Reviews & Ratings

2021 Etude Pinot Noir "Grace Benoist Ranch"

Winery: Etude

Vintage: 2021

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Grace Benoist Ranch"

Wine Category: Pinot Noir

Grape blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Carneros

State or country: CA

Price: $47

Cases produced: 10,187

KWG Score: 90.8 (based on 5 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (92)

Review date: July 7, 2024

Wine Review: This dark ruby colored Pinot Noir from Etude opens with a black raspberry and tobacco leaf bouquet with hints of red licorice, black pepper, and cranberry. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied with integrated medium acidity. The mouthfeel is nicely balanced, smooth, seamless, and fresh. The flavor profile is a tasty stony minerality and gentle black cherry blend with notes of oak and black raspberry. I also detected hints of red licorice and boysenberry. The finish is dry and its refined tannins and flavors drift away nicely. This versatile and food friendly Pinot would pair well with many dishes. I would pair it with Stuart's beef wellington. Enjoy – Ken

Winemaker Notes: This dark ruby-red Pinot Noir is bright and juicy. Fragrant aromas of red cherry, cranberry, and cassis sit alongside lifted dusty rose and tobacco leaf, while crushed stone and minerality support the vibrant fruit. On the palate, fresh, mouthwatering acidity accompanies a core of fresh red berries and dried cherry, while perfumed cedar, white pepper spice, caramel, and toasty vanilla oak come through as a tribute to the oak aging. Secondary notes of delicate cherry blossom, wild violet, dried thyme, and bay laurel are also present. The medium body supports soft tannins with a firm grip. The wine finishes long, smooth, and round with nuanced hints of graphite, clove spice, and earthy minerality derived from the volcanic soils adding complexity and depth, a signature characteristic found in Grace Benoist Ranch Pinot Noirs.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Etude 2021 Grace Benoist Pinot Noir.