2012 Alfaro Family Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyards at Deer Park, Santa Cruz Mountains.
Richard Alfaro does a wonderful selection of non estate Cru bottling, these include a Schultze Family Vineyards, a Garys’ Vineyard farmed by the Franscioni and Pisoni Families, and this stunning Lester Family Vineyards at Deer Park Pinot Noir. These compliment his own estate and Trout Gulch offering that he farms with his crew and his own hands, and of which I have mentioned many many times here, all of the wines Alfaro makes are great and worthy of searching out. The new release of Lester Family Vineyards at Deer Park is a rich and opulent Pinot with a gorgeous ruby/red hue and wonderful bouquet of rose oil, incense, mocha, red fruits and baking spices leading to a lush, silky full palate of raspberry, plum and cherry fruits with touches of cinnamon stick, cedar, tangy currant, smoke and earthy/loamy notes. This wine feels decedent and layered with smooth refined tannins, but there is plenty of vigor and lift too with acidity and drive adding balance and grace to this Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir. The wine opens nicely and gives waves of pleasure, sweet fruit, nuance and finesse with a lovely strawberry and truffle/wild mushroom component coming through along with spice, dried flowers and mineral tones with a whiff of toasty wood. The Lester Family at Deer Park is a real jewel, it shows loads of character and depth, but is stylish and only about 13.5% alcohol making for a focused and dynamic offering from a winery already on a roll with 2012 and 2013 wines that are glorious, drink this one from 2014 to 2021.
($40 Est.) 94+ Points, grapelive
