Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard, Kutch 2022

13% alcohol. 4 barrels from a vineyard planted in 1972 at 1400 ft three miles from the Pacific on Goldridge soils. 50% whole bunch, matured in old oak. Sweetly aromatic notes with black cherries, stewed plums and strawberry as well as fine spice, pepper, liquorice and black tea. The palate is fresh and supple with fine green spicy notes under the lush silky cherry fruit. Finely wrought with a wide dynamic range, and approachable young.

As I have mentioned in the past, the Bohan Vineyard’s pinot noir vines were planted all the way back in 1972, so these are veritably vieilles vignes. The vineyard is planted on classic Goldridge soils and Jamie used fifty percent whole clusters for this wine and raised it all in used casks. The wine’s aromatic constellation is very precise and nicely black fruity in personality, offering up scents of sweet dark berries, black cherries, fresh thyme, dark soil tones, pigeon, coffee bean and a floral topnote redolent of violets and pungent roses. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, black fruity and soil-driven, with tangy acids, fine focus and grip, a lovely core of fruit and a long, nascently complex and suavely tannic finish. Like all of these 2022s from Jamie Kutch, the Bohan Vineyard bottling will need some cellaring time to soften up its backend tannins before it starts to drink with generosity, but it is going to be stunning wine once it blossoms. 2031-2080.

Full bottle 1,293 g. Vineyard planted back in 1972 at 1,400 feet and 3.05 miles from the Pacific on Goldridge soil. Hand-picked on 6 September. 50% whole cluster. Spontaneous fermentation, like all Kutch wines, plus no added lactic bacteria. Aged in just four neutral French oak barrels. Complex, jewelly nose that really draws the taster in. Quite firm but the fruit stands up to the structure. Serious, long term Pinot (Nuits not Beaune). Lots of life here with quite a freight of (very polished) tannins. There's even a hint of veginess, but no suggestion of underripe fruit. It's all very clean and healthy and extremely persistent. 2024-2032