Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2018

The 2018 Pinot Noir is gorgeous. Deep and super-expressive, the 2018 has so much to say. Hints of dried herbs, blood orange, rose petal, cinnamon and star anise complement a core of red cherry/plum fruit nicely. This stylish, elegant Pinot has a ton to offer. But it also needs time, as the stem component is a bit pronounced in the early going.

Crushed stone, lit gunpowder, peppery herbs, sassafras, violets, and assorted red and black fruits all emerge from the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate, a brilliant release from this estate that's medium-bodied, has bright yet integrated acidity, beautiful balance, and a great, great finish. It's young and unevolved (yet it's already complex) and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, but this is a gorgeous California Pinot Noir on every level. It's going to drink well for over two decades.

Black-plum, incense, black-cherry and root-beer aromas show on the nose of this bottling from a regional standard bearer. Sandalwood and mahogany flavors make for a woody palate, where the dark-plum and purple-flower flavors cling to a firm tension.