Belle Glos 2022 Las Alturas Pinot Noir

The 2022 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir is a masterful expression of the Santa Lucia Highlands, a wine of staggering depth, precision, and undeniable charisma. Cloaked in a rich crimson hue, it unfurls with an intoxicating bouquet—ripe Bing cherries, black cassis, and dried fig meld seamlessly with alluring notes of dark chocolate, promising a palate of unparalleled indulgence. This is Pinot Noir at its most opulent, a testament to meticulous viticulture and a winemaking philosophy that marries intensity with finesse.

Perched at elevations reaching 1,200 feet, the Las Alturas vineyard basks in a climate of extremes—sun-drenched days tempered by coastal fog and fierce afternoon winds that sculpt the fruit into small, thick-skinned berries, bursting with concentration. The 2022 vintage, shaped by a warm, dry winter and a long, cool ripening season punctuated by a late-summer heatwave, has yielded a wine of exceptional ripeness, purity, and structure. Each sip is an intricate dance of marionberry pie, boysenberry preserves, and dark plum, woven together with a whisper of mocha and exotic spice, all framed by a spine of vibrant acidity that extends into a finish of staggering length.

The alchemy of this Pinot Noir is realized through masterful winemaking—hand-harvested in the cool pre-dawn hours, gently destemmed, and left to luxuriate in a cold soak for up to two weeks, allowing for maximum extraction of color and tannin. Fermentation in a mix of open- and closed-top fermenters, coupled with a precise regimen of punch-downs and pump-overs, ensures both depth and elegance. Aged for nine months in 100% French oak, with 60% new barrels, the wine gains additional layers of texture and complexity, while undergoing malolactic fermentation to soften its edges, creating a seamless, mouth-coating richness.

Belle Glos has long stood at the pinnacle of California Pinot Noir, and the 2022 Las Alturas cements that reputation with a wine that is both hedonistic and impeccably structured. Its combination of opulence and lift, fruit and earth, power and poise make it a singular expression of the Santa Lucia Highlands—one that demands attention today yet possesses the backbone to evolve beautifully over the next decade. Pair it with dishes of equal gravitas—duck confit, wild mushroom risotto, or a perfectly seared filet mignon—and allow its symphony of flavors to unfold with each sip.

93 POINTS - "Deep and dark aromas of black cherry, sandalwood and incense make for a heady nose on this bottling. The palate is big and bold, loaded with ripe black cherry and boysenberry flavors, as peppery, incense-like spices add complexity and the texture stays lusciously creamy." - Wine Enthusiast

Rich crimson in color with fragrant aromas of bing cherry, dried fig, black cassis and hints of rich dark chocolate. Bold and elegant on the palate with marionberry pie, boysenberry preserves, dark plum, and subtle notes of mocha. Balanced and structured, this wine has beautiful acidity that lingers through to a long, mouthwatering finish.