The 2017 Pinot Noir Mt Pajaro Vineyard is more upfront and expressive, with lots of bright cherry and raspberry fruit interwoven with notions of scorched earth, chocolate, earth, and dried herbs. It's another medium-bodied, nicely textured, balanced, savory Pinot Noir from this team that's going to benefit from short-term bottle age.

This is the first vintage of a Mt. Pajaro vineyard designate Pinot Noir—previously this fruit was blended into the Alesia bottling. This vintage the fruit was picked before the heat spike. Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Mt. Pajaro Vineyard opens with cinnamon, dried orange peel, potpourri, dusty earth and pipe tobacco with a spicy vein over licorice, wild blackberries and soft red berry hints. The palate is light to medium-bodied and silky with intense, spicy fruits, juicy acidity and a grainy frame, finishing long and spicy.- EB

he 2017 Pinot Noir Mt. Pajaro Vineyard is the first wine from new parcel planted with tight meter by meter spacing using a massale selection from Alpine. Dark, bold and punchy, the 2017 is decidedly exuberant. It will be interesting to see where the wines go as the vines become older. The 2017 is not especially complex, but it offers terrific intensity and fruit richness. Black cherry, menthol, new leather and licorice build into the voluptuous finish. This is a very strong debut, but clearly the best is yet to come. - By Antonio Galloni on June 2019