La Follette Pinot Noir Heintz Vineyard Russian River Valley 2017
HAPPY JULY 23rd! Birthdays today include Woody Harrelson, Daniel Radcliffe (yes, Harry Potter), shredding, face-melting guitar player SLASH, not to mention Marlon Wayans and a bunch of YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat “stars” that we are too busy drinking wine to follow. WHY, oh why are we mentioning this? Because we desperately needed a theme for today:
BIRTHDAY BLOWOUTS. Why not. Yes, today we are going to BLOW OUT 5-6, maybe 7, drop-dead uber-deals, one after the other. These are wines that don’t have enough quantity for a “regular” day at Last Bottle (because we would sell out in minutes), but still have the same pedigree, deliciousness and head-spinning price as what we normally do. Capice? With that….
WINE #1 -- La Follette Pinot Noir Heintz Vineyard!
Yup. See, we weren't kidding. La Follette (Greg La Follette of Flowers fame) pinot from the legendary Heintz vineyard in Russian River at a STAGGERING, unheard-of price, 94 POINTS from the Wine Advocate, who said: “...slowly evolving nose of Bing cherries, crunchy cranberries and blackberries with accents of potpourri, dried violets, dusty earth and herbs. Soft, silky and medium-bodied with fine, grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, it has wonderful perfumed fruit flavors and a long, nuanced finish. 217 cases produced.”
This stuff is DELISH. Soft, complex, lifted and mmmmm pour another glass. What a price!
I think we’re off on the right foot! Grab it while you can!
La Follette "An ongoing dialogue with singular vineyards"
Tasting Notes:
The vineyards in this region tend to deliver bright red fruit but this vintage reflects a nice mix of dark and red. There's the distinctive Russian River Valley cherry cola in the nose followed by baking spices, anise, and allspice. Flavors abound include cherry pie, red raspberry, currant with a bit of green, blueberry, and melting milk chocolate. Sipping it transports you to the sensory feeling of walking in the woods - the smells of coastal earthiness and forest floor. This Pinot Noir has an unctuous mid-palate with a lingering aftertaste. Delicious today and will hold well through 2024-2026
Technical Details
Country: United StatesRegion: California
Appellation: Sonoma County
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Heintz vienyard
Aging/Cooperage: 11 months in low toast French oak, 25% new
Harvest Date: September 4, 2017
Alcohol: 14.0%
Production: 217
About The Producer
La Follette fully embraces the concept of terroir - that each vineyard site has a unique expression that is showcased through the wines. Grapes from each location gain the full benefit of the microclimate, clonal selection, constant eye of the vineyard manager knowing when it is best to pick each row, and so on.
The winemaker’s role is to handcraft a wine true to the vineyard, pure in its expression, and a delight to drink. With each vintage, our understanding deepens and the wines become more reflective of that place.
In producing the most distinctive, site-driven Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, La Follette partners with family-owned vineyards. We work closely together to ensure the farming is done to our viticultural directives based on decades of experience and celebrates the distinct nature of their location
Pairing Suggestions
Poultry (Duck & Goose) and other game birds
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