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Vöcal Vineyards, “Lilo Vineyard” Pinot Noir

California, United States 2014 (750mL)
$42.00
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Vöcal Vineyards, “Lilo Vineyard” Pinot Noir

How many California producers, or rather, how many Burgundy producers can you name that hold their wines in the cellar for 30+ months before release? It’s a rarity to see winemakers aging their wines extensively and allowing them to rest an additional year in bottle, but that’s exactly what Vöcal has done: After nearly three years of aging, their first-class Pinot is ready for your enjoyment, and trust me when I say it was worth the wait. 
This breathtaking bottling from the Santa Cruz Mountains isn’t just “any other” Pinot: “Lilo Vineyard” springs to the fore of California greats. But, Vöcal’s love for this vineyard goes deeper, much deeper, than a bottle of wine—their entire operation was formed because of this prized site! After an agonizing wait, fruit from the coveted vineyard became available for purchase in 2012, prompting renowned winemaker Ian Brand and ‘Top Sommelier’ Ted Glennon to launch Vöcal. With only a handful of vintages under their belts, this joint enterprise has achieved spectacular results in what can only be considered record time. I’m certain this single-vineyard coastal wine will charm lovers of top wines from Oregon and Burgundy alike, as it shares more in common with these regions than the vast majority of California Pinot Noirs. In terms of quality-to-price, it’s among the best on the U.S. market today and, with additional aging, its stock will only continue to rise. 
Over the years, the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation has inspired wine critics and sommeliers to take notice of the stunning Burgundy-esque wines pouring out of this unique terroir. The sprawling and rolling appellation houses small, homegrown producers, some of which, in short order, have surpassed many (if not all) of California’s already-established powerhouses. Thanks to the breathtaking landscape that mirrors Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the Santa Cruz Mountains are home to myriad microclimates that show eerie similarities to top-flight Burgundy when properly crafted. This singular Lilo Vineyard absorbs Monterey Bay’s coastal influences, which delivers judicious levels of fog and wind that are crucial to the finicky, cool-climate temperament of Pinot Noir. 

Encircled by towering, ancient Redwoods, Lilo is perched 800 feet above Monterey Bay with vines rooted in sandy loam. The small Vöcal team farms with sustainable practices in place and after hand harvesting in late August of 2014, the Pinot Noir saw a 30% whole-cluster fermentation and then aged 19 months in just 12 lightly seasoned French oak barrels, three of which were new. Afterwards, it was bottled and laid to rest for an additional year before its official release. Per usual around here, we source wines with only the best provenance: these bottles were purchased from Ted Glennon himself. 

Vöcal’s 2014—their current release (!)—shows a brilliant dark ruby core with bright pink hues on the rim. It reveals elegant, forested aromas alongside wild berry fruit, walking the delicate tightrope between the Old and New World. Though leading with juicy notes of wild strawberry, black raspberry, and huckleberry, inviting aromas of underbrush, sage, and damp leaves flash into the mix. With more air, purple and red flowers emerge alongside crushed stones and delicate baking spices. The palate is supple and energetic with wonderful lifts of black cherry, orange zest, and damp herbs, and a graceful finish is accompanied by exotic spice and silky layers of mouthwatering red fruit. Although beautiful in its youth, Vöcal’s “Lilo Vineyard” will continue developing complex secondaries and amazing levels of depth over the next decade. Allow a 30-60 minute decant and serve around 60 degrees in your largest Burgundy stems. This is first-rate Pinot, so treat it like you would a top Burgundy: A tender poultry dish will do wonders—try the attached tea smoked duck if you really want to impress!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesSanta Cruz Mountains
Soil
Sandy Loam
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
14.0
OAK
~25 New French Oak
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
30-60 Minutes
Pairing
Tea Smoked Duck

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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