2016 Black Kite Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

14.8% alc., pH 3.55, TA 0.59, 268 cases, $45. Pisoni “clone.” Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 66% new. · Dark garnet color in the glass. Aromas of roasted coffee beans and toast with no fruit input. Mid weight plus in style, with flavors of toast, char and espresso obscuring the underlying black fruits. A brutish wine that finishes slightly hot and bitter. When tasted two days later from a previously opened and re-corked bottle, the oak had released its dominance somewhat but the finish was still bitter. Score: 88. Reviewed August 24, 2018

Winery: Black Kite Cellars
From article: Recently Tasted California Pinot Noir