The Wine
Pinot Noir can be stingy with its aromas. But not this one! We enjoyed a nose-ful of ripe blackberries, plum and cherries complimented by sweet pie spices. The wine is a blend of pinot noir from five different vineyards in the Eel River appellation up in Humboldt County. Each vineyard is organically farmed, if not certified. The wine spends 11 months in French oak barrels, 19% of which are new. The alcohol level is a food-friendly 13.6%.
The tannins are already silky and approachable, arguing for near-term enjoyment - I suspect this wine will see its best years around 2022 before entering a middle-age plateau for a few years after which it will begin that inevitable decline.
93 pts, Wine Enthusiast. Only 580 cases produced. Drink now through 2026.
The Winery
I've long forgotten how or when I first met Adrian Manspeaker, the moving force behind this winery. It was a start-up at the time, but enough time has now passed that he is considered an established figure in the world of fine boutique wines. With an eye on quality at every turn, tempered by their desire to make wines we can drink every day, I consider Joseph Jewell a sure bet.
Whether introducing a pinot from the relatively obscure Eel River appellation or a Vermentino they hadn't planned to produce until getting an unexpected offer from a grower, if it says "Joseph Jewell" on the label I trust the wine to be a really nice wine at a fair price.
