2022 Pinot Noir, SWK Vineyard, Catherine- Elizabeth, Inc Occidental

98 point The Wine Independent Review Date: 01/2025 Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2022 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard bursts from the glass with bold notes of black cherries, mulberries, and black raspberries, leading to expressive hints of cinnamon stick, mossy tree bark, violets, and Sichuan pepper. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is taut with muscular black berry flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and a racy line, finishing long with a spicy kick. The SWK Vineyard is our coolest, most marginal vineyard site. Each year it struggles to set a good crop, and typically produces loose clusters with a high percentage of “hens and chicks.” These unusually small clusters have a high skin-to-juice ratio and typically produce one of our most intense and concentrated wines. The SWK Vineyard wine features sweet red berry aromas, and is the most intensely savory and mineral-driven wine we make. During fermentation, the SWK Vineyard fruit receives our most gentle extraction. Punchdowns are kept to a minimum and are used only to distribute the heat of fermentation, not to extract. Besides the vivid red fruit aromas this site produces, the SWK Vineyard has a signature savory and soil-influenced quality that sets it apart in the Occidental range. 2022 SWK Vineyard A striking bouquet of wild strawberries, pressed flowers, with touches of wet stone that emerge with time. The palate is beautifully balanced, with an array of pure raspberry and wild strawberry flavors accentuated by a discrete saline element. Intense yet amazingly focused with superb persistence and drive on the finish.