2012 Mansfield-Dunne, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands.
This new label from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Mansfield-Dunne, is making some very good Pinot, crafted by Ed Kurtzman the former Roar winemaker and partner in August-West, and this new 2012 is a fine effort. Ed has lots of experience with the Highlands fruit and it shows in this rich and compelling wine, this is one of the best of many new wineries to release from this region, it shows good density, balance and terroir character. While many 2012 wines either show almost over ripe fruit or high tannins, this does not, Kurtzman got the focus and drive to make a super Pinot, but with plenty of lavish dark fruit you’d expect from this area and is very close in style to the Roar wines he made in the past and it is drinking very well right now. The 2012 Mansfield-Dunne shows red raspberry, cherry, loganberry, plum and sugar beet along with loam, spice, briar, dusty stones, saline and licorice. The texture is lush and silky and feels polished and creamy, and the toasty, smoky oak folds well into the wine with a subtle vanilla note. There is a lot to admire here and I look forward to seeing where this wine goes over the next couple of years and I will keep an eye on future releases, drink this from 2015 to 2018.
($30 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive
