Beautiful ruby flushing out to naked garnet-pink at the edge. Equally beautiful earthy cranberry and frost-upheaval-minerality–cool and textured and bright–all through the nose. The plummy fruit is sullied with layers of avocado and tight chunks of strawberry and dry white cheese. Black notes are omnipresent: the perfect hint at darkness amid the clear lightness. It smells perfect and effervescent, an over-whelming nod to Pinot made in a non-cluttered and easily-vibrant style.
Classic young pinot in the mouth. The abrasiveness of the acidity goes tête-à-tête with the bright distinction of the fruit. It’s all crushed green berry, strawberry-rhubarb, and delicate briary floral from here on out. Any sort of expectant barnyard funk has not made its way into this wine yet–nose or palate–but give it a few years. So ridiculously bright and crisp, but the body a sleepy blockbuster tethered back by youth. This reminds me of Tatomer’s first pinot bottling. It reminds me of spätburgunder and beaujolais-villages. There’s not a flaw in it and makes most SLH, SRH and RRV offerings look like pancake syrup. We need more Pinot Noir made like this. It’ll never get a 96 from Jeb Dunnuck and wine-bro will call it “thin” and “unstuffed”, but there’s enough evidence for the 1% to like it right there. Put a dozen of these away for a decade and watch them explode.
2018 VELVET BEE Pinot Noir Theresa Noelle Vyd Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara Co. 13.86
Stephen McConnell 