2019 Eden Rift Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Eden – A – Vent, Cienega Valley, San Benito County.
One of the most easy and enjoyable Nouveau style Pinots of year is Eden Rift’s Eden – A – Vent 2019, it is everything you’d want in a fruit forward quaffer and has the substance and depth to be taken seriously in the mold of a fine Cru Beaujolais, hence the name which is a play on Moulin – a -Vent and its pure carbonic character is as smooth as silk. The vintage is proving the equal if not better than the much heralded 2018 here on the central coast with slightly smaller yields and just that bit more concentration and complexity showing in the wines, making the year one of best I’ve ever seen in this part of the world, influenced by the cold watered Monterey Bay, its going to be exciting to see more of this vintage in the coming months. The Eden – A -Vent shows an array of bright flavors, its very ripe and juicy with a medium palate of sweet tree picked cherry, black plum, strawberry and some tropical guava fruits along with supple tannin, racy acidity and that satiny mouth feel adding zest spicy details as this Pinot opens up. While the Eden Rift’s upper echelon offerings are wonderfully crafted and studied efforts, I really just love this vividly ruby hued wine that is best served slightly chilled and simple cuisine, its absolutely delightful with its opulent fruitiness and in the background there is notes of cinnamon, light oak and exotic florals.

The 2019 Eden Rift “Eden – A -Vent” Pinot Noir, made by winemaker Cory Waller and team, is limited small-lot wine that is crafted employing 100% carbonic maceration, as the winery notes, is an anaerobic, oxygen deprived, fermentation that is sort of an inside out process in a sealed stainless tank which contributes to this wine’s distinct soft fruitiness and shows faint banana and Jolly Rancher (candied watermelon and pomegranate), which is balanced by some savory elements. Waller, who’s brother Mike is the head winemaker at their (Eden Rift) neighbor, the famous Calera, is a local to the region and has an impressive resume in his own right, making wines at some star properties in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as well as doing some vintages in New Zealand. The Eden Rift estate is a historic homestead that was originally planted to grape vines back in 1849, which makes it one of the oldest in California and has some old vines, mostly Zinfandel, that date back to 1910, called their Dickinson Block. There are some incredible terraces on the property, which are now planted with some heritage clones of Pinot Noir, including Calera clone as well as Mount Eden clone, which forms the top wines made here. The soils here, which are limestone and mineral charged dolomite, and the proximity to the Pacific Ocean that helps retain freshness in the grapes in this unique terroir. I have been really impressed by the lineup here and recommend checking them out, especially the Terraces Chardonnay and Pinot, along with the mentioned old vine Dickinson Block Zinfandel, plus this Eden – A – Vent Pinot.
($36 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive

By admin