Brewer-Clifton "Machado" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2023

Jeb Dunnuck : 96 Points

(9/4/2025) Based on 100% Pinot Noir that was not destemmed and was aged 15 months in 100% neutral oak barrels, the 2023 Pinot Noir Machado offers Bing cherries, red plums, candied violets, peppery herbs, and incense. It's medium to full-bodied, has a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, and blockbuster length. It's a big, rich, opulent beauty that does everything right. I doubt it's for the low alcohol crowd (it's 15%), but it's a brilliant, singular Pinot Noir that has so much character, as well as a decade of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2035.

Wine Spectator : 96 Points

(9/30/2025) This brims with succulent blackberry, boysenberry and mulberry fruit flavors that are coiled with energy, while singed mesquite, blood orange zest, black tea and dried anise accents add fuel on the lengthy finish. Rock solid. Best from 2026 through 2038. 1,000 cases made.

Vinous - Billy Norris : 95+ Points

(8/2025) The 2023 Pinot Noir Machado has a beautifully expressive nose but is undeniably coiled up on the palate, a trait that likely bodes very well for the future. This is a very serious wine that's firmly planted in its nascent, primary phase. A well of complexity and structure resides beneath the top layers of clear, bright red berry fruit and savory herbs. Give this a few years for those deeper nuances to emerge, then reap the rewards. The 2023 is hugely promising.

Wine Advocate : 95 Points

(11/6/2025) The most multifaceted Pinot Noir in the Brewer-Clifton portfolio is the 2023 Pinot Noir Machado, which functions as an amalgam of all its counterparts in the roster. There is an effortlessness on display from front to back, combining floral, earthy, saline and fennel notes with a darker-fruited backdrop and less overt whole-cluster influence. Echoing the Machado Chardonnay, the palate fuses a broad, supple textural power with a palpably tense and vertical rudder that runs through the graceful, high-toned and chalky finish. This is a beautiful expression of the contemporary style at Brewer-Clifton, and it should evolve beautifully into its second decade.