Medium-deep ruby color; rich, complex aromas black cherry, plum and spice; rich and layered flavors of spiced cherry and plum with notes of chocolate and cola; silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Amazing layered flavors in this Pinot; definitely some time is needed for all to come together.

When it comes to fruity precision and careful crafting, Donum’s Carneros appellation offering does not take a back seat to its pricier, single-site siblings, and it, in fact, is a first-rate Pinot Noir by any and all measures. Its insistent, very well-focused, varietal fruit is played against a judicious dollop of complementary sweet oak, and, while very rich stuff, it is also impeccably balanced and bright. While eminently enjoyable now, it very much wants age to grow into its best, and we recommend it be held for at least three or four years.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Estate Carneros boasts a creamy-textured, sexy, almost slutty personality revealing a deep plum/ruby color, loads of berry and black cherry fruit, soft tannins, a silky, low acid character and terrific purity as well as lushness. It is a sumptuous, medium-bodied Pinot to drink over the next 4-5 years. - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

There’s a feral quality to this estate-grown wine that’s in keeping with its lineage and appellation, a funky earthiness wrapped around vibrant cherry compote and juicy blackberry, seasoned in nutmeg and cardamom. Complex and layered, it builds momentum in the glass, taking on additional spicy characteristics and is structured on the finish.

Tightly wound, firm and vibrant, with rich notes of loamy earth to the dried berry, herb, sage and cedar details. Very young and dense, showing a smoky, toasty edge on the finish. Best served by short-term cellaring. Drink now through 2023. 766 cases made. –JL