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2023 Deer Camp Vineyard Pinot Noir

2023 Deer Camp Vineyard Pinot Noir

Draped in a rich ruby garnet hue, this wine opens with an expressive and aromatic nose of Montmorency cherry and boysenberry, lifted red and blue fruits layered with the floral elegance of fresh...

Draped in a rich ruby garnet hue, this wine opens with an expressive and aromatic nose of Montmorency cherry and boysenberry, lifted red and blue fruits layered with the floral elegance of fresh violets. The palate is both generous and refined, offering a juicy, fruit-driven core wrapped in savory volcanic earthiness. Bright acidity carries the flavors with poise and length, while the youthful yet subtle tannin structure adds polish and finesse. With its round, regal impression and underlying structure, this wine is built to age gracefully, promising years of evolution ahead.

Carneros750mL14.4
$90.00
$90.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2023
  • Region: Napa Valley
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • ABV: 14.4
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir
  • pH: 3.66

Tasting Notes

Draped in a rich ruby garnet hue, this wine opens with an expressive and aromatic nose of Montmorency cherry and boysenberry, lifted red and blue fruits layered with the floral elegance of fresh violets. The palate is both generous and refined, offering a juicy, fruit-driven core wrapped in savory volcanic earthiness. Bright acidity carries the flavors with poise and length, while the youthful yet subtle tannin structure adds polish and finesse. With its round, regal impression and underlying structure, this wine is built to age gracefully, promising years of evolution ahead.

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Expert reviews

92 POINTS

“The 2023 Pinot Noir Deer Camp Grace Benoist Ranch brings together so many of the elements that define this large, expansive ranch at the northwest edge of Carneros. Dark, virile and savory, the 2023 has a lot to offer in its multidimensional personality. Black fruit, sage, rosemary, incense and mocha flesh out with some coaxing. There’s a lot to look forward to.”– Antonio Galloni

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

Deer Camp Vineyard

Located in the cool, maritime-swept Carneros region of Sonoma, Deer Camp Vineyard at Grace Benoist Ranch is situated on a southwest-facing slope of two blocks we refer to as the Pinot Bowl. Featuring distinctive rocky, well-drained soils of Kidd Stony Loam, the site is planted mostly to the Martini clone of Pinot Noir, which produces thick-skinned, pulpy grapes that hold up well to the fog and wind that blow through this cool climate vineyard. This small vineyard was named after an old deer camp structure that stands at the base of this site.

vintage

In 2023, Grace Benoist Ranch, situated in the cool, maritime-swept Carneros region of Sonoma, benefited from a classic growing season defined by moderation and persistence. A wet and cool winter segued into a foggy "June gloom," delaying bud break and pushing veraison late into the season. Throughout summer, temperatures remained mild, with daytime highs generally between the low to mid-70°F range, which allowed fruit to ripen evenly and maintain vibrant natural acidity. Harvest was unusually late; this extended hang time permitted development of excellent flavor and structural depth without loss of finesse. The resulting wines display hallmark traits of Grace Benoist Ranch: clarity of fruit, refined minerality and bright acidity. Age-worthy, they are beautifully balanced - structured yet elegant - with vivid aromatics that reflect the cool-climate precision of this remarkable 2023 vintage.

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

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes for this wine were harvested at night to preserve freshness and integrity. They were placed in open-top fermenters for 3-5 days of cold maceration followed by fermentation. A small percentage of the grapes were left as whole clusters to preserve the buoyancy of fruit aromatics and to add structure and refinement to the wine. Punch downs were performed during the early stages of fermentation, with the extraction becoming gentler as the wine became dry, and followed by a quiet extended maceration to help modify the richness and mouthfeel of the wine. The wine was lightly pressed into small French oak barrels where it rested for 14 months.