2016 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

Handcrafted by renowned winemaker Ed Kurtzman, the Mansfield-Dunne 2016 Santa Lucia Highlands Appellation Pinot was aged in French oak (25% new) for 16 months before bottling. The 2016 SLH pinot is reminiscent of the very popular 2012 SLH. The very fragrant nose of the Peterson Vineyard is easy to spot, once you've tried a few of them. There are floral notes, ripe berries and dried herbs all playing off each other in complete harmony.  With the new Cortada Alta  Vineyard fruit in the mix, there is also a darker berry aspect to the aromas as well.  Soft and rich on the palate, the typically tart Peterson fruit is balanced out nicely by the more opulent Cortada Alta fruit. This 2016 is already drinking well, and should continue to improve through 2023.