(96+ pointrs) Offering more purity as well as precision in its ripe black cherries, black raspberries, crushed flowers, and forest floor aromas and flavors, the 2017 Pinot Noir Vanguard is a layered, multi-dimensional effort that has beautiful depth of fruit, remarkable purity, and polished tannins. It opens up with time in the glass and is a beautiful, seamless effort that plays with the crème de la crème in the vintage. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years. The big news wi

Entirely destemmed and aged 12 months in 20% new French oak, the pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir Vanguard has a pretty nose of dried blueberries, rhubarb and warm red cherry with dusty earth, stone, meaty touches and a spicy, amaro-tinged undercurrent. Medium to full-bodied, it offers lots of spicy, luscious fruits in the mouth, with very fine, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and spiced. 257 cases produced.- EB