Vineyard: Windy Oaks Estate

Articles mentioning wines produced from this vineyard

Elite California Pinot Noir Vineyards Part III: Central Coast - Santa Cruz Mountains (12.22 9/18/2021)
Windy Oaks Estate: New Pinot Noir Offerings Merit Special Praise (12.28 4/28/2022)
Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery (8.5 11/13/2009)

Wineries sourcing from this vineyard

Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery

Reviewed wines produced from this vineyard

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Limited Release Wood Tank Fermented Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.6% alc., $N/A. Fermented in 1-ton, French oak, open-top fermentation tank. Unfined and unfiltered. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose leads with scents of darker cherry, ripe strawberry and tilled earth. Mid-weight plus in style and somewhat bombastic, with flavors of black cherry and black raspberry. Moe fruit and structure than the Proprietor's Reserve with another layer of flavor intensity that is expansive in the mouth and on the finish. Score: 94. Reviewed September 19, 2021 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Barrel Fermented Special Release Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., 64 cases, $85. Jim’s comments: “A unique Pinot Noir that is fermented and aged in specially-designed 600L French oak barrels with no punchdowns and the use of indigenous yeast. The result is a wine of unusually rich flavors, texture and delicate complexity, including haunting aromatics and exceptional length. This may be the only version of Pinot Noir made by this method.” Aged 27 months without racking. · Light garnet color in the glass. Pleasing aromas of red and purple berry, cocoa powder and bramble. Light and ephemeral with succulent flavors of red cherry and berry and an appealing underlying earthiness. Excellent harmony, with no oak intrusion and good finishing length. Score: 93. Reviewed April 24, 2022 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Le Chaud Special Vineyard Treatment Special Release Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., 95 cases, $85. The grapes come from an exclusively-farmed vineyard parcel that sees the use of a special piece of machinery that sends a directed blast of super-heated air in rapid motion so as to not harm the vines but gets rid of pests and reduces the need for mildew and botrytis spraying. The result is an effort to be as organic and sustainable as possible and as good as the environment can be. One of the side benefits after five years of trials is the fact that the process also dramatically increases the natural phenolics in the grape skins that are important for flavor and structure of the finished wines. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. A seductive nose leads with aromas of dark red berry, plum, spice and sous-bois. Discrete richness on the palate with flavors that echo the aromas along with a subtle savory note. Impeccable harmony with an aristocratic, silky mouthfeel, suede tannins, and a generous and juicy finish of exceptional length. Deserving of special release. Score: 94. Reviewed April 24, 2022 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Deux Grand Crus Special Release Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.7%, 24 cases, $105. A co-fermentation of two grand crus clones originally from Burgundy (Chambertin and Vosne- Romanée). This special release is from mostly de-stemmed grapes using native yeast fermentation and a long, cool maceration period with gentle hand punch downs before being aged 24 months without racking in a new French oak barrel. The barrel is custom made for the winery with long air-dried, old growth, tight-grained staves, and a long, lower heat toasting process. · Very light ruby red color in the glass. Dreamy aromas of red cherry, baking spice, sandalwood, vanilla and sous-bois. Lighter weighted with gentle power, offering hi-tone fruit flavors of red cherry and raspberry. Soothing and polished, with a subtle oak flourish and a welcome touch of spice. The finish is of grand cru length. This wine has amazing flavor in contrast to its pale color and herein lies the greatness of Pinot Noir. This wine reminds me of a 1990 Domaine Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti that I drank several years back. It was very light in color and delicately powered yet was definitely one of my most memorable drinking experiences. Clearly, this is not a wine for fruit hedonists. It remained seductive when tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle. Score: 97. Reviewed April 24, 2022 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Judy's Block Special Release Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., 24 cases, $110. Sourced from a half-acre block of Dijon 777 clone. Typically the grapes are blended into the Reserve, but in exceptional years (2009, 2017, and 2018), it is bottled on its own from a single barrel. The grapes are sorted both in the vineyard and again by hand in the cellar with extreme care so that only the very best grapes make it into this wine named after Jim’s wife. Native yeast fermentation and partial whole cluster. Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels. · Light garnet color in the glass. Intriguing nose with forward aromas of warm cherry pie, floral lift, and aged oak. Light to mid-weight in style, with dark red cherry and berry flavors that are broad and envelope the palate, expanding through a lip-smacking and notably lavish finish that lingers for an exceptionally long time. There are spice accents of cardamom and turmeric that I find particularly intriguing. Exquisitely balanced and clearly a special wine. Score: 96. Reviewed April 24, 2022 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2018 Windy Oaks Estate Special Burgundy Clone Special Release Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 24 cases, $120. The pinnacle of Windy Oaks wines that comes from the oldest parcel of the singular proprietary Burgundy clone block hand tended by Jim at the home estate vineyard. Jim brought the original cuttings to the United States from a grand cru vineyard in Vosne-Romanée. This wine is made in a single barrel lot with native yeast and partial whole cluster fermented grapes, receiving a long, cool maceration, and native malolactic fermentation, with aging on the lees for 27 months in a special custom French barrique made exclusively for Windy Oaks by artisan coopers in Burgundy. This wine is only released in vintages that are deemed to exemplify its special characteristics. · Light garnet color in the glass. Alluring, even spectacular aromas of Bing cherry, cola and spice.. The essence of black cherry is complimented by a savory tone. Substantial flavor that defies the wine's light color. Impeccably balanced with polished tannins and a lush, distinguished finish that goes on and on. Score: 95. Reviewed April 24, 2022 WINERY » ARTICLE »