Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch, Kutch 2019

13.0% alc., 325 cases, $64. An exposed southern slope high above the fog-line art 1010 feet elevation and 3.5 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Extremely rocky soils of sandstone and shale. 75% whole cluster native yeast fermentation after a 3- day cold soak, native malolactic fermentation, aged sur lie for 15 months without racking until blended and bottled. My notes were the most extensive for this wine indicating it was special. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Terrific nose eager to offer aromas of dark berries, burnt tobacco, sweet pipe smoke and flower garden. The core of mid-weight olallieberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit really engages the drinker. A hint of tobacco and violets add interest. A firm backbone of tannin is readily evident initially. When tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle, the deep aromas of purple berry compete burnt tobacco and pine sap were ridiculously sensual. The berry fruit gained intensity and seemed to last on the finish for a minute. This is a young wine that needs time to ease the tannins but the structure guarantees that this wine will go the distance. McDougall Ranch always stands out in the Kutch lineup. The finish sends the drinker immediately back for another sip.

The 2019 McDougall Ranch bottling of pinot noir from Jamie Kutch is also excellent in quality. Its cellar stats are similar to the other wines here this year, with seventy-five percent whole clusters and thirteen percent alcohol. The youthful nose offers up a lovely constellation of cherries, beetroot, pomegranate, pigeon, a fine base of dark soil, roses, black tea, sweet stem tones and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and potentially sappy at the core, with fine soil signature, ripe, buried tannins, tangy acids and beautiful length and grip on the complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is just a touch more structurally accessible out of the blocks than these other 2019s from Jamie Kutch, but it too is built for the long haul and it would be a crime to open a bottle before its tenth birthday. Fine juice.