2016 Kukeri Lakeville Vineyard Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., pH 3.56, TA 0.62, 175 cases, $48. Double Gold from the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 100% Martini clone. 100% destemmed, 3-day cold soak, fermented with ‘prise de mousse’ yeast, and aged 17 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of well-ripened fruit including boysenberry and raisin, with added aromas of spice, fertile earth and subtle oak. Creamy in the mouth, with a mid weight core of very ripe purple and black fruits, even roasted in character. There is the typical dark chocolate notes of the Martini clone. Oak contributes some marzipan and spice notes most evident on the robust finish. Score: 89. Reviewed March 23, 2019

Winery: Kukeri Wines
From article: California Pinot Noir to Swoon Over