This is one for the stars! Today’s hard-to-appoint WIA: Pinot of the Year!

We feel like we’ve been written into a Hollywood movie with full-on costumes and (drinkable) props. Ok, we’re in Sideways… to be specific. “Only somebody who really takes the time… to understand Pinot’s potential… can then coax it into its fullest expression” and this is one that Miles Raymond would be pleased with!

Carucci is located in the picturesque Central Coast town of Los Olivos, California home to world-class wineries and food, with a downtown dotted with sweet intimate tasting rooms galore. The brainchild of Eric Carucci and his wife Lindsay focuses on single vineyard wines that express the true sense of place. Eric makes his wine at the award-winning Levo and keeps his production small and focused.

Greengate Vineyard is a winemaker’s site in Edna Valley with rich oceanic and volcanic soils that ripens Pinot Noir perfectly. A phenomenon known as the Pismo Venturi effect clears the evening fog and provides extra bits of sunshine.

What’s in our glasses is elegant and exotic. Rich aromas of lilac and dark blueberry preserves. Think plum and forest floor with lovely zippy acidity. Polished tannins and flavors of roasted strawberries, cremini, and hibiscus lead into a bright finish that lingers for days.

While 2019 was a “benchmark vintage for California Pinot, with wines showing power, finesse and the structure to cellar per Wine Spectator this particular wine was never reviewed or rated. However, Jeb Dunnuck was a fan of the 2018 and the 2017. He thought the 2017 was “complex” with “beautiful acidity, outstanding balance, and a clean, classy finish” and for the 2018 “coming from the Cooler Edna Valley and fermented with one-third stems, a pretty, elegant, medium-bodied style… I love its balance…” if only he could have tasted this with A LOT more of all that.

And at almost half off* you know this won’t last this WIA day.