Evening Land Vineyards
The Evening Coast Pinot noir 06
Evening Land Vineyards' The Evening Coast Pinot noir 06 is a blend of wine from Oregon and California. It is 55% California (Carl Meyer and Doc's Ranch Vineyards, Sonoma Coast) and 45% Oregon (Seven Springs and Sunny Mountain Vineyards) fruit.
Fascinating and different, who would think a blend of declassified Pinot noir from Oregon and California could result in such a pleasing wine. Winemaker Sashi Moorman created a textured, lush and sweet Pinot noir. It incorporates the fresh, juicy fruit of the 2006 Oregon vintage with the luxurious richness of California.
It was fun to taste the Evening Coast 06 and to try to tease apart the Oregon versus California characteristics. Whatever the particular combination of scents and flavors, this is a rounded, velvety Pinot that retains a refreshing finish with good acidity and balance. Recommended.
Evening Lands' owner Mark Tarlov explains the rationale for combining declassified fruit from Oregon and California: "Tarlov: “Declassified fruit from Oregon is usually underripe while California fruit is usually declassified because it is overripe. So we put them together and it works well – like salt in caramel.”
Britain's famous Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson, describes the wine: "Very deep crimson. Voluptuous, sweet and rich nose. Very fine and lively on the palate. Velvety sweetness - a very plush wine that seems to have a fair amount of alcohol on the finish. In Willi’s Wine Bar at 69 euros a bottle last summer". (Willi's is a famous wine bar in Paris, and owner Mark Williamson is an investor in Evening Land Vineyards).
Food and Wine Magazine says: "Using grapes from some of the best vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, Moorman fashioned this satiny, aromatic Pinot Noir for new producer Evening Land".
MORE INFORMATION
The Evening Coast was made by Sashi Moorman, the California winemaker for Evening Lands Vineyards. He is also co-winemaker and co-owner of Santa Barbara County’s Piedrasassi winery. In addition to Piedrasassi, which he co-owns with Peter Hunken, Moorman is winemaker for Stolpman Vineyards, a top Syrah producer, and a partner in Holus Bolus, with Hunken and two other friends.
