96 POINTS
  • A bottle of Heirloom Pinot Noir from Etude's Carneros estate vineyard, Grace Benoist Ranch
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2022 Heirloom Pinot Noir

2022 Heirloom Pinot Noir

This wine opens with a rich bouquet of black cherry and red currant, complemented by subtle notes of black tea and ripe plum. The aromas are layered, imbuing complexity and depth. On the palate,...

This wine opens with a rich bouquet of black cherry and red currant, complemented by subtle notes of black tea and ripe plum. The aromas are layered, imbuing complexity and depth. On the palate, the wine mirrors its aromatic profile with vibrant flavors of black cherry and red currant, intertwined with a hint of bay leaf, earthy minerality and linear acidity. The whole cluster fermentation imparts a distinctive nuance, while the wine’s well-integrated structure suggests that it will continue to evolve with additional bottle age, offering a promising and intriguing evolution over time.

Carneros750ml 14.1
$95.00
$95.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2022
  • Region: Carneros
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • ABV: 14.1
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

This wine opens with a rich bouquet of black cherry and red currant, complemented by subtle notes of black tea and ripe plum. The aromas are layered, imbuing complexity and depth. On the palate, the wine mirrors its aromatic profile with vibrant flavors of black cherry and red currant, intertwined with a hint of bay leaf, earthy minerality and linear acidity. The whole cluster fermentation imparts a distinctive nuance, while the wine’s well-integrated structure suggests that it will continue to evolve with additional bottle age, offering a promising and intriguing evolution over time.

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Expert reviews

96 POINTS

“Aromas of wild raspberries, violets, citrus peel and cassia bark. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins and a generous mouthfeel, giving flavors of dried strawberries, spices, cherries and pencil shavings. Very well balanced and pure, with underlying tension.” - JamesSuckling.com, January 2025

91 POINTS

“Gently mulled raspberry and cherry fruit is silky in feel, with blood orange, red tea and savory hints adding subtle energy through the finish. Drink now through 2027.” – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, March 3, 2025

Winemaker Jon Priest walking between rows of grapevines in a vineyard.

Grace Benoist Ranch

Etude’s Heirloom Pinot Noir, produced from several heirloom selections of the variety, is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of plant diversity. It exemplifies the singular, superior wines – unusually expressive, concentrated and pure – that issue from original varieties or vine selections chosen for the inherent wine quality they produce.

Grown on the Etude Estate Vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch, the grapes for our Heirloom Pinot Noir come from shy-bearing selections that produce small bunches and even smaller berries. Although some may overlook these vines due to their extremely low yields, we prize their ability to produce wines that are both expressive of their genetic origins as well as providing a unique flavor profile, which exemplifies the varied site and diversity of soils on which they’re grown.

Winemaker Jon Priest holding up harvested grapes near stainless steel fermentation tanks.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes were handpicked at night to preserve freshness and acidity. They were placed in open-top fermenters for three to five days of cold maceration followed by fermentation. About 20 percent of the fruit was kept whole cluster to preserve buoyant fruit aromatics and to add structure and refinement. Punch downs were performed during the early stages of fermentation with extraction becoming gentler as the wine became dry. An extended maceration followed to increase richness and mouthfeel. The wine was lightly pressed into French oak barrels (25% new) where it rested for 14 months, bottled with no fining or filtration.