2016 Arnot-Roberts, Pinot Noir, Peter Martin Ray Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains.
One of the surprise wines of the night at a recent gathering was this exceptional 2016 Peter Martin Ray Vineyard Pinot Noir by Arnot-Roberts, which at almost 10 years old is really stretching its wings and drinking beautifully with silken layers of black cherry, raspberry, orange/cranberry and earthy fig fruits on the nicely structured medium bodied palate, along with savvy well integrated oak framing, dried rose petals, cinnamon, sassafras and a hint of tannic black tea. Still lively, the 2016 Peter Martin Ray Pinot from this legendary Santa Cruz Mountains site has really evolved and came together, it’s 12.9% alcohol and mountain firmness has made for an exciting wine that has entered its best window and is very impressive, with a style that reminds me of a Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin, but still with California opulence and textural pleasure in the glass. Over the years, I’ve leaned towards the Arnot-Roberts Syrah, Trousseau, Gamay and their fabulous dry Rosé of Touriga Nacional, and maybe overlooked their Pinot Noir, except for the Alfaro farmed Trout Gulch Vineyard, but this wine reminds me of their talents with this grape. Big thank you to winemaker Ian Brand, who generously shared this bottle from his personal collection for study! Over the course of an evening, going back a few times, the 2016 Arnot-Roberts Peter Martin Ray Pinot never lost my admiration and interest, gaining an extra dimension of depth, light savory tones and perfect maturity of flavors, this is brilliant and rare treat!
As mentioned here, many times now, Arnot-Roberts, one of most heralded wineries in the last 20 years, was founded in Healdsburg in 2001 by childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts, and is known for what they call their distinctive, site-driven wines that highlight the nature of the unique California terroirs where they get the grapes. Pioneers in alternative varietals, like Trousseau, Gamay, Gruner Veltliner and Ribolla Gialla, to name a few, Arnot-Roberts also does an excellent set of Chardonnays, Pinots, with this one, the Clary Ranch, the noted Trout Gulch Vineyard in Soquel (Santa Cruz Mountains) and Fox Creek in Carmel Valley being ones to search out, Cabernets and the Syrahs, as noted above are some of my favorites. Winemakers, Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts work with vineyards throughout the state, though mainly Northern California and now the list includes incredible sites in Napa Valley, the Sonoma Coast, a variety in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Santa Rita Hills near Santa Barbera, Clearlake, where they get some rare Trousseau, and the Sierra Foothills, where the true Gamay Noir is sourced. The Peter Martin Ray Pinot Noir, sourced from those pedigreed all organic vines, is a tiny 3 barrel barrel cuvée that saw the Arnot-Roberts handcrafted, non intervention style and carefully guided winemaking got a length cool maceration and fermentation with gentle punch downs in a small open top fermenter, after that it was racked to mostly, one or two times filled, used French oak to mature, about 12 months.
($79 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive