Us: Putting all our cards on the table, this was one of the 12 wines in our 2020 Collector's Case. Think of how many Pinots we can choose for that case and you get an idea of how much we love it. The expression of Pinot noir's pure beauty: old vines, picked at the perfect time, treated the right way, unobscured by new oak, wonderfully balanced in its unstoppable fruit and elegant, buoyant freshness. As Jim Maresh has said many times: this exquisite, old vine fruit needs no makeup.
Jim Maresh: Lighter and brighter than the Old Vines the '18 Maresh has a beautiful floral fragrance with late season strawberries, red licorice and white pepper. Delivers poised and pure red fruit that is detailed, crystalline and long. This wine displays an elusive balance of minerality and drive only found in the oldest blocks of Maresh. These vines were planted around the Red Barn tasting room in 1970.
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In case you need to re-stock your 2017s or need more for comparison purposes...
$39.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($43.95 regular)
96 points Vinous: "A highly complex bouquet evokes red berry and cherry preserves, along with building Asian spice, rose oil and smoky mineral flourishes. Shows fine delineation and seamless texture, offering concentrated, spice-tinged Chambord, cherry, cola and spicecake flavors that pick up a strong rose pastille nuance with air. Finishes extremely long and pure, with fine-grained tannins providing framework and gentle grip to lingering red fruit, five-spice powder and savory herb notes. 70% of this fruit comes from the estate Maresh vineyard and the other 30% is from the neighboring Weber vineyard; the vast majority of the vines were planted in the late 1970s."
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$62.05 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($68.95 regular)
96 points Vinous: "Heady, mineral- and spice-accented red and blue fruit and potpourri aromas are complemented by exotic incense and Asian spice flourishes. Vibrant, palate-staining raspberry, red currant, boysenberry, candied rose and spicecake flavors suavely blend power and delicacy. Sneaky, polished tannins add subtle grip to a strikingly long, incisive finish that leaves resonating floral and spice notes behind."
