Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017
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Wilfred
Wong -
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Enthusiast
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The Spanish term 'Las Alturas' means 'the heights', a fitting name for this vineyard located on one of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine bearing all the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive, full-bodied and balanced by firm acidity.
Deep garnet in color with an aromatic medley of black cherry, marionberry, ripe plum, and a hint of anise. Dark fruit on the palate with flavors of wild berries, caramelized oak and cacao nibs complemented by subtle notes of vanilla, cedar and a hint of lavender and forest floor. Rich and unrestrained, this wine’s abundant fruit is beautifully balanced by firm acidity and layers of red and black fruit.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir is a nicely-built wine with attractive textures and balance. TASTING NOTES: This wine is bright, with a pleasing grapey note. Its aromas and flavors of aromatic grapes and beautiful berries should pair nicely with roast turkey and wild rice. (Tasted: September 6, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Very dark in the glass, this is rich, heady wine that offers powerfully hedonistic flavors yet does not retain much Pinot Noirness. Strong aromas of oak, black cherry, cola and caramel lead into a thick palate of berry paste, root beer and crème brûlée.
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Robert
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Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.