2012 Brewer-Clifton, Pinot Noir, 3-D Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills.
Greg Brewer’s lineup of Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines are spectacular and deserving of attention, especially with a bit of time on them the 2012’s are showing stunningly well, in particular this gorgeous and complex 2012 3-D Pinot that seems to have really sharpened in focus and come together beautiful over the last 12 months since I last tried it. Brewer went whole cluster and no new oak on his 2012 and 2013 Pinots and this has proved a great success with wonderful vitality, texture and exceptional purity making these wines almost irresistible and alluring. At 14% this 3-D Pinot Noir shows a full bodied mouth feel without any heat or heaviness, in fact it’s come into almost perfect harmony with graceful lines and layers of seamless details and has a good lively nature and spiciness. The nose is full of red fruits, rose petal and exotic spices leading to an ultra silken palate of raspberry, cherry, plum, pomegranate and strawberry fruits with cinnamon, anise, Thai basil and tea notes. Sensual earthy notes and chalk dust add to the whole in this pleasing Sta. Rita Hills Pinot along with a hint of savory umami elements, mission fig and saline come out with air. This Pinot is entering a magical phase and should entertain and intrigue for another decade with ease. It’s great to see Greg’s Pinots reach the heights of his masterpieces of Chardonnay, of which I am in complete awe of, and have been since first tasting his 2000 Brewer-Clifton Mt. Carmel Chardonnay, to this day it remains one of my top ten California wines of all time!
($79 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
