Walter Hansel The North Slope Pinot Noir 2022
- v92
- jd91
Category | Red Wine |
Varietal | |
Brand | Walter Hansel |
Origin | California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley |
Alcohol/vol | 14% |
Winery Notes:
100% clone 115 from the block furthest north with a south to north facing slope.
All pinot noir is stainless steel fermented after a 5-7 day cold soak with punchdowns 3 times daily. Whole clusters are employed in only a few tanks at 5%. Barrels are 60% new Francois Freres and the remainder 1 year old. The wine is aged in barrel for 12 months and settled in tank for 2 months.
Vinous
- v92
The 2022 Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard is quite dark and brooding in feel. Black cherry, plum, spice, leather, lavender, game and mocha add to an impression of somber intensity. Give this a year or two to soften. Clone 777 Pinot yields a wine of notable breadth here.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd91
The 2022 Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard is entirely from the 115 clone and pours a darker ruby/magenta color. Raised in 24% new French oak, and the rest in one-year-old François Frère barrels, the wine is toasty with notes of incense, scorched forest floor, ripe black cherries, and a touch of licorice. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with ripe tannins and a juicy feel, its toasty spice lasting on the finish. It’s going to have a wide drinking window over the next 5-6 years. 511 cases produced.