Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone Santa Maria Valley 2021 (750ml)

 

Rated 91 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

This is a very bold style of Pinot Noir, so much that it’s not very reflective of the grape but would work well paired with a juicy grilled steak.  Concentrated aromas of blackberry, maple syrup and hot pancakes lead into a viscous, thick palate of berry jam, clove and cardamom flavors.

 

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone

 

Santa Maria Valley 2021

 

Santa Barbara County

 

Tasting Notes

 

Deep purple garnet in color with lavish aromas of warm blackberry pie, raspberry, licorice, and white pepper.  Bold and sophisticated on the palate with flavors of dry cherry, crushed lavender, and chocolate covered blueberries.  The texture is rich and velvety which leads to a long, structured finish.

 

Clark & Telephone Vineyard

 

The Clark & Telephone Vineyard was established in 1972 and planted with “own root” Martini clone vines.  This heirloom clone of Pinot Noir, one of the first to grace the California coastlands, has become something of a lost treasure.

 

Clark & Telephone Vineyard, located near the corner of Clark Avenue and Telephone Road in the Santa Maria Valley, is cooled by wind and fog that snakes in from the Pacific Ocean along a channel of the Santa Maria River.

 

Located just 13 miles from the ocean and situated on a west-facing slope, this vineyard experiences weather patterns that pull from west to east to bring cool fog and coastal breezes inland until August when Santa Ana winds begin.

 

Winemaking

 

We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still cool to preserve their vineyard-fresh flavors.  After destemming (but not crushing) the berries, we cold-soaked the must for 14 days to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction.  During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both punch-down and pump-over techniques to extract color and phenolics.  We aged the wine in 100% French oak (60% new) for up to 12 months.  After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we racked it twice before bottling.

 

 

Belle Glos

 

Belle Glos showcases award winning Pinot Noirs from California’s most noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions, produced by fifth-generation winemaker Joseph Wagner.

 

While each vineyard location lies near the Pacific Ocean, the climate differences are significant, varying with the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site.  Each Vineyard Designate is crafted to distill the purest essence of the locale into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir.

 

Owner/Winemaker, Joe Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced “BELL GLOSS”) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner.  Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir.

 

 

Rated 91 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

This is a very bold style of Pinot Noir, so much that it’s not very reflective of the grape but would work well paired with a juicy grilled steak.  Concentrated aromas of blackberry, maple syrup and hot pancakes lead into a viscous, thick palate of berry jam, clove and cardamom flavors.