Modus Operandi Cellars
Jason Moore, owner and winemaker of Modus Wines, told me that when he moved to California from Dallas,
Texas hated Pinot and would not drink it if you paid him. As his palate has evolved, he has fallen head over
heels in love with Pinot and it's just about all he drinks now (welcome to the flock). Jason still loves his
Cabernets, Syrahs, and red blends, and also crafts Napa Cabernet. That may account in part for the choice to
harvest well-ripened fruit and produce the resulting bold style of the finished wines. The problem with high-alcohol Pinot Noir is that the wines lack that alluring and gorgeous Pinot perfume.
The wines are sold by allocation at www.moduswines.com.
2020 Modus Operandi Cellars Silver Eagle Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.25% alc., 50 cases,
$85. Current release. This 30-acre vineyard is located north of Occidental in the Green Valley of Russian River
Valley AVA. Vosne-Romanée selection. Harvest Brix 25.5º. 100% de-stemmed and fermented in open-top
tanks. Aged in French oak barrels, 50% new.
·
Dark garnet color in the glass. Cooked fruit aromas of blueberry-pomegranate
accompanied by some oak vanillin and a slight note of volatile acidity. Full-bodied, with layers of dark purple
and black fruit flavors accented by an underlying earthy tone. Silky in the mouth with modest tannins. This wine is ripe fruit driven and
with little nuance.
Score: 87
2021 Modus Operandi Cellars Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
15.0% alc., 100
cases, $75. Releasing January 2023. Vineyard has been planted and managed for the past 30 years by John
Bacigalupi and his family. Harvest Brix 25.0º. 50% clone 777 and 50% clone 667. 100% de-stemmed and
fermented in open-top tanks. Aged in French oak barrels, 50% new.
·
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass.
Muted aromas of blackberry jam, pine sap, herb garden and toasty oak. Full-bodied and richly endowed with
very ripe purple and black berry fruit flavors framed by silky tannins. Goes down easy, with well-hidden hefty alcohol,
and finishes with admirable length.
Score: 90
2021 Modus Operandi Cellars Gap’s Crown Vineyard Petaluma Gap/Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
15.0% alc., 150
cases, $85. Releasing January 2023. 60% clone 777 and 40%
clone faux 828. Harvest Brix 25.7º. 100% de-stemmed and
fermented in open-top tanks. Aged in French oak barrels, 50%
new.
·
Dark garnet color in the glass. Muted aromas of well-ripened
black cherry, dark rose petals, sous bois and dusty oak.
Mid-weight plus in style with a core of boysenberry and black
cherry fruit flavors that awaken the senses. The striking finish
offers both intensities of fruit flavor and length. The pedigree of
this vineyard shows through. The high alcohol peeks out as
the wine warms in the glass.
Score: 91
2021 Modus Operandi Cellars UV-Laguna Vineyard Russian River Valley/Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
15.0% alc., 100 cases, $85. Releasing January 2023This vineyard was planted by Ulises Valdez Sr. in 2011.
The soil is a unique mix of sand and dense clay known as “Sebastopol Clay.” The Pinot Noir benefits from the
moisture trapped in the clay by allowing the grapes to achieve ripeness without excessive water stress during
the warm summer months. 50% clone 777 and 50% clone 667. Harvest Brix 26.7º. 100% de-stemmed and
fermented in open-top tanks. Aged in French oak barrels, 50% new.
·
Dark garnet color in the glass. Aromas of
black raspberry, dark rose petals and wood shop. A middleweight-crafted wine with a core of cherry cola and
baking spice flavors. There is a redder tone to the fruit than other wines in the 2021 lineup. The alcohol is well hidden
and the tannins are silky.
Score: 92
