2012 Nouveau Monde Pinot Noir
2012 Nouveau Monde MonoClone®
“Vintage of the Decade”
So much has been written about the 2012 growing season. Will the wines deliver and stack up to the expectations? True, it was ideal climatic conditions for Pinot Noir in every sense of the word. We have often said that the most compelling wines come from difficult growing seasons. These are the years where careful vineyard management and a deft touch in the cellar shine through in compelling wines which were reflected in our 2011 vintage. The temptation with a stellar vintage like 2012 is to be greedy and not manage the yield aggressively since there is an abundance of perfect clusters on the vines. Discipline and yield management are at a premium. We feel that the greatest opportunity to reap the benefit of such nature’s gift is by harvesting vineyards on multiple days and passes. This commitment gives proper time for the stems of each cluster to develop nutty and toasted aromatics that will be pressed whole to help create wines of great depth, spice, and complexity.
We have been waiting for such a vintage for our MonoClone Pinot Noir. This is the reward.
In normal circumstances, we release each Pinot Noir on their own timelines at their Apex so you can experience them at their best. As we tasted the wines, it became clear that we had a rare opportunity to release the Big 3 – our most elegant, rare wines – together. This way you can truly enjoy and taste the depth and how different each vineyard and clone are from each other, yet all have the Soliste pedigree.
Expect great fascination from this incredibly aromatic, exotic and elegant Pinot Noir. Nouveau Monde is the pure expression of our Philosophy: To focus on a single clone to craft a wine that beautifully marries the virtues of both Corton and Pommard.
2012 Nouveau Monde MonoClone Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Le Regard / The Look
Gemlike ruby luminosity with vibrant red currant crystalline; a Cote de Beaune classic.
Le Nez / The Nose
The nose is loaded with pure red fruits (raspberries, wild strawberries, pomegranate) layered with violets, exotic spices interlaced with black tea leaves; brilliantly fresh and vivacious.
Degustation / The Taste
>The palate delivers extraordinary verve with a compelling concentration of Groseilles ( red currants) and strawberry rhubarb compote, silkened with fatty vanilla. This is a wine of Grande Finesse, velvety, focused and chiseled. It carries on with great abundance of bright red fruits (red tart cherries), rose petal and salinity. The mid-palate is all lace; refined tannins are accented by earthy sous-bois (forest floor), wet stone, and toasted herbal aromatics, all in great balance and harmony. Positively silken in texture, the crystalline acidity of freshly crushed tart raspberries laced with tea must produces high pitch length and a finish seldom witnessed.
Nouveau Monde 2012, Pommard meet Corton, the metamorphosis of Elegance into Power.