2021 Etude Pinot Noir Heirloom Grace Benoist Ranch

The 2021 Pinot Noir Heirloom Grace Benoist Ranch is the most gamy, intensely savory Pinot in this range, something that is further accented by its 20% stem inclusion—on the high side for this vintage. In this tasting, the fruit is pretty masked by those savory qualities, while the tannins are imposing, creating an overall feeling of compactness. The 2021 needs time to soften, but I am not sure it will ever reach the level of the best wines in the lineup.