It’s been a lot of fun watching this producer evolve from the early La Fenetre days at Presquile into the powerhouse Timbre is now–not to mention Brave & Maiden and Dr. Klapper. The solidity the wines offer in terms of simplicity and complexity and dedication to typicity range fully across the line-ups. Here a thin, transparent garnet graces the glass, the high points of pure SMV rising to the nose. Toasty apple and dirty baby diaper grant a hairy funk to Pinot perfection, all compounded down onto glorious ripe fruit. But not too much ripeness. That’s important!
The fact I can READ this page through the wine lends much to the ability of well-made Pinot to trancend clarity and still deliver. Everyone’s always looking for the stand-a-fork-up-in-it concentration in most varieties, but with this grape, all bets are off. Sumptuous and mouth-filling, the berry calculated and dense, plentiful acid driving the wide, clear edges, the smoky nose translating directly onto spicy briar and green vegetal: but all California at core. 5 years is a baby on this one, and it reminds me of La Fenetre I’ve had twice this age. A grainy sort of cranberry pushes the edges, while calm, pure, Pinot Noir advances across the middle. Polishing down into tertiary territory–slightly–a little alcoholic burn keeps things honest. Brilliant stuff.
2017 TIMBRE WINERY ‘The Headliner’ Pinot Noir Presqu’ile Vyd Santa Maria Valley SBC 14.1
Stephen McConnell 