Testarossa Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019
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Tasting
Panel -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Dark red hue. Brilliant scents of cherry cola, jasmine, papaya, orange zest and melon. With air, secondary notes of rhubarb, ripe cherry pie, rose petal, and pomegranate ooze out of the glass. Once on the palate, the flavors concentrate towards cherry, tangerine, rhubarb, and pomegranate. This Pinot Noir has amazing texture and vibrancy. The finish is very pure and lovely.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Rich ruby color; elegant and pure, with a toasty nose, racy acidity, and lifted flavors of cherry and raspberry
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Wine Spectator
Offers rich acidity that backs an effusively juicy blend of red fruit and berry flavors. Displays a minerally verve and hints of underbrush on the firm, fine-grained finish. Drink now
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard has a pale ruby-purple color and bright raspberry perfume with nuances of potpourri, blood orange and bitters. The palate is medium-bodied, chalky and refreshing with a detailed core of fruit and long, spicy finish.
Other Vintages
2021-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
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The Somm
Journal
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Wine
Enthusiast
Testarossa Vineyards, located in the historic 19th century Novitiate winery of Los Gatos, was founded in 1993 by husband and wife team of Rob and Diana Jensen. The name Testarossa (Italian for "red-head") was a nickname given to Rob Jensen when he was a university student in Italy. It was there, also, that the Jensens further developed their passion for good food and wine. The Jensens are dedicated to making small lots of vineyard desgnated wines from only the best vineyards in the cool, ocean-influenced counties of Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma.
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.