Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Pinot Noir 2022
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker - Vinous
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Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has fantastic intensity and focus with firm and racy tannins that show blue fruits, orange peel, hibiscus flowers and plants. Medium body. Acid and tannin driven. Complex structure. 85% of this is heritage clones of Mount Eden, Calera and Swan.
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Jeb Dunnuck
With a ripe magenta hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir George Menini Vineyard is equally high in quality and was harvested quite early for this site in the Sebastopol Hills. It boasts a slightly deeper and layered profile in the glass, revealing brambly notes of wild, sweet herbs, fresh black cherries, and violets. It has a medium-bodied frame that retains great tension on the palate, with coiled tannins and a delicate spice through the long finish, with notes of incense. Drink 2024-2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Pinot Noir George Menini was bottled in August 2023 and tasted in November. The nose opens slowly to reveal delicate rhubarb, strawberry, raspberry, black tea leaves, woodsmoke and juniper. The light-bodied palate is bursting with crunchy red fruit and spicy accents. It has a fine, chalky frame, fireworks of fresh acidity and a long finish with tremendous floral perfume.
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Vinous
The 2022 Pinot Noir George Menini is the most complete of the wines I tasted in this set of Spring releases from Paul Hobbs. Dark, ample and intensely savory, the 2022 impresses with its resonant personality. It's a big, vibrant wine with impeccable balance and tons of harmony. A whole range of floral and spiced aromatics lingers on the close. This is a standout.
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Wine Spectator
This nicely done version's juicy burst of maraschino cherry and blackberry fruit is laced with anise and applewood accents through the toasty but well-filled-out finish (for the vintage). Drink now through 2030.
Other Vintages
2021-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.