2015 The Princess & The Peasant, Pinot Noir, Signal Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge.
Another impressive wine by the hugely talented Stephanie Rivin, the wonderfully complex and vivid 2015 Pinot Noir is filling with vintage influenced density of fruit and cool climate energy and vitality, making for a highly seductive and thrilling wine. The Princess & The Peasant Signal Ridge Vineyard is a beautiful dark ruby hue in the glass and is followed up by an exciting nose of wild flowers, flinty mineral and a melange of far east spices and blue fruit before opening up to a medium bodied palate of black cherry, plum and cranberry/red apple skin fruits as well as shaved cinnamon stick, minty herb, tangy currant, mission fig and dried roses. It is framed by subtle oak sweetness, good acidity and silken textures that feel lavish in the mouth, but not heavy or taking away from the enticing life force in this alluring Pinot Noir. Stephanie Rivin’s The Princess & The Peasant Pinot Noir plus her Carignane, and all those wines at Signal Ridge Vineyard are rewarding finds, especially this one, it is on a similar level to Anthill Farms Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and the glorious Drew Family Gatekeeper Pinot Noir, as well as reminding me a bit of St. Innocent’s Oregon Pinots, drink this lovely wine over the next 3 to 5 years if not longer!
($35 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
