2015 Halcon Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Oppenlander Vineyard, Mendocino County.
Wonderfully pure and like a ballerina on the palate with beautiful detail, brightness and a heavenly perfume, the 2015 Halcon Vineyards Oppenlander is a gorgeous light footed wine with stellar length and a soulful palate! At 13.2% this cool climate Pinot feels Burgundy like and shows it’s terroir perfectly, Oppenlander is only 10 miles inland from the coastal hamlet of Mendocino and most be one of the coldest sites in California for Pinot, it joins Drew and The Princess & The Peasant as some of my new favorite wines from this region, joining top Anderson Valley producers like Copain, Baxter and Cliff Lede’s Fell label, just to named a few. Delicate and focused, winemaker Scott Shapley (of Roar) has done a masterful job of getting everything out of this wine and showcasing the best of this extreme vineyard, he used 35% whole cluster, which gives so much verve and nervy spices, while allowing lush fruit and floral notes to express themselves, this vintage was 2/3rds clone 115 and 1/3rd Pommard and it was native ferment, unfined and unfiltered, it shows amazing lift and satiny textures. Pretty rose petal, Again spices, gravelly stones, blood orange and sweet herbs add to the complexity of this layered and lithe/leanPinot that has a ripe core of cherry, strawberry, plum and lingonberry fruits with just of touch of cola bean and vanilla. Impressive, lively and everything you’d want from the region, Paul Gordon’s Halcon Vineyards Oppenlander Pinot Noir is just one of many stunning new releases from this winery, drink over the next 3 to 7 years.
($35 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
