2014 Memorious Pinot Noir

Adjacent though at lower elevation to the Bloom’s Field vineyard, the Memorious site grows from clay loam. The site receives regular wind exposure and sits at a less steep slope than the other single-vineyard sites. Vinified with around 50% whole cluster and aged for almost two years in Ermitage barrels. No new oak. This is also the youngest of the single-vineyard releases from 2014 with the previous 2013 vintage being the first release from this vineyard. Star-bright, translucent ruby colour, though very slightly darker than the other three vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs. Perfumed aromatics carrying rose petal and evergreen then shift to notes of cherry with air. The palate carries a strong mid-palate focus offering pure red-cherry fruits, a rub of ginger and just a hint of clove with an evergreen note appearing through the finish. Supple tannins and balanced acidity with a very faintly peppery accent throughout. Finishes with a light flavour of Christmas cake – a pop of cherry, mix of sweet spice, and just a hint of almond. This wine is very young and wants a bit more time in bottle to integrate, as there is just a touch of dry oak tannins framing the wine currently. The Memorious is the simplest of the single-vineyard wines. More than the other single-vineyard wines it also carries the sense of being from a warmer vintage. Open over several days it becomes more silky and integrated. The Memorious has more complexity than the Sta Rita Hills bottling but the Sta Rita Hills bottling is more harmonious. (ECB)