2020 Racines, La Rinconada Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, California, USA

Light clay with lots of stones. The most Burgundian site – ‘though we don’t want to make burgundy in California, just want to have a Burgundian sensibility’, says Étienne de Montille. 70% whole bunch.

The darkest of these 2020 Racines Pinots. Light nose. Lots of texture and savour underneath. Very juicy too. Firm, ripe tannins on the end. Long.

Drink 2025 - 2033

The 2020 Pinot Noir La Rinconada Vineyard is a potent, searing wine. Bright red-toned fruit, minerals, crushed rocks, white pepper and iron all race across the palate. I find the stems overpowering to the degree that site character is masked. This austere, reticent Pinot will need a number of years to come together. It's a very good wine, but one that could have been and should have been better.

Drink 2024 - 2032

The La Riconada Vineyard Pinot Noir has impressive density given its silken finish and sub 13% abv. This is a wine of sheer concentration. Tightly wound a core of fresh red fruits lays the scene for savoury and mineral accents that tease the fruit character into something that shows more depth than the three years would lead one to believe. Aromas of anise, smoke, mer and dried sumac pull out notes of wet stone and dried savoury herbs. The palate is supple and red-fruited but backed by crushed basalt and Mediterranean scrub, leading one to want to revisit this wine in five years.

Drink 2023 - 2034