Vine Hill Winery
2005 Gatos Locos of Vine Hill - Pinot Noir(Santa Cruz Mountains)
Winemaker Sal Godinez of Gatos Locus of Vine Hill in the Santa Cruz Mountains is radiant when he pours this wine as he knows it will astound and satisfy. He knows the kind of Pinot I love, and this is definitely one of my favourites. Made from excellent Pinot fruit from three small and well-maintained vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it is sleek, lovely and brimming with all the treasures a good Pinot delivers.
It’s like going through an old trunk in your grandmother’s attic and finding everything from old photos to lacy aprons to a hand-painted mirror. And maybe a few squirreled away $2 bills. This wine fills your nose with lovely raspberries, truffles, juniper berries, rose petals and mountain spice. It opens up with sassafras, cherries, cranberries and a hint of mint. The oak is pretty persistent, and the acid is not shy, indicating a wine that will mature very nicely for several years. All in all, Sal did a great job with this delicious, clean, smooth treasure trove in a bottle.
Reviewed November 15, 2007 by Laura Ness.
The Wine
Winery: Vine Hill Winery |
The ReviewerA wine writer and wine judge for major publications and competitions around the country, Laura Ness likens wine to the experience of music. She is always looking for that ubiquitous marriage of rhythm, melody, and flawless execution. What is good music? You know it when you get lost in it. What is good wine? It is music in your mouth. |