Between the oak (75 percent new), the stem character (about 40 percent whole cluster) and the spicy tones of the Mount Eden clone itself, this starts out in an almost stubborn mode—pent up in a tight, mineral structure. It takes two days of air before the wild, brushy fragrance and rose-hip acidity fully sync with the plumpness of the fruit. This is a commanding California pinot noir for the cellar, a rugged beauty with length, substance and complexity that feels deliberate and mountain grown. Cellar it for four or five years.

Fermented and aged in 75% new French oak, the 2012 Pinot Noir Estate from Mount Eden has a lot of peppery spice and underbrush characteristics to go with a core of sour cherry and currant fruits on the nose. Medium-bodied, supple, nicely textured, and balanced with bright acidity, it starts out subtle, yet really stretches out nicely on the finish. It also blossoms with time in the glass. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy bottles through 2027. - Jeb Dunnuck