Pinot Noir "Bressay Estate Vineyard", DuMOL, Sonoma, CA, 2021 (Magnum)

I consider our Bressay Estate Pinot Noir the qualitative equivalent of the Finn & DuMOL Estate Vineyard bottlings, and in fact, this is my personal favorite Pinot of this great 2021 vintage. It’s also the wine my French winemaker colleagues feel the most affinity with. The small two-acre parcel that comprises this limited bottling sits in a privileged spot on the mid-slope of our Bressay Estate (Bressay is the Shetland, Scotland, island of my fishing/crofting forefathers, population 360). The wine is quite unique in our portfolio, being mostly red fruit focused which is enhanced by our use of 30% whole clusters in the fermentation tank. This ancient technique lifts the wine’s aromas, broadens its texture and preserves its energy and drive. The wine will be irresistible to sample this Fall but will develop great complexity over the next decade. The wine of the vintage for me.