2019 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Muldune Trail

From a site that sits at 2000 feet of elevation, on the top of the ridge, the 2019 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail is a darker mineral tone in contrast to the Velvet Sisters. The palate is full and generous, with gushy ripe cherry fruit that persists through the finish along with fine-grained tannins. This is ready to go now or over the next ten years or more. A part of the Kendall-Jackson family, Hartford Court was established by Don and Jennifer Hartford, whose first vintage was 1994. They began with two vineyard designated wines, and today they have expanded to include 36 single vineyard wines, dedicated to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel. Jeff Stewart, the general manager and winemaker since 2011, and Tiaan Lordan, who has been with the estate since 2010, share the role as winemakers today.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail comes from vines planted at an elevation of 1,600 feet in the Anderson Valley. Matured in 38% new French oak for 15 months, it has a medium ruby color and slowly opening aromas of raspberries, rhubarb, burnt orange, tobacco leaves, dried roses and fir. Medium-bodied and powerful with a youthful sheen of spicy oak, the palate has a silky texture, shimmery acidity and a very long, mineral-driven finish. It's hedonistic yet youthfully tense, with the potential to unfold in bottle over the next decade. 247 cases produced.