Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard 2014

A meticulously farmed hillside vineyard planted in Corralitos, just a few miles from the Monterey Bay.

The aromatics of the 2014 Alfaro Family Vineyard Pinot Noir jump out of the glass with a complex perfumed melange of flowers and spices. 100% whole clusters of Pinot were fermented entirely with indigenous yeast and nothing else. The whole cluster inclusion lifts the aromatics enhancing the perfumed floral notes while contributing depth and complexity to the mouthfeel and texture. While impressive to drink now, it will no doubt gain depth and weight with some additional time in bottle. 

The 2014 Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard reveals a ruby color as well as savory notes of smoked herbs, cured meats, pepper and savory cherry and currant fruit, with just hints of flowers coming through with time in the glass. Medium-bodied, rounded and textured on the palate, with building tannin and a beautiful mid-palate, it has lots of stem influence, but I like its core of fruit.