2013TatomerPN2013 Tatomer, Pinot Noir, Duvarita, Santa Barbara County.
Grahame Tatomer, best known for his wonderful Riesling and Gruner Veltliner, is releasing his first Pinot Noir and it’s a fabulous inaugural effort and a wine worth searching out, especially as only 150 cases were made. Tatomer’s Riesling offerings are some of North America’s finest dry offerings, along with his stylish Gruners, so it was interesting to see what he could do with Pinot Noir, and he’s hit the ground running with a flavorful and balanced wine, from the cool Duvarita site, it shows good depth, bright intensity and restrained alcohol (13%), it reminds me a little of Radio-Coteau and it should be rewarding in the bottle for another 3 to 5 years easy. Duvarita, formerly the Presidio Vineyard, is even father west of the Sta. Rita Hills near Lompoc, with sandy soils and cool windy Pacific influences giving this area great conditions for deep Pinot Noir and Tatomer has done a superb job with his 2013. The Duvarita starts with a dark ruby/red hue, showing hints of dark berry, floral notes and cedary spices leading to a palate of pure Pinot fruit along with black cherry, blueberry, plum and raspberry layers with minty herb tea, cinnamon stick, anise and a fine mineral and chalk dust element, it finishes with vitality and brightness, but lingers with strawberry and pomegranate and a hint of cola bean. This is a lovely wine with soft tannins and good acidity, it was aged in neutral barrel for 18 months, and it should gain a bit more character and charm with another 6 to 8 months of bottle age and should drink well for another 5 to 7 years, best from 2016 to 2020.
($50 Est.) 92+ Points, grapelive

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