94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
2015 Calera Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard
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Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in the Gavilan Mountains 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California.
Wine Enthusiast
94
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Winemaking: 18 months, 100% French oak, 30% new, 10% second, 60% neutral
Winemaker Notes
Vintage after vintage, de Villiers yields one of Calera’s most voluptuous and dark-fruited expressions of Pinot Noir, and the 2015 is no exception! Aromas of brambly blackberry, cocoa and chamomile hint at this wine’s explosive depth. On the palate, a lush, mouth-filling texture and age-worthy tannins frame gorgeous layers of black cherry and silky red currant that resonate on the long finish.
Production
Though the 2015 growing season resulted in the earliest harvest ever at Calera, the quality of the vintage is exceptional, with our 2015 Mt. Harlan Pinot Noirs displaying elegant textures, with beautiful depth and complexity. A dry winter was followed by an early spring, which resulted in our vines blooming early, in mid-April. With little winter rainfall, 2015 also marked our fourth year of drought. While this led to lower-than-average yields, the small crop and a consistently warm summer ensured that the grapes ripened perfectly, with extremely well-balanced acid and Brix levels. Harvest began on August 26th with the majority of our grapes arriving in the winery in pristine condition by September 15th.
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Mt. Harlan
Vineyard Designation
de Villiers Vineyard
Harvest Date
August 27 – September 2, 2015
Sugar
24.0° Brix at harvest
Acid
0.68 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.51
Fermentation
14 days fermentation at 60°F- 90°F
Alcohol %
14.1
Wine Enthusiast
94
