2020 Mail Road Mt. Carmel Pinot Noir
"Moving to the single vineyard release, the 2020 Pinot Noir Mount Carmel Vineyard is more structured and masculine, with brilliant aromatics of black raspberries, strawberries, new leather, sandalwood, and dried flowers. It's brilliant on the palate as well and is medium to full-bodied, has flawlessly integrated tannins, a beautiful sense of freshness, and a great finish. It's a stunner. I like it today, yet it will evolve nicely for 2-3 years and keep for a solid decade or more.<!--more-->I was able to taste three wines from Mail Road, which continue to be made by Matt Dees. These are pure, crystalline, focused wines that still bring beautiful depth of fruit and concentration. They’re some of the best out there. (Drink between 2022-2034)." -Jeb Dunnuck, 97JD
Matt Dees of Hilt/Jonata fame takes advantage of Mt Carmel's soils (adjacent to Sea Smoke's Botella clay loam), to create wines marked by deep concentration, depth, textural complexity and bright acidity, and most notably, a purple-fruit and black tea note in their Pinot Noir unlike anywhere else in the AVA.
