GOLDENEYE Pinot Noir 2019

Goldeneye Estate is dedicated to producing world-class Pinot Noir wines. It is located in the heart of the Anderson Valley, along the Goldeneye Duck migration route. By focusing on the careful cultivation of its vineyards, Goldeneye has been able to grow, while remaining true to its philosophy as a small winery focused on quality. The grapes come from different vineyards in the Anderson Valley . Each vineyard has soils with diverse compositions and exposures. Each plot of vines is planted with a clone of Pinot noir chosen for the location. This makes it possible to obtain grapes with very different flavors and characteristics. The blend of all these clones of Pinot noir is at the origin of the complexity of this wine. Everything is harvested by hand and fermentation takes place in open vats. The wine will then be aged in French oak barrels for 16 months (51% of which is new). This exuberant wine displays fresh and seductive aromas of juicy raspberry , wild strawberry, red plum , tart cherry , aromatic herbs , black tea , anise , leather , tobacco , black mushrooms , nutmeg , cardamom as well as some salty notes. On the palate, lively acidity and firm tannins converge to create a supple, balanced texture. The finish is long and elegant.

In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that boosted the California wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa region. At the start of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933 Prohibition destroyed the vast majority of the California wine industry so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained producing wine. It was only from 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition and California was primarily known for the production of fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous estates were created (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc...).



In 1976, a significant event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris". He sees the greatest French wines opposing the new American wines. This May 24, an unexpected result shakes the world of wine, since to everyone's surprise, it is the United States which wins. However, this competition remains relatively unknown to the general public.



Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. Even though California largely monopolizes the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and the state of Washington offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.