Professional Ratings & Reviews — ZD Wines Pinot Noir 2023 (Carneros)
Key published scores (standard bottling)
95 points — Wine Review Online (Rich Cook)
93 points — Wine Enthusiast (Buying Guide)
92.5 points — Ken’s Wine Guide
Additional competition / trade scores (producer-reported)
96 points — San Francisco International Wine Competition (Double Gold)
95 points — San Diego International Wine Challenge (Platinum)
93 points — Los Angeles Invitational Wine Challenge (Gold)
Founder’s Reserve 2023 (higher-tier bottling context)
96 points — Wine Review Online (Michael Franz)
Pure red cherry core
Subtle spice and restrained oak
Focus on balance rather than heaviness
Good aging potential
Common tasting profile across professional reviews
Fruit profile:
Cherry, raspberry, strawberry
Red plum, pomegranate
Secondary notes:
Baking spice, clove, nutmeg
Tobacco, cola, graphite (in some reviews)
Light oak influence
Structure:
Medium-bodied
Bright acidity (typical of Carneros)
Fine, moderately firm tannins
Long, balanced finish
Overall critical consensus
The 2023 ZD Wines Carneros Pinot Noir is generally rated in the 93–96 point range depending on bottling and reviewer.
Main points of agreement among critics:
High-quality red fruit purity
Balanced, food-friendly structure
Controlled oak use
Strong vintage performance
Good aging potential
Bottom line
The 2023 vintage is considered an excellent to outstanding Pinot Noir from ZD Wines, showing a refined Carneros style with emphasis on freshness, structure, and balance rather than heavy or jammy fruit.
Wine Enthusiast
Juicy and plump, offering pineapple, peach and apricot flavors alongside generous and fleshy notes of marmalade and lemon curd. A distinctive orange detail comes in on the finish, with orange blossom and candied orange peel hints lingering on the long, fresh finish. Drink now. 3,756 cases made.
Aging potential
Overall
This Pinot Noir is a classic expression of Carneros terroir, offering a balance of bright fruit, spice, and structure. It's a versatile wine, suitable for enjoyment on its own or paired with food.
Founded in 1969, ZD Wines is owned and operated by the deLeuze Family. The winery is located in Rutherford, a premium Cabernet Sauvignon growing region in the heart of the Napa Valley. ZD Wines is a family business that is committed to producing world-class wines, farming organically and providing first-class hospitality to guests, all while supporting many charitable efforts locally and throughout the country. They celebrate more than 50 years of winemaking, with the second and third generations of the deLeuze family carrying on the family legacy.
ZD Wines primarily produces three core varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The current ZD winemaking and vineyard management team have amassed a fantastic base of winemaking and vineyard management knowledge with more than 100 years of combined experience. The winemaking team is comprised of Robert deLeuze (CEO/Director of Winemaking), Chris Pisani (Senior Winemaker), Brandon deLeuze (Winemaker), and Chad McComber (Cellar Master). They combine their winemaking knowledge and use blending as their ultimate winemaking tool to craft wines of quality, consistency and style. Rafael Llamas Sr. (Estate Vineyard Manager) and his son Rafael Llamas Jr. (Hospitality, Garden Curator and Vineyard Assistant), manage ZD’s certified organic estate vineyards at the Rutherford winery, as well as the ZD Carneros Estate in Napa. The winery also maintains long-term grower relationships with vineyards in Napa, Sonoma Carneros, Monterey and Santa Barbara.
Founder Norman deLeuze believed that great wines are made from healthy vines grown in rich, living soils. ZD Wines has an in-depth history of embracing an ecologically sensitive approach to all aspects of their operation. With a focus on producing world-class wines, their certified organic vineyards promote biodiversity using the best technologies of the day, as well as time honored farming methods. The winery and vineyards use solar energy, bio fuels, composting, cover cropping, recycling, water conservation, electric vehicles, and more, to conserve and enhance our planet. ZD’s Rutherford and Carneros Estates have been certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and are certified by Fish Friendly Farming, Napa Green Winery and California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing. The winery offers an Eco Vineyard Tour at their Rutherford property where guests walk through the organic certified vineyards and learn firsthand about the winery’s eco practices.
To date, ZD Wines and The deLeuze Family Charitable Foundation have raised more than $1,000,000 to support research lead by Dr. Joseph Tuscano at the UC Davis Cancer Center. In addition to fundraising events, each week the deLeuze family and ZD team deliver healthy snacks to the Napa Valley Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. The deLeuze family also provides an annual $500 grant to each employee to gift to local charities of their choosing.
