2023 I. Brand & Family Winery, Pinot Noir, Fox Creek Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County.
Ian Brand added a Fox Creek Carmel Valley Pinot Noir to his signature lineup for the 2023 vintage, joining the outstanding Chardonnay from this newer vineyard, and it’s a beauty with a unique almost Cru Beaujolais (Gamay) like carbonic, whole bunch, character at this stage reminding of Hundred Suns, an Oregon favorite, with loads of expressive rounded silky cool toned red fruits. I’d not had the Pinot yet from this exclusive ranch vineyard site, so this was an all new experience from my own region and I was very impressed by Ian’s efforts here, making a very distinctive wine that stands out in a crowd without being overstated, it shows off crushed red berries, delicate florals, a hint of mineral, chalk stone, subtle sage and spice, with a core of Bing cherry, strawberry, cranberry and wild plum fruits, along with a faint bit of toast, vanilla, rosewater and orange tea. This cool vintage has given loads of crisp detail and freshness, but the acidity is wonderfully soft and the dark ruby Fox Creek Pinot has a real textual pleasure in the glass, it is a wine that excites my curiosity and I look forward to see how it develops over the next 3 to 5 years. Typically Brand does native yeast fermentation and uses a good percentage of whole cluster, when possible, with mostly used French oak employed for maturing of his wines, all to allow natural, but a clean transparent focus to shine, as it does here. Ian has some rarities in his collection, and has dialed in his alternative whites in recent years, adding Arneis and Arinto varietals to his set of cool stuff, to go along with his skin contact Pinot Gris, Melon de Bourgogne and in demand Albariño.
The Fox Creek Vineyard, as I’ve mentioned in my prior reviews, (is) owned by a famous App maker who doesn’t want any publicity, is located in Carmel Valley’s deep end about five miles east of the Carmel Valley Village, and part of the Fox Creek organic farm. Winemaker Ian Brand explains, that he can’t say much more about it because he had to sign an NDA before he could even enter the property, and buy the grapes! This small high site set on ancient marine sediment and granitic loam also supplies the famed Arnot-Roberts with Pinot Noir grapes, which is getting a lot of attention by their fans, as Ian’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this vineyard is getting now. The 2023s from here are stunning, as noted before the Chardonnay has had a mixed past here in the deep end of Carmel Valley, but Ian Brand’s Fox Creek Chardonnay is an outstanding effort, which I also highly recommend, along with this Pinot. It’s with loads of stony and mineral character and vitality, making it a very unique, slightly austere version of this grape with bright lemon, apple, pear and subtle pineapple fruits and nicely judge oak use, saline infused rock, clove spice, leesy texture, delicate florals and good vigorous acidity. Both wines are lovely efforts, but this more limited bottling of Fox Creek Pinot might be the one I’d suggest to get sooner v. later as it will sell out fast. The latest set of the I. Brand wines were just set free into the wild, through their mailing list and wine club, and some of the limited bottlings are only available through in person sales in their tasting room in the Carmel Valley Village, and you might have to ask about this one, but try the website asap!
($48 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive