Dec 30, 2022
Search This Site:
Burrell School
| Owner(s) | Anne Moulton, Dave Moulton |
| Web site | www.burrellschool.com |
| Link to this site |
Dave and Anne Moulton bought an 1890 one-room schoolhouse on Summit Road at 1600 feet elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They restored the schoolhouse and built their own living quarters adjacent. The original schoolhouse was used as a tasting room for a number of years, but it now has become the Moulton’s living room with the recent opening of a new tasting room. The tasting room is a very classy place to enjoy one of the many wines made here. The shoolhouse theme is carried through the tasting room decor on on the the wine labels which say, "I Promise to Sip My Wine!"
David and Anne Moulton began development of the Estate vineyard in 1973. Nearby Monterey Bay brings warm days and cool nights. This results in a unique microclimate, perfect for long, slow ripening of cool climate grapes.
Initial plantings were to Chardonnay and Merlot, with Pinot Noir added in 2002. Cultivation and spraying are done with heritage Cletrac tractors; pruning, seasonal operations and picking are all done by hand. Pinot Noir is produced from both the estate vineyard and the nearby Veranda Vineyard.
Laura Ness, a wine writer for Appellation America and other publications, assists the Moultons in the winery and tasting room operations.
Articles About Burrell School
Memoirs of a Wine Trip Well-Taken (6.5 11/26/2006)
Pinot Paradise (7.16 4/18/2009)
Pinot Paradise on Horizon (6.55 3/17/2008)
Report From the Front Lines: 2011 Pinot Paradise (8.35 4/11/2011)
Small Sips of Pinot (6.58 5/7/2008)
Tasting Santa Cruz Pinot Noirz (7.14 3/15/2009)
Reviewed Wines
2009 Burrell School Vineyards “Principal’s Choice” Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., pH 3.3, TA
0.72, 340 cases, $45. Aged 18 months in 80% new French oak.
·
There is a very appealing core of luscious
dark fruit with a vivid acid spine, but the fruit is buried in oak. Good. The 2010 vintage was also offered and is
more to my liking with apparently less new oak. This wine shows less ripeness, is more red cherry-driven with
spot-on vibrancy. Very good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2006 Burrell School Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.8% alc., 725 cases.
·
This wine is still subdued and brooding with grippy acidity on the finish.
There is plenty of brambly black cherry and berry fruit lurking accented by dark chocolate flavors.
At present, the acidity is in the forefront and this wine needs time to fully integrate.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Estate Reserve Principal’s Choice Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 720 cases.
·
Starts off with alluring bright dark stone fruit aromas with a
hint of mushroom. Very tasty and impressive black cherry and blackberry core with powdery
tannins and a tangy finish. The silky texture is pure Pinot. Balance is spot on. This is a
terrific wine which will only get better over the next couple of years.
Reviewed May 7, 2008
ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc.,
336 cases.
·
Showy aromas of hi-tone black cherry and black raspberry fruit with plenty of
smoky oak, a hint of barnyard and maybe even a touch of good Brett. Dusty fruit with a hint
of spice and wood, but with a chemical note to the finish. Light, elegant and nicely balanced.
Reviewed May 7, 2008
ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4%
alc., 336 cases, $35, This vineyard is near Mount Madonna, 800 feet above Monterey Bay.
Pommard and Dijon clones.
·
Moderately light reddish-purple color. Alluring scents of cherries, strawberries,
rhubarb and roses. Brambly dark red Pinot fruits are very soft in the mouth accompanied by gossamer tannins.
A silky and sensual wine of great charm. Drinking now at its apogee.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 720 cases, $44. Pommard and Dijon clones.
·
Intense confected fruit on the nose
starring black cherries. Robust black cherry and wild blackberry flavors with some forest floor on
a silky platform. Plenty of lively acidity to complement the fruit.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6%
alc., 325 cases. The first estate bottling. Pommard and Dijon clones, aged in 70%
new French oak.
·
The nose features bright red scents of red cherries, cranberry, and
rhubarb. Sweet tart black cherry and berry flavors are encased in fine French oak
throughout. Better integration of oak here than in the above wine. Earthy and
woodsy with a mildly dry finish that features refreshing acidity. Very primal.
Reviewed March 17, 2008
ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 675 cases. The Veranda Vineyard sits 800 feet above Monterey Bay
and is planted to Pommard and Dijon clones. Aged in 50% new French oak.
·
Rich
aromas of black cherry, herbs and nicely toasted oak. Black cherry, anise and oak
flavors carry the attack. A burly wine with a woody edge throughout. Soft in texture
and finishing with still lively acidity.
Reviewed March 17, 2008
ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 700 cases,
$38. The Veranda Vineyard is at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is planted to a mixture
of Dijon clones. Aging is in 70% new French oak.
·
A dark and rich Pinot that packs plenty of punch.
The nose is appealing with multiple Pinot fruits evident enhanced by floral notes. It is a balanced wine on
the palate showing strawberries, rhubarb, spice and mushrooms. The generous oak tannins are nicely
immersed. A well-schooled Pinot.
Reviewed November 26, 2006
ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 325 cases, $42. The estate
vineyard is planted to a mixture of Dijon clones (05,115,667, and 777). The wine is aged in 70% new
French oak.
·
This is the more elegant of the two wines. The aromatics are particularly appealing with wild
strawberries, cherries and fields of flowers. There were plenty of strawberries in the flavors as well with a
nice touch of mocha. Fine, dusty tannins and lively acidity characterize the finish. A+
Reviewed November 26, 2006
ARTICLE »
2009 Burrell School Vineyards “Principal’s Choice” Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., pH 3.3, TA 0.72, 340 cases, $45. Aged 18 months in 80% new French oak. · There is a very appealing core of luscious dark fruit with a vivid acid spine, but the fruit is buried in oak. Good. The 2010 vintage was also offered and is more to my liking with apparently less new oak. This wine shows less ripeness, is more red cherry-driven with spot-on vibrancy. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2006 Burrell School Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.8% alc., 725 cases. · This wine is still subdued and brooding with grippy acidity on the finish. There is plenty of brambly black cherry and berry fruit lurking accented by dark chocolate flavors. At present, the acidity is in the forefront and this wine needs time to fully integrate. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Estate Reserve Principal’s Choice Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 720 cases. · Starts off with alluring bright dark stone fruit aromas with a hint of mushroom. Very tasty and impressive black cherry and blackberry core with powdery tannins and a tangy finish. The silky texture is pure Pinot. Balance is spot on. This is a terrific wine which will only get better over the next couple of years. Reviewed May 7, 2008 ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 336 cases. · Showy aromas of hi-tone black cherry and black raspberry fruit with plenty of smoky oak, a hint of barnyard and maybe even a touch of good Brett. Dusty fruit with a hint of spice and wood, but with a chemical note to the finish. Light, elegant and nicely balanced. Reviewed May 7, 2008 ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 336 cases, $35, This vineyard is near Mount Madonna, 800 feet above Monterey Bay. Pommard and Dijon clones. · Moderately light reddish-purple color. Alluring scents of cherries, strawberries, rhubarb and roses. Brambly dark red Pinot fruits are very soft in the mouth accompanied by gossamer tannins. A silky and sensual wine of great charm. Drinking now at its apogee. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Burrell School Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 720 cases, $44. Pommard and Dijon clones. · Intense confected fruit on the nose starring black cherries. Robust black cherry and wild blackberry flavors with some forest floor on a silky platform. Plenty of lively acidity to complement the fruit. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 325 cases. The first estate bottling. Pommard and Dijon clones, aged in 70% new French oak. · The nose features bright red scents of red cherries, cranberry, and rhubarb. Sweet tart black cherry and berry flavors are encased in fine French oak throughout. Better integration of oak here than in the above wine. Earthy and woodsy with a mildly dry finish that features refreshing acidity. Very primal. Reviewed March 17, 2008 ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 675 cases. The Veranda Vineyard sits 800 feet above Monterey Bay and is planted to Pommard and Dijon clones. Aged in 50% new French oak. · Rich aromas of black cherry, herbs and nicely toasted oak. Black cherry, anise and oak flavors carry the attack. A burly wine with a woody edge throughout. Soft in texture and finishing with still lively acidity. Reviewed March 17, 2008 ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Veranda Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 700 cases, $38. The Veranda Vineyard is at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is planted to a mixture of Dijon clones. Aging is in 70% new French oak. · A dark and rich Pinot that packs plenty of punch. The nose is appealing with multiple Pinot fruits evident enhanced by floral notes. It is a balanced wine on the palate showing strawberries, rhubarb, spice and mushrooms. The generous oak tannins are nicely immersed. A well-schooled Pinot. Reviewed November 26, 2006 ARTICLE »
2003 Burrell School Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., 325 cases, $42. The estate vineyard is planted to a mixture of Dijon clones (05,115,667, and 777). The wine is aged in 70% new French oak. · This is the more elegant of the two wines. The aromatics are particularly appealing with wild strawberries, cherries and fields of flowers. There were plenty of strawberries in the flavors as well with a nice touch of mocha. Fine, dusty tannins and lively acidity characterize the finish. A+ Reviewed November 26, 2006 ARTICLE »