Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir (Twin Hills) by Reichwage Winery, Sebastopol CA.
Clear ruby color. Slightly shy nose greets with a flutter of red cherries, raspberries and subtle cola. As it breathes a damp, driftwood emerges in the background. Swirling intensifies the nose ever so slightly. Cherries turn slightly sweet with the emergence of caramel notes. Ahhhhh that quintessential Sonoma Dirt makes an appearance along with a touch of red vines licorice.
Body is light, bright. In line with the nose, greets with a slightly crisp attack which quickly hands off to a slightly viscous body of crisp caramel, damp wood leather and bitter cola. Great soft mouth feel. Thin but firm tannins provides crisp structure from front to back. Body is bone dry. Fruit carries forward in mere suggestions of raspberry. Hints of mushroom linger in the back, so faint you’d likely miss it. After a long expression, body quickly vanishes, leaving a dry palate with cola, mushroom leather, crisp lingering tannic grip an mild spice warmth.
Everything is a mere suggestion. This wine is very subtle and nuanced in its expression. It was made in the vineyard and obsessed over in the cellar. Pinot Noir doesn’t lie. It is unforgiving. In a sense a rite of passage for a winemaker. This one is squarely for the advanced palate. More traditional Burgundian style while preserving its sense of place. It reads like an exercise in core principles. What a great, well made wine! Just beautiful…
Explore more of Max Reichwage’s wines here.
Wine Snob 