McHenry Vineyard
Estate Bottled Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Brought to Tasting Group. The 2021 Estate Grown pours a pale ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of strawberry Jolly Ranchers, cranberries, raspberries, some VA, a light kiss of baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is an elegant wine with notable texture and in some serious need for time in the cellar. Fun to try now but this will be better after 2026 and should be full stride by 2031. Expect a long life. Only 200 cases produced.
Brought to Tasting Group. The 2021 Estate Grown pours a pale ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of strawberry Jolly Ranchers, cranberries, raspberries, some VA, a light kiss of baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is an elegant wine with notable texture and in some serious need for time in the cellar. Fun to try now but this will be better after 2026 and should be full stride by 2031. Expect a long life. Only 200 cases produced.
Feb 5th, 2024Popped and poured; served with cedar plank salmon for Father’s Day. No formal notes but consistent with previous experiences. Bruised strawberry, cherry, pomegranate, mushroom, a kiss of baking spices and a touch of VA. Way more open for business than typical from McHenry at this stage, but the challenges of the vintage explain it all. Drink this vintage now.
Popped and poured; served with cedar plank salmon for Father’s Day. No formal notes but consistent with previous experiences. Bruised strawberry, cherry, pomegranate, mushroom, a kiss of baking spices and a touch of VA. Way more open for business than typical from McHenry at this stage, but the challenges of the vintage explain it all. Drink this vintage now.
Jun 20th, 2022The youngest McHenry from vintage I’ve ever had. AFIAK, the 2018 vintage was lost and I hear it was quite a story how the 2019 vintage came to be bottled. Popped and poured; consumed over two days and held very well over the 24 hour period. The wine pours a garnet color with a translucent core and slightly watery rim, medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. Medium+ intensity with bright fruit aromas including figs, strawberry, cherry, red flowers, porchini, sous bois, myrrh, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin, medium+ acid. Bruised strawberry, bitter cherry, cola, and spices are predominate at this point in its life. Medium+ finish. Due to the challenges associated with the CZU Lightening Complex fire, this wine was finished by John Benedetti at Sante Archangeli. Only 62 cases were made.
The youngest McHenry from vintage I’ve ever had. AFIAK, the 2018 vintage was lost and I hear it was quite a story how the 2019 vintage came to be bottled. Popped and poured; consumed over two days and held very well over the 24 hour period. The wine pours a garnet color with a translucent core and slightly watery rim, medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. Medium+ intensity with bright fruit aromas including figs, strawberry, cherry, red flowers, porchini, sous bois, myrrh, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin, medium+ acid. Bruised strawberry, bitter cherry, cola, and spices are predominate at this point in its life. Medium+ finish. Due to the challenges associated with the CZU Lightening Complex fire, this wine was finished by John Benedetti at Sante Archangeli. Only 62 cases were made.
Dec 15th, 2021This particular bottle was purchased at the winery during our visit back in 2019. We were fortunate considering they rarely host visitors due to the size of their operation. Popped and poured, the 2005 Estate appears a dark translucent garnet, slightly hazy and browning just a touch on the rim. Medium+ intensity with a huge nose of bruised strawberries, sun-ripened bramble fruit and mushrooms. Some VA is present but this is not unusual from this producer. With additional air, the nose becomes even more complex with tomato leaf and coniferous forest floor. On the palate, this is bursting with ripe fruit confirming the bruised strawberry and brambles though most on the dried end of the spectrum with baking spices in a combination reminiscent of fruit cake. Some leather and mushrooms present as well. The finish is dry, saline and so, so long with a sort of Blood orange thing going that’s wonderfully compelling. High acid. Medium (+) tannin. Pair very well with dry rubbed grilled chicken. While this should easy see it’s 20th birthday it’s simply fantastic right now and fully mature.
This particular bottle was purchased at the winery during our visit back in 2019. We were fortunate considering they rarely host visitors due to the size of their operation. Popped and poured, the 2005 Estate appears a dark translucent garnet, slightly hazy and browning just a touch on the rim. Medium+ intensity with a huge nose of bruised strawberries, sun-ripened bramble fruit and mushrooms. Some VA is present but this is not unusual from this producer. With additional air, the nose becomes even more complex with tomato leaf and coniferous forest floor. On the palate, this is bursting with ripe fruit confirming the bruised strawberry and brambles though most on the dried end of the spectrum with baking spices in a combination reminiscent of fruit cake. Some leather and mushrooms present as well. The finish is dry, saline and so, so long with a sort of Blood orange thing going that’s wonderfully compelling. High acid. Medium (+) tannin. Pair very well with dry rubbed grilled chicken. While this should easy see it’s 20th birthday it’s simply fantastic right now and fully mature.
Sep 18th, 2021My first time trying the 2017 Estate, the latest release from this tiny yet remarkable producer way up on Bonny Doon Road. The wines from McHenry vineyard typically show their best with 5-10 years of age but I love to try them in their youth, you know...for science. I opened this bottle about three hours before dinner and allowed it to slow-ox in the cellar. At first, the aromas were predominately red fruited in profile; strawberries and spices…almost like a Christmas fruitcake. However, the profile evolved in the glass and with more air, this began to take on a darker fruit profile that I find to be more characteristic of McHenry’s wines. This is a beautifully perfumed wine. On the palate, this is very bright and full of precocious energy. Plums and red berries with baking spices and minerals. Tannins are medium at best but there is no shortage of acid, which is a hallmark for this estate, ensuring that the 2017’s will in all likelihood enjoy a long life. Excellent now and likely to be a stunner down the road. Only 100 cases were made.
My first time trying the 2017 Estate, the latest release from this tiny yet remarkable producer way up on Bonny Doon Road. The wines from McHenry vineyard typically show their best with 5-10 years of age but I love to try them in their youth, you know...for science. I opened this bottle about three hours before dinner and allowed it to slow-ox in the cellar. At first, the aromas were predominately red fruited in profile; strawberries and spices…almost like a Christmas fruitcake. However, the profile evolved in the glass and with more air, this began to take on a darker fruit profile that I find to be more characteristic of McHenry’s wines. This is a beautifully perfumed wine. On the palate, this is very bright and full of precocious energy. Plums and red berries with baking spices and minerals. Tannins are medium at best but there is no shortage of acid, which is a hallmark for this estate, ensuring that the 2017’s will in all likelihood enjoy a long life. Excellent now and likely to be a stunner down the road. Only 100 cases were made.
Jan 3rd, 2021It’s always so exciting to try the latest release from McHenry and this just arrived in time to share with family; served alongside our Thanksgiving meal. The 2016 vintage was one of the smallest harvests on record for McHenry’s mere 2-acre, dry-farmed vineyard planted at 1800ft elevation; way up on Bonny Doon road. This was yet another year where they decided not to bottle a separate Swan Clone and instead released everything in the Estate designation. A hardly believable 56 cases were produced. However, the quality is extremely high. Darker fruited, this was more wild bramble and cranberry with some licorice and spice. So pure and delicious. Very primary right now. McHenry wines are quite long-lived with vintages from the 90’s drinking fabulously right now so I’m expecting the best to come. This fan will be tracking its evolution 😊.
It’s always so exciting to try the latest release from McHenry and this just arrived in time to share with family; served alongside our Thanksgiving meal. The 2016 vintage was one of the smallest harvests on record for McHenry’s mere 2-acre, dry-farmed vineyard planted at 1800ft elevation; way up on Bonny Doon road. This was yet another year where they decided not to bottle a separate Swan Clone and instead released everything in the Estate designation. A hardly believable 56 cases were produced. However, the quality is extremely high. Darker fruited, this was more wild bramble and cranberry with some licorice and spice. So pure and delicious. Very primary right now. McHenry wines are quite long-lived with vintages from the 90’s drinking fabulously right now so I’m expecting the best to come. This fan will be tracking its evolution 😊.
Dec 2nd, 2019The results are in and I’m happy to share that the 2015 McHenry is a banger; a fabulous effort by this tiny producer. Some VA on the nose but it’s perfectly charming. A darker core of fruit but more like compote, falling well short of stewed. Some pine tree and leather. Fantastic acid. Maybe a touch hot but that’s hardly taking anything away from this. Delicious with food and over time, seemed to take on some similar characteristics to the 1995 LdH Gran Reserva that we drank after.
The results are in and I’m happy to share that the 2015 McHenry is a banger; a fabulous effort by this tiny producer. Some VA on the nose but it’s perfectly charming. A darker core of fruit but more like compote, falling well short of stewed. Some pine tree and leather. Fantastic acid. Maybe a touch hot but that’s hardly taking anything away from this. Delicious with food and over time, seemed to take on some similar characteristics to the 1995 LdH Gran Reserva that we drank after.
Jun 12th, 2019
This was great ! Like old California PN I remember. Mature but oh soooooo good! Rustic .
This was great ! Like old California PN I remember. Mature but oh soooooo good! Rustic .
Apr 25th, 2016