2010 Calera, Pinot Noir “Jensen Vineyard” Mount Harlan.
The Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Vintage of Calera, 2010 editions are all stunning wines and are the perfect celebration of Josh Jensen and his amazing success at his estate in the wilds of San Benito on Mount Harlan, especially this beautiful Jensen Pinot that is simply gorgeous and of star quality. I was lucky to get a sneak preview of this glorious wine, and am now able to give you a heads up, as it will be released April 1, 2013 to the public and this gives you a chance to reserve some of this very special wine before it gets snatched up, because it will, no question. The 2010 Jensen starts with a lovely floral and sweet herb perfume, along with Mount Harlan terroir hallmarks, mineral smoke, briar, light game and green spices before a richly textured palate of black cherry, spiced plum, pomegranate and wild strawberry with sage, anise and chalky minerals. This is a forceful wine with fine details, but there are some gripping tannins and lifting acidity that are full of verve, making this wine an excellent cellar candidate with massive aging potential. This is the real deal, a true Grand Cru class wine from Josh Jensen and his team and one that will reward patience greatly, though as with almost all wines of this quality it can be enjoyed now, best from 2018-2025, if you can wait. The length and layered density are truly mind-blowing and the complexity of fruit, spice, mineral, wood and earth all unite in sublime perfection, it is not a stretch to compare this to the likes of Vosne-Romanee, Echezeaux and or Richebourg, though without a doubt this is testament to it’s own place.
($78 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
