2023 Lyndon Fog, Pinot Noir “Chillable Red” Monterey County.
The all new Lyndon Fog Cellars has a fun and easy to drink set of releases to enjoy, each being clean and straight forward, including this joyous Chillable Red, a lighter framed and limpid Pinot Noir based wine that is a bit more structured and filling than a Rosé and as the name suggests is best served on the cooler side. The palate is medium bodied with Pinot fruit leading the way with bright cherry, red peach, blood orange and brambly raspberry, along with subtle florals, a hint of watermelon, mineral tones, a touch of heirloom tomato, herb tea and rosewater. This wine, when chilled is nicely crisp and will bring smiles to picnics, beach parties and warm outdoor meals. The other wine in the Lyndon Fog set I liked, was their dark hued, cool climate and spicy Syrah, which comes from the stony Zabala Vineyard in Arroyo Seco.
Lyndon Fog is a new label coming out of Monterey, founded with these debut 2023 releases, by winemakers Glen Caughell, of Constellation Brands and Laurel Livingston, formerly of Wild Horse and Tablas Creek, who is now on the winemaking team at the I. Brand and Family Winery. Glen and Laurel say that their 2023 Chillable Red Wine was made from Pinot Noir grapes sourced here in Monterey County and that the grapes were only on skins for 3 days, giving the wine its vibrant ruby color. The juice, they add, was fermented in stainless steal, producing a wine that sits in between a rosé and a light, dry, but fruit pleasing red wine that is highly quaffable, without pretense or too cool for school. This was my first tasting with Lyndon Fog and there’s a lot to like about these value priced small production project, with their Grenache, and especially their Syrah, as noted, being more serious efforts, and I look forward to following them in the future.
($17 Est.) 86 Points, grapelive