Dec 30, 2022
Search This Site:
Ellen Redding
| Owner(s) | Patrick McNeil |
| Web site | www.winesthatdeliver.com |
| Link to this site |
Winemaker Patrick McNeil who produces "Wines that Deliver." See also Wines by Patrick McNeil.
Patrick says, "I am a fifth generation dreamer, wanderer, and overall skeptic. I work with small, family owned vineyards in Marin County and Napa Valley to make wines that are fruit-forward, site specific, and off the beaten path.
Visit the website to purchase.
Articles About Ellen Redding
2018 California Value Priced Pinot Noir All-Americans (11.36 12/29/2018)
A Bounty of Ravishing California Pinot Noir Greets the New Year (11.16 1/6/2018)
California Pinot Noir to Swoon Over (11.41 3/22/2019)
More Pinot Noir Treasures (12.28 4/28/2022)
Recently Tasted Pinot Noir from A to W (12.18 5/20/2021)
Reviewed Wines
2019 Ellen Redding Marin County Pinot Noir
13.9% alc.,
125 cases, $42. Sourced from two sites: Azaya Vineyard in
Hicks Valley and the Chileno Valley Vineyard. Azaya Vineyard
was planted to clones 667, 777, faux 828, and 115 by the duo
Mark Pasternak (Devil’s Gulch Ranch) and Dan Goldfield
(Dutton-Goldfield Winery). Chileno Valley Vineyard is a
windswept site only 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean and also
farmed by Mark Pasternak. 7-day cold soak, 1/3 whole cluster,
native primary and secondary fermentations. Aged in neutral
and once-used French oak barrels. Moderate garnet color in the glass. Giving aromas of cherry, boysenberry and toasty oak. A well-spiced core of cherry fruit is accompanied by tastes of cola and tobacco. Nice fruit sap but surprisingly more oak overlay considering the use of neutral and once-used barrels unless the whole cluster is responsible.
·
Score: 92.
Reviewed April 25, 2022
ARTICLE »
2019 Wines That Deliver Bon Voyage Marin County Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 75 cases, $42. Sourced from
organically farmed Stubbs Vineyard. 7-day cold soak, 1/3 whole cluster native primary and secondary
fermentations. Aged in neutral and once-used French oak barrels.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass.
Nicely perfumed with aromas of dark cherry, ripe strawberry and earthiness. Light to mid-weight in style and
cherry-driven in character with good harmony. Muted tannins with a trace of oak in the background and a
pleasant finish that is moderately long. Not the richness of the Ellen Redding but plenty of charm.
Score: 91.
Reviewed April 28, 2022
ARTICLE »
2018 Ellen Redding Stubbs Vineyard Marin County Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 180 cases, $42. Each vintage label displays a
colorful envelope that tells the story of Joseph Dennis McNeil
and Ellen Josephine Redding who communicated through the
mail leading up to their wedding in 1928 at St.Mary’s Church in
Nicasio, CA. Joe drew and hand-colored pictures and notes on
envelopes that he mailed to his fiancee and these whimsical
designs are incorporated on Ellen Redding Pinot Noir labels.
·
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Enticing aromas of
wild strawberry and black cherry. Lovely flavors of black cherry,
strawberry, and spice enter with intent and strive for
exuberance on the finish. Mid-weight plus in style, with a
comforting mouthfeel, a noticeable fullness on the palate, and
impressive harmony. This wine grabs your attention with
tenacity. The very cool labels, the story behind the wine offered
by winemaker Patrick McNeil, and the reasonable price all add to the pleasure in the bottle.
Score: 94.
Reviewed May 16, 2021
ARTICLE »
2016 Ellen Redding Stubbs Vineyard Marin County Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 80 cases, $42. This wine is an
ode to Patrick McNeil’s grandparents and the years leading up to their wedding at St. Mary’s Church in Nicasio,
California. Each new vintage and colorful envelop reflecting letters sent by Joseph Dennis McNeil to Ellen
Josephine Redding by U.S. mail from 1925 to 1928. Stubbs Vineyard is located 13 miles from Tomales Bay
and is farmed organically and sustainably. Clone 115, yield 2 tons/acre. 7-day cold soak, native primary and
secondary fermentations, aged in 2 neutral and 1 once-used French oak barrels.
·
Moderately light garnet color
in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, underbrush and spice rise from the glass. The mid weight nucleus of black
cherry fruit is expansive from entry through the succulent finish. The mouthfeel is cohesive, the tannins are
suave, and the overall impression is one of harmony.
Score: 93.
Reviewed March 23, 2019
ARTICLE »
2015 Ellen Redding Marin County Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 120 cases, $36. Sourced from Chileno
Valley Vineyard, located in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Dijon clones 667, 777 and 115. 33% whole
cluster, 7-day cold soak, native primary and secondary ferments, aged in two once-used and three
neutral French oak barrels.
·
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Very expressive aromas of
blackberry, black raspberry, warm spice, vanilla and brioche. Delicious mid weight plus for of sweet
black fruits rounded out with tastes of spice, cola, dark chocolate, black tea and toast. Velvety in the
mouth with a hedonistic slant but enough tannins and oak to corral the rich fruit core. This wine
grew in appeal when tasted later in the day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle and I could not stop
drinking it. My notes say, “great.” You won’t find a better California Pinot Noir in the marketplace at this price.
Score: 95.
Reviewed January 6, 2018
ARTICLE »
2019 Ellen Redding Marin County Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 125 cases, $42. Sourced from two sites: Azaya Vineyard in Hicks Valley and the Chileno Valley Vineyard. Azaya Vineyard was planted to clones 667, 777, faux 828, and 115 by the duo Mark Pasternak (Devil’s Gulch Ranch) and Dan Goldfield (Dutton-Goldfield Winery). Chileno Valley Vineyard is a windswept site only 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean and also farmed by Mark Pasternak. 7-day cold soak, 1/3 whole cluster, native primary and secondary fermentations. Aged in neutral and once-used French oak barrels. Moderate garnet color in the glass. Giving aromas of cherry, boysenberry and toasty oak. A well-spiced core of cherry fruit is accompanied by tastes of cola and tobacco. Nice fruit sap but surprisingly more oak overlay considering the use of neutral and once-used barrels unless the whole cluster is responsible. · Score: 92. Reviewed April 25, 2022 ARTICLE »
2019 Wines That Deliver Bon Voyage Marin County Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 75 cases, $42. Sourced from organically farmed Stubbs Vineyard. 7-day cold soak, 1/3 whole cluster native primary and secondary fermentations. Aged in neutral and once-used French oak barrels. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with aromas of dark cherry, ripe strawberry and earthiness. Light to mid-weight in style and cherry-driven in character with good harmony. Muted tannins with a trace of oak in the background and a pleasant finish that is moderately long. Not the richness of the Ellen Redding but plenty of charm. Score: 91. Reviewed April 28, 2022 ARTICLE »
2018 Ellen Redding Stubbs Vineyard Marin County Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 180 cases, $42. Each vintage label displays a colorful envelope that tells the story of Joseph Dennis McNeil and Ellen Josephine Redding who communicated through the mail leading up to their wedding in 1928 at St.Mary’s Church in Nicasio, CA. Joe drew and hand-colored pictures and notes on envelopes that he mailed to his fiancee and these whimsical designs are incorporated on Ellen Redding Pinot Noir labels. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Enticing aromas of wild strawberry and black cherry. Lovely flavors of black cherry, strawberry, and spice enter with intent and strive for exuberance on the finish. Mid-weight plus in style, with a comforting mouthfeel, a noticeable fullness on the palate, and impressive harmony. This wine grabs your attention with tenacity. The very cool labels, the story behind the wine offered by winemaker Patrick McNeil, and the reasonable price all add to the pleasure in the bottle. Score: 94. Reviewed May 16, 2021 ARTICLE »
2016 Ellen Redding Stubbs Vineyard Marin County Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 80 cases, $42. This wine is an ode to Patrick McNeil’s grandparents and the years leading up to their wedding at St. Mary’s Church in Nicasio, California. Each new vintage and colorful envelop reflecting letters sent by Joseph Dennis McNeil to Ellen Josephine Redding by U.S. mail from 1925 to 1928. Stubbs Vineyard is located 13 miles from Tomales Bay and is farmed organically and sustainably. Clone 115, yield 2 tons/acre. 7-day cold soak, native primary and secondary fermentations, aged in 2 neutral and 1 once-used French oak barrels. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, underbrush and spice rise from the glass. The mid weight nucleus of black cherry fruit is expansive from entry through the succulent finish. The mouthfeel is cohesive, the tannins are suave, and the overall impression is one of harmony. Score: 93. Reviewed March 23, 2019 ARTICLE »
2015 Ellen Redding Marin County Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., 120 cases, $36. Sourced from Chileno Valley Vineyard, located in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Dijon clones 667, 777 and 115. 33% whole cluster, 7-day cold soak, native primary and secondary ferments, aged in two once-used and three neutral French oak barrels. · Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Very expressive aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, warm spice, vanilla and brioche. Delicious mid weight plus for of sweet black fruits rounded out with tastes of spice, cola, dark chocolate, black tea and toast. Velvety in the mouth with a hedonistic slant but enough tannins and oak to corral the rich fruit core. This wine grew in appeal when tasted later in the day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle and I could not stop drinking it. My notes say, “great.” You won’t find a better California Pinot Noir in the marketplace at this price. Score: 95. Reviewed January 6, 2018 ARTICLE »