Carpe Diem Pinot Noir

Anderson Valley, California, United States

Vintage:2015 (Past)

2017 (Past) | 2018 (Current) | 2019 (Pending)

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Carpe Diem Pinot Noir 2015
  • W&S 93

Reviews

Wine & Spirits

93 Points, Top 100 Best Buys of the Year

Josh Greene

“From the team at Domaine Anderson, this is a blend of fruit from nine estate vineyards. After tasting it with our panel, I later tasted it with Darrin Low and Arnaud Weyrich, who worked together on the blend, and who described it as a “New World style; a richer, riper pleasure wine,” comparing it to the “Old World, more transparent style” of the 2015 Domaine Anderson (also recommended here). In fact, I find this to be the more delicate and transparent of the two, open and racy, with a lacy fragrance of red apples and apple blossoms. Perhaps it is more varietal: It just tastes so much like pinot noir in its light wild-strawberry flavors and tight, slightly stemmy tannins. It’s completely appetite inducing, especially with King salmon roasted with chanterelles. ”

Overview

Carpe Diem Pinot Noir is made in Northern California‘s Anderson Valley. Over the years, this region has gained the reputation of an ideal terroir to grow Pinot Noir for still wines. Grapes for the Carpe Diem Pinot Noir are selected exclusively from the best vineyards in the cool Anderson Valley. This fog-shrouded region not far from Mendocino Coast and the Pacific Ocean provides ideal growing conditions for these delicate grapes.

Vinified under the meticulous supervision of Roederer‘s winemaking team, Carpe Diem‘s philosophy is to offer the best of two worlds: the richness of California fruit and the elegance of a French wine.

Winemaking

Destemmed grapes were sorted, inoculated and fermented with moderate punchdowns of 1-2 per day for 12 days before pressing in a small vertical basket press. 100% French oak barrel aging includes 19% new during an extended malolactic fermentation. After 10 months in barrel, the wine is blended and bottled with loose filtration.

Principal coopers are François Frères, Chassin, and Seguin Moreau. 

Tasting Notes

Elegant and reserved aromas are pretty with freshly crushed cherry, mushroom and wet earth tones. Generous flavors of plum, blackberry and leather are uplifted with a great texture, silky tannin and crisp acidity.

Harvest Notes

A combination of Dijon and heritage clones were harvested during the cool nights of late August and early September 2015.

Food Pairing

Pairs beautifully with roasted beef tenderloin, creamy Parmesan chicken, and semi-hard cheeses such as asiago and manchego.

Technical Information

Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir

Wine Alcohol: 14.1%

Titratable Acidity: 5.8 g/L

pH: 3.59

Harvest Start Date: August 23, 2015

Harvest End Date: September 15, 2015

Bottling Date: July 28, 2016

Fermentation: 14-22 days in open top fermenters at 82°F

New Oak: 19% new oak

Aging: 10 months in barrels