2021 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley DUCKHORN

Combining the lush fruit of the warmer Anderson Valley estate vineyards with the rustic elegance of grapes from the cooler “deep end” of the valley. This is a rich and beautifully textured Pinot Noir with velvety tannins and bright acidity. On the palate, flavors of candied cherry and dark plum are underscored by deeper notes of forest floor. The finish is long and supple, with lively fruit and just a touch of French oak.

Goldeneye Winery was founded in 1996, years before the Pinot Noir boom that has reshaped the landscape of California winemaking. But the genesis for Goldeneye goes back even further.  In 1990, after fifteen years of making world-class Bordeaux-varietal wines, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn embraced their growing love of Pinot Noir. Their vision for Goldeneye was simple, though not easy. They wanted to found a winery that could make a terroir-inspired expression of California Pinot Noir of equal stature to the acclaimed Merlots they had pioneered at Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley.  For Pinot Noir, the Duckhorns believed that true greatness would be found on the cool-climate edges of modern California viticulture and found what they were looking for in the Anderson Valley.

Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy and adopted and adored in wine regions all over the world.  Worldwide, it is the sixth most-planted grape variety.  As a thin-skinned grape variety, Pinot Noir generally has a moderate to high acidity, a low level of phenolic compounds, low to moderate levels of soft tannins and is generally paler in color than most other red wines.  The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of red berries and cherry.  Many of the more complex examples show hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, suggest leather and violets, sometimes recalling Syrah.