Lucienne’s Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 is a single-vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands bottling from Monterey on California’s Central Coast, listed at 14.5% alcohol. In keeping with the region’s typically riper Pinot profile, the wine is consistently described in dark-fruited, spice-forward terms, with an emphasis on both generosity and lift.

Critical reception is notably strong. Vinous awarded an excellent 92 points, with Josh Raynolds calling out a “brilliant red” color and “intense, spice-accented black raspberry, cherry and licorice aromas,” sharpened by “a suggestion of smoky minerals.” On the palate, Raynolds highlights precision as much as richness, describing it as “juicy and focused,” delivering “lively dark berry and bitter cherry flavors” that “become sweeter with air.” He also notes structure and persistence, citing “very good depth as well as energy” and a finish that is “smoky and quite long, with building florality and chewy tannins.”

Wine Enthusiast also rated the wine highly at 91 points. Matt Kettmann’s note leans into the wine’s warm, dessert-spice register: “Aromas of black cherry, clove, spiced cake and vanilla” lead the way. He emphasizes an approachable mouthfeel—“the texture is soft and pillowy”—while still pointing to freshness, noting “a splash of acidity” under “hearty black-cherry and mocha-foam flavors.”

Taken together, the reviews paint a clear picture of a Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir that balances ripeness with energy. Expect dark cherry and black raspberry fruit, layered with clove, vanilla, licorice, and a smoky mineral edge. The tannins are present and “chewy” per Vinous, suggesting it will show best with food and may benefit from air in the glass, as the fruit “slowly open[s] up” over time.