Isabelle Pinot Noir 2021

From Au Bon Climat, located in the Santa Maria Valley in the heart of California's Central Coast, this Pinot Noir comes from coastal vineyards benefiting from the refreshing influence of the Pacific. The plots are located in a cool climate area, characterized by morning fogs and sunny afternoons, ideal conditions for a slow and balanced maturation of the grape variety. The soils, mixing sands, silts, and limestone elements, bring finesse, tension, and complexity, while preserving a beautiful natural freshness in the grapes.

Resulting from a parcel selection of the estate's best Pinot Noir, this wine is crafted using a traditional Burgundian approach: hand-harvesting, careful sorting of the bunches, fermentation in tanks with punching down to delicately extract color and tannins, followed by prolonged aging in French oak barrels, a significant proportion of which is new wood, to develop aromatic complexity, silky texture, and aging potential, while preserving the balance and finesse characteristic of the house style.

This wine reveals notes of black cherry, raspberry, and plum, complemented by floral nuances of rose and violet, as well as spicy touches of clove and sweet pepper. Woody accents of vanilla and cedar blend with more earthy and slightly undergrowth notes. The palate presents a silky texture, lively acidity, fine tannins, and a long, harmonious finish that retains freshness and elegance.

In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that revitalized the Californian wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa regions. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933, Prohibition decimated the vast majority of the Californian wine industry, so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained. It wasn't until 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition, and California was primarily known for producing fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous wineries were established (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc.). In 1976, a landmark event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris." It pitted the greatest French wines against the new American upstarts. On May 24th, an unexpected result shook the wine world, as, to everyone's surprise, the United States emerged victorious. This competition, however, remains relatively unknown to the general public. Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. While California largely dominates the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world, and Washington State offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.