Calera Wine Company
Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir
Mount Harlan, Central Coast, California, USA
The 1989 Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard from Calera is a real surprise. I am inexperienced with respect to mature Californian Pinot Noir, and Josh Jensen’s wine was a revelation. Candied red fruit commingles with blood orange and Kirsch, unmistakably not from Burgundy because it is too rich, but it is certainly not over-ripe. The palate is overly sweet and Californian on the entry. Still, there is structure behind this Pinot extant after more than three decades, with quite plush raspberry fruit on the quintessentially Californian finish. It's just a lovely wine that is, once again, perfect to drink now. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
The 1989 Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard from Calera is a real surprise. I am inexperienced with respect to mature Californian Pinot Noir, and Josh Jensen’s wine was a revelation. Candied red fruit commingles with blood orange and Kirsch, unmistakably not from Burgundy because it is too rich, but it is certainly not over-ripe. The palate is overly sweet and Californian on the entry. Still, there is structure behind this Pinot extant after more than three decades, with quite plush raspberry fruit on the quintessentially Californian finish. It's just a lovely wine that is, once again, perfect to drink now. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
Owner/Wine Director Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm & Gotham Artisanal Provisions
Took a while to open up and blow off some volatile aromas but once it did it was quite nice
Took a while to open up and blow off some volatile aromas but once it did it was quite nice
Apr 8th, 2022
Super fun to taste along with all the burgs at la paulee. Thanks @Lee Lightfoot I loved the bright fruit, acid and tarry phenolics. Unbelievable how well this has aged
Super fun to taste along with all the burgs at la paulee. Thanks @Lee Lightfoot I loved the bright fruit, acid and tarry phenolics. Unbelievable how well this has aged
Mar 20th, 2022Served with grilled salmon with a soy/ginger/honey glaze.
Served with grilled salmon with a soy/ginger/honey glaze.
Jul 4th, 2019
Dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, lavender, cloves, and caramel. Nicely concentrated red fruit and gravelly minerality are evident on the palate with firm acidity and moderate fine grained tannin evident on the finish. Josh Jensen made this from 100 % organically grown Pinot Noir sourced from vines planted in 1975, fermented with native yeasts, then aged 18 months in 30% new French oak. Consumed from a 375 mL bottle, this wine has the fruit and balance to enjoy now and the structure to allow it to go 15 years or more. 14.3% ABV. $88.
Dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, lavender, cloves, and caramel. Nicely concentrated red fruit and gravelly minerality are evident on the palate with firm acidity and moderate fine grained tannin evident on the finish. Josh Jensen made this from 100 % organically grown Pinot Noir sourced from vines planted in 1975, fermented with native yeasts, then aged 18 months in 30% new French oak. Consumed from a 375 mL bottle, this wine has the fruit and balance to enjoy now and the structure to allow it to go 15 years or more. 14.3% ABV. $88.
Jan 25th, 2019
Absolutely sublime. Plums, licorice, Asian spice, rose petal, peat, loads of freshness and perfectly mellowed tannins. Showing serious minerality on the mid palate. Spectacular at this stage.
Absolutely sublime. Plums, licorice, Asian spice, rose petal, peat, loads of freshness and perfectly mellowed tannins. Showing serious minerality on the mid palate. Spectacular at this stage.
Aug 31st, 2018Gorgeous, beautiful aromatics, so alive and full of verve. Delicious fruit carried on a wave of acidity. A brilliant wine picked at a perfect ripeness. Gabilan Mountains rock!
Gorgeous, beautiful aromatics, so alive and full of verve. Delicious fruit carried on a wave of acidity. A brilliant wine picked at a perfect ripeness. Gabilan Mountains rock!
Sep 5th, 2017
Mark and I agreed to meet up at Classic this afternoon for some quick wine drinking, but it eventually turned in to a small wine gathering! Wine is great, but sharing it with others is so enjoyable.
I feel like the tough 2011 year probably did this wine some good in dialing it back. The acidity is still very high here. Lots of bing cherry, cedar, rhubarb.
Mark and I agreed to meet up at Classic this afternoon for some quick wine drinking, but it eventually turned in to a small wine gathering! Wine is great, but sharing it with others is so enjoyable.
I feel like the tough 2011 year probably did this wine some good in dialing it back. The acidity is still very high here. Lots of bing cherry, cedar, rhubarb.
Asian spice box, sweet tea, rose petal potpourri. This is magnificent.
Asian spice box, sweet tea, rose petal potpourri. This is magnificent.
2 people found it helpfulSep 27th, 2014A few fun bottles from last Friday.
I can’t imagine enjoying one of these on the young side or shortly after release. Whole cluster punch to the face! But with 10yrs on it, the whole cluster usage has given this great lift and spice on the palate. Deep ruby with a touch of purple at the core. Aromatically it is very expressive revealing peppercorn, violets, stem, and underripe black cherries. The palate is very energetic and powerful yet carries the weight effortlessly. A very concentrated, yet complex, wine that is still improving. Thanks @Dan Fitzgerald
A few fun bottles from last Friday.
I can’t imagine enjoying one of these on the young side or shortly after release. Whole cluster punch to the face! But with 10yrs on it, the whole cluster usage has given this great lift and spice on the palate. Deep ruby with a touch of purple at the core. Aromatically it is very expressive revealing peppercorn, violets, stem, and underripe black cherries. The palate is very energetic and powerful yet carries the weight effortlessly. A very concentrated, yet complex, wine that is still improving. Thanks @Dan Fitzgerald