2019 Domaine Eden, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA
Critics reviews
The 2019 Pinot Noir at Domaine Eden was fermented with 20% whole clusters and aged in French oak, ranging from one to five years old. The nose is fresh and floral, combining cranberry, hibiscus and sandalwood aromas with a subtle herbal quality. The palate straddles high-toned structure and deep richness, with persistently soft acidity. This vibrant showing should drink beautifully through its tenth birthday.
Drink 2021 - 2029
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
About this WINE
Domaine Eden
Domaine Eden, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, is an extension of Mount Eden Vineyards, acquired by the estate in 2007. This renowned property is celebrated for crafting approachable yet refined expressions of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, using grapes sourced from its own vineyards. The cool, maritime climate and diverse soils of the Santa Cruz Mountains provide an ideal environment for growing high-quality grapes, resulting in elegant and complex wines.
What sets Domaine Eden apart is its commitment to sustainable farming and traditional winemaking techniques. Each bottle reflects the meticulous care and craftsmanship synonymous with the Mount Eden legacy. While Domaine Eden wines are more accessible in style than the age-worthy offerings of Mount Eden Vineyards, they still embody the same dedication to quality.
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is a Viticultural Area that is based around the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. The appellation enjoys a large diveristy of micro-climates, affected by the mountain topography, the Pacific Ocean, and the nearby San Francisco Bay.
The wine appellation encompasses 1,500 acres of vineyards, dominated by mainly Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, with more smaller blocks of Cabernet Franc, Carignane, Dolcetto, Grenache, Malbec, Malvasia, Merlot, Mondeuse, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel.
Notable wineries in the appellation include: Bonny Doon Vineyard, Ridge Vineyards , Neely
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
The 2019 Pinot Noir at Domaine Eden was fermented with 20% whole clusters and aged in French oak, ranging from one to five years old. The nose is fresh and floral, combining cranberry, hibiscus and sandalwood aromas with a subtle herbal quality. The palate straddles high-toned structure and deep richness, with persistently soft acidity. This vibrant showing should drink beautifully through its tenth birthday.
Drink 2021 - 2029
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
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