and is beginning to turn the corner into the land of the tertiary. Tobacco, undergrowth and shiitake mushroom notes rest atop a dark-fruited core. What impresses me most is that there's still a good bit of energy here, and, other than some expected aromatic advancement, nothing about this feels tired. For lovers of more rustic Pinots, this will be right up your alley. That said, I'd recommend you drink up over the next four or five years. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2029.