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Falcon's Perch Bottle Shot

2020 J. Lohr Estates Falcon's Perch Pinot Noir

90 Points, Editors' Choice Wine Enthusiast, Feb./March 2022

The 2020 J. Lohr Estates Falcon’s Perch showcases the spicy strawberry varietal character that is the hallmark of Monterey County Pinot Noir. The fruit notes meld with soy and sagebrush on the nose and are complemented by camphor, dried cherry, and black tea on the finish.

— Brenden Wood, red winemaker and Steve Peck, director of winemaking

Wine Details

  • Composition Blend
    • 100%

      Pinot Noir

  • Origin

    Monterey County, CA

  • Cellaring

    Tannin structure will soften in the first year of aging, along with the evolution of a lovely bottle bouquet. Best between 2022 and 2025.

    5 Years
  • Food Pairings

    A pinch of red pepper really sets off this Pinot Noir. Delicious when paired with Spanish chorizo or paella. Also matches quite well with mushroom dishes or roast salmon.

  • Vinification

    Fermentation: Fermented in 12-ton open-top tanks and 24-ton upright tanks, with a short period of skin contact to balance fruit and astringency.

    Maturation: 80% aged in stainless steel tanks, 20% aged in French oak barrels

An incredible value in top-flight Pinot Noir wine from cool-climate Monterey.

Vintage

The 2020 vintage saw normal levels of preseason rainfall in Monterey County, and was at record levels of growing degree days at the completion of the Pinot Noir harvest in mid-October. Cool, foggy mornings and evenings persisted through spring. Daytime highs in the 80s through summer allowed for slow ripening and aromatic expression of the delicate Pinot Noir grape. Above average temperatures in late September and early October pushed ripening for the vintage. Harvesting of the Pinot Noir began the week of September 21 in the Santa Lucia Highlands, representing a third of the 2020 blend. The remaining two-thirds of the blend was harvested from the Arroyo Seco appellation the week of October 5th. The resulting wine is showing excellent fruit expression in the bottle.

Vineyards

Our Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir is produced from cool climate grapes grown in select vineyards within and surrounding the Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands regions of Monterey County. This region has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing world-class Pinot Noir. Over the past decade, the introduction of Dijon clones of Pinot Noir, along with the old standby Pommard clone, has dramatically increased the quality of the varietal here. These newer clones are the backbone of this release of Falcon’s Perch, named for the bird which had made its home in the lone pine tree among the vines, safeguarding the grapes from vertabrate pests while preserving the ecosystem’s natural balance.

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