CALIFORNIA
CLOS PEPE
Clos Pepe is a family-owned vineyard and winery set in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, California. Of the 29 acres planted in vines, 25 acres are planted in Pinot Noir, and 4 acres in Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is our passion. We make about 800 cases of Estate Pinot Noir each year, 100 cases of Chablis-style Chardonnay that is aged without the use of any new oak, and a few hundred cases of ‘Barrel Fermented’ Chardonnay using only older, ‘neutra;’ French oak barrels.
Region: Santa Rita Winemakers: Wes Hagen url: www.clospepe.com
2013 Estate Chardonnay “Barrel Fermented”
Light to medium straw color with aromas of green apple and lemon zest. There’s some minerals under the bouquet of sublime toasted oak, but the wine is very complete right now, showing a gorgeous posture to be de-capped and emptied. But patience will be rewarded.
2013 Estate Chardonnay Homage to Chablis
The 2013 Homage is packed with bright, young fruit, apple and peach skin, profound minerality and a tropical edge. The 2013 from barrel has a dense and expressive liquid-mineral nose framed by fantastic acidity and aromas/flavors of lime zest, white flowers, apple, quince and salinity.
2013 Estate Pinot Noir
Explosive red and black berry fruits in the nose, edge of jammy with oak toast and baking spices. Good grip and chewiness—a very primary wine that will please crowds and critics, but will also show enough restraint in the glass to be a fantastic table wine.
2014 Axis Mundis Grenache Blanc
Balanced version, stainless fermented and bottled without malolactic fermentation. Crisp, bright, slightly spicy.
2013 Axis Mundis Grenache Syrah, Windmill Vineyard
67% Grenache/33% Syrah
Light garnet color with grapey, juicy, baking spice and white pepper, perhaps a melon or tropical hint, with the slightest whisper of smoke from the syrah and oak.