93 RP
2020 - 2030
Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Cahill Lane has a broody nose of sliced blueberry, black cherry and warm blackberries with cinnamon, nutmeg, tree bark and amaro accents plus crushed red cherries, raspberry jam, warm strawberries and dried flowers. Medium-bodied and silky, it fans out in the mouth with lush, concentrated fruits and tons and tons of spicy and earthy accents, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and very juicy acidity, finishing very long and layered. 750 cases produced.
“Pricing is important to me,” says Steven Hansel. “In the marketplace, most people treat wine like a commodity—if people are willing to pay $100, that’s what it’s sold for—without any relation to what it actually costs to make. If we’re going to get young people to drink wine, they can’t pay those prices. I believe young people would like to enjoy wine, but they don’t have the resources. So, why are we raising prices? If we charge too much, they’ll buy tequila or something else—and then we’re all out of a job.” An astute observation. The Hansel wines, besides being delicious, provide excellent value. Bravo!