Fall Release Finn Pinot Noir
2016

Winemaker’s Notes

The beauty of our Finn Pinot Noir has always been the complementing blend of soils, vine ages, plant materials and distinct wine styles that combine to produce its grand-scale complexity and aging potential. In its 17th vintage, this 2016 bottling will rank in the top three or four wines in quality and style, alongside such profound vintages as 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2014. That’s a pretty serious lineage.

The vines we farm for Finn are grown in a range of soils that comprise sand, loam and clay. The resulting wine displays a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors: layered fruits, red to black; sweet to savory; spicy and floral; herbal and tart. Within this spectrum comes a level of balance, intensity and nuance that is hard to find or replicate on a large scale; we will never bottle more than sixteen to twenty barrels each vintage.

Our 2016 Finn Pinot Noir teems with intrigue and counterpoised elements, a collection of nuances and fine detail, equal parts volume and delicacy. Possessing a building depth and succulence, it remains fresh and lively, devoid of heaviness—unmistakably Finn, dynamic and ethereal. The flavors of wild berries, truffle and bergamot tea sail on and on, the expansive finish delicate and silky. A wine that can be enjoyed on release, it has tremendous potential to evolve and gain even greater complexity over the next decade. Drink between 2019 and 2026.

Andy Smith