Lot 443 | 2022 Mendocino County Pinot Noir 750ml

Today, we’ve found you a hidden gem from off the beaten path - our second ever Pinot Noir release from Mendocino County.

Mendocino tends to fly under the radar, and understandably so – its remote, rugged terroir isn’t for the faint of heart. But discerning Pinot Noir drinkers in the know have found that it’s thriving with hard-working, down-to-earth winemakers who produce some of the best expressions of Pinot Noir in California.

Lot 443 is a 100% Mendocino County Pinot Noir sourced from a family run winery that’s been making award-winning small batch wines for over 50 years. Direct from the winery tasting room, this wine goes for $40/bottle, $480/case before shipping charges.

Our price: $22/bottle.

It’s a blend of two single-vineyard sites – one in the Potter Valley, where cool sea breezes coursing through the Eel River canyon lock in an ideal diurnal swing; the other lies in the Ukiah Valley, full of gravelly well-draining soils that force roots deep. Hot days ensure ripeness, while the fog, wind, and bone-chilling nights nurture the long growing season great Pinot demands.

Crafted by a winemaker with decades of experience, Lot 443 was fermented with 100% indigenous yeasts. It was aged in 100% Ermitage cooperage French oak, 30% new wood for 12 months.

Ripe cranberry and cherry greet you on the nose, with hints of dried leaves and black tea underpinned. The entry is vibrant and bright with deftly interwoven cranberry-like acidity and small, grippy tannins framing caramel-kissed strawberry and Bing cherry over earthy tones in a succulent presentation. The finish is clean and nicely complex, with barrel-influenced spice and further uplifted cranberry and strawberry notes over medium length. This is a very approachable Pinot Noir, and with some bottle age will be highly quaffable either on its own or with a meal.