92 Points - Wine Spectator
2012 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
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Goldeneye began making premium quality, cool-climate Pinot Noir from our estate winery in the Anderson Valley in 1997. Blending grapes from four estate vineyards, we are dedicated to crafting wines of refinement and elegance from a rich palette of terroir-inspired fruit. Reflecting the Mendocino Coast’s unique marine influences, sites and soils, these grapes create sublime and sophisticated Pinot Noir. To further enhance natural depth and complexity, winemaker Michael Fay selects only a small percentage of the finest fruit for each vintage before applying small-lot, artisanal winemaking techniques.
Reviews
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
91
Wine Review Online
93
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Cooperage: 100% French oak Burgundy-style barrels (228 liters), 53% New Oak, 47% Second Vintage; Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Winemaker Notes
The exceptional 2012 vintage yielded a rich, robust Anderson Valley Pinot Noir with a delightful blend of sweet and savory elements. On the palate, beautifully delineated layers of freshly tilled earth, leather, lavender and pennyroyal are balanced by flavors of sweet Bing cherry, Japanese plum and black currant notes. The mouth feel is round and plump, gliding to a long, satisfying finish marked by lingering notes of chocolaty French oak.
Production
After a cold, dry winter, we did extensive pruning to delay budbreak until the optimal time. Early spring rains and warm weather produced ideal conditions from bloom through fruit set. Though we set a larger-than-normal crop, the clusters were dense and compact with abundant small berries, which is perfect for high-quality wine. Warm summer days, cool nights and clockwork fog allowed for slow, even ripening and the retention of acidity. We harvested block-by-block over an almost languid two-month period. Like the Anderson Valley itself, the resulting wines are pure and complex, balancing a natural richness with a rustic elegance.
Other Notes
Released: March 2015
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2012
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Anderson Valley
Harvest Date
September 11 – October 21, 2012
Sugar
25.0° Brix
Acid
0.51g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.89
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Bottling Date
February 2014
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
91
Wine Review Online
93
Product Reviews
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Rich Cook, WineReviewOnline.com
(Jul 16, 2015 at 9:39 AM)
I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Goldeneye's 2012 lineup or Pinot Noirs, and this first taste has me all excited. Bright cherry fruit interlaced with elements of dry earth, plum, cardamom, lavender and soft fall spice flood the nose and the mouth, with a plush feel that's not fat, but balanced, and leaves you with a mouth watering finish with supple grip that extends the mixed flavor impression and demands a return to the glass. Winemaker Michael Fay has a large palette to blend from, with 180 acres and 24 different clones to select from, and this wine shows his mastery of the art. Wonderful now, and will gain complexity over the next five years.
Mary
(Jan 10, 2021 at 7:06 PM)
Having a bottle now with lamb Amazing